Shakespeare's will
William Shakespeare signed his last will and testament on the 25th of March 1616. This date fell just under a month before he died. The document emerged from a period of intense family crisis in early 1616. Shakespeare first contacted his lawyer Francis Collins in January 1616. This meeting occurred shortly before the wedding of his daughter Judith to Thomas Quiney on the 10th of February. A draft existed but remained unsigned at that time. Trouble arose when it became known that Quiney had impregnated another woman named Margaret Wheeler. Mid-March brought tragedy as Margaret Wheeler died during childbirth. Her infant also perished and both were buried on the 15th of March. Shakespeare altered the will on the 25th of March likely due to his failing health and specific concerns about Quiney. He struck out the phrase sonne in L[aw] and inserted Judith's name instead. Evidence suggests he maintained a close relationship with his other son-in-law John Hall who married Susanna.
An interlinear addition appears on the third page of the original document written in shaky secretary hand. The text reads Item I gyve unto my wief my second best bed w[i]th the furniture. Scholars took a full century to finally decipher these scribbled words. It may be the final thing added before the signatures appeared below right. Anne Shakespeare received this item while her husband left the rest of goods chattels leases plate jewels and household stuff to John Hall and Susanna. Some observers suggest this indicates unkindness toward his wife. Others propose Anne might have become an invalid though no evidence supports that claim. Perhaps the unmentioned best bed was reserved for guests or served as his deathbed. Germaine Greer argues the bequests resulted from agreements made during Susanna's marriage to Dr Hall. She notes that Dr Hall and Susanna inherited New Place after Shakespeare died. They also managed business ventures together and were appointed executors of the will. This arrangement allowed them to support Anne financially through their children rather than direct inheritance.
Judith received £100 in discharge of her marriage porcion plus another £50 if she relinquished the Chapel Lane cottage. A further £150 awaited her or any surviving children three years after the will date. She could receive interest but not the principal sum. Thomas Quiney was explicitly denied access unless he bestowed lands of equal value on Judith. In a separate clause Judith obtained my broad silver gilt bole. The bulk of the estate included New Place two houses on Henley Street and various lands around Stratford. An elaborate entail dictated descent order starting with daughter Susanna Hall. Upon Susanna's death property passed to the first son of her body lawfully issuing then to heirs males of that line. Subsequent shares went to Susanna's second third fourth fifth sixth and seventh sons and their male heirs. Elizabeth Hall and her male heirs followed next. Judith and her male heirs came eighth before any normal legal heirs. This structure usually indicates Thomas Quiney was not trusted with inheritance though some speculate it simply favored Susanna.
John Heminges Henry Condell and Richard Burbage were Shakespeare's fellow actors and founding shareholders of the Globe Theatre. Each man had a son named William. The will bequeathed 26 shillings and eightpence to each for buying mourning rings. Stanley Wells and others wonder if this represented a pact for publishing collected plays. Ben Jonson had been four years into his own project resulting in a collected edition by 1616. Burbage died in 1619 yet printing began within six years of the bequest. Heminges and Condell served as editors for the First Folio. The timing suggests these colleagues may have fulfilled an unwritten agreement. Their shared history as theatre partners provided the foundation for this literary preservation effort. No explicit contract exists but the financial gesture hints at future collaboration. The ring money itself remains modest compared to the value of the published works they would later produce together.
The preamble follows conventional phrasing typical of other wills from that period. It begins with the phrase the only merits of Jesus Christ making Christ the unique agent of salvation. This explicitly Anglican or Protestant formula differs from pre-Reformation Roman Catholic formulae invoking saints for salvation. Shakespeare established an entail for the bulk of his estate including New Place and surrounding lands. The legal mechanism ensured property passed through specific male lines before reaching female heirs like Elizabeth Hall. Susanna's sons held priority over Judith's line in the descent order. This structure protected assets while allowing flexibility if no direct male heirs existed. The document reflects standard religious sentiment of early 17th century England without deviating into radical theology. It also demonstrates careful planning to prevent fragmentation of family holdings across generations.
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Common questions
When did William Shakespeare sign his last will and testament?
William Shakespeare signed his last will and testament on the 25th of March 1616. This date fell just under a month before he died.
What specific item did Anne Shakespeare receive in William Shakespeare's will?
Anne Shakespeare received my second best bed with the furniture as stated in an interlinear addition on the third page of the original document. Scholars took a full century to finally decipher these scribbled words written in shaky secretary hand.
How much money did Judith Quiney inherit from William Shakespeare's estate?
Judith received £100 in discharge of her marriage porcion plus another £50 if she relinquished the Chapel Lane cottage. A further £150 awaited her or any surviving children three years after the will date.
Who were the recipients of the mourning rings in William Shakespeare's will?
John Heminges Henry Condell and Richard Burbage each received 26 shillings and eightpence for buying mourning rings. These men were Shakespeare's fellow actors and founding shareholders of the Globe Theatre.
Why was Thomas Quiney denied direct access to inheritance in William Shakespeare's will?
Thomas Quiney was explicitly denied access unless he bestowed lands of equal value on Judith. This structure usually indicates Thomas Quiney was not trusted with inheritance though some speculate it simply favored Susanna.