The Last Will & Testament of William Shakespeare

2.  It appears that in or shortly before
January 1616, Shakespeare set out to
finalize his last will and testament
with the help of his lawyer
(Stratford), Francis Collins of
Warwick. Collins, who served as
Shakespeare's attorney for at least
eleven years, was likely also a close
friend of his client. For some reason,
however, Shakespeare found it
necessary to make corrections and
additions to the will and the official
version was not signed by the five
witnesses until March 1616. The
original copy of Shakespeare's will
consists of three large sheets of paper
bound together by a narrow strip of
parchment at the top margins, and
contains three signatures of the poet,
one on each page.

3. •He left £100 to his daughter Judith for a marriage
portion and another £50 if she renounce any claim
in the Chapel Lane cottage near New Place
previously purchased by Shakespeare.
•He left another £150 to Judith if she lived another
three years, but forbade her husband any claim to it
unless he settled on her lands worth the £150.
•If Judith failed to live another three years, the £150
was to have gone to Shakespeare's granddaughter
Elizabeth Hall.
•He also left Judith a silver bowl

4. He left £30 to his sister Joan Hart
He permitted her to stay on for a
nominal rent in the Western of the two
houses on Henley Street, which
Shakespeare himself inherited from his
father in 1601.

5. To his nephews in his will
 He left each of Joan's three sons £5.
To his granddaughter, Elizabeth in
his will
 He left all his silver plate, except the silver bowl left to
Judith, to his granddaughter Elizabeth.
To the Poor of Stratford in his will
 He left £10 to the poor of Stratford

6.  He left his sword and various small bequests to
local friends.
 His lifelong friend Hamnet Sadler was specifically
mentioned to enable him to buy a memorial ring
 His friends, "my fellows John Hemynges Richard
Burbage & Henry Cundell," were named leaving
them 26s..8d to also "buy them Ringes."

7.  The only mention that
Shakespeare specifically
makes of his wife was to
leave her his "second best
bed with the furniture."
 It is, however, understood
that it would have been her
right, through English
Common Law, to one-third
of his estate as well as
residence for life at New
Place
 Why did Shakespeare
bequeath his wife, Anne, the
“second best bed?”
 The “first best bed” was the one
guests were offered when
visiting. Anne had slept in the
second best bed, spending most
of her nights alone while her
husband was away. According to
Elizabethan law a wife was
entitled to one-third of her
husband's estate. Shakespeare
did not feel the need to be more
specific in the will. After her
husband died, Anne lived in
New Place with her elder
daughter, Susanna Hall, who had
inherited the bulk of her father's
estate.

8.  "All the Rest of my Goods, Chattels, Leases, Plate,
Jewels & Household stuff whatsoever after my
debts and Legacies paid & my funeral expenses
discarded" William’s son-in-law, Dr. John Hall,
oversaw his final days and treatment.

9. The illness that took
his life is still a
mystery. As previously
mentioned
Shakespeare died on
April 23, 1616, and was
buried on April 25 in
the Holy Trinity
Church graveyard in
Stratford-upon-Avon