The Text of Shakespeare’s Will Shakespeare’s Will, the Text of Author Kate McPherson Copy Editor Leah Hamby Senior Encoder Leah Hamby Encoding and Metadata LEMDO Team Copyright Holder (Content) Kate McPherson Copyright Holder (XML and interface) University of Victoria Early Modern England Encyclopedia EMEE

Anthology Leads: Kate McPherson and Kate Moncrief.

 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Mitacs Globalink Research Internship Utah Valley University

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Early Modern England Encyclopedia

By Kate McPherson, inspired by Michael Best’s Shakespeare’s Life and Times, Internet Shakespeare Editions

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Michael Best is Professor Emeritus at the University of Victoria, BC. He founded the Internet Shakespeare Editions in 1996, and was Coordinating Editor until 2017, contributing two editions to the ISE: King John and King Lear (the latter also available in print from Broadview Press). In print, he has published editions of works of Elizabethan magic and huswifery, a collection of letters from the Australian goldfields, and Shakespeare on the Art of Love (2008). He contributed regular columns for the Shakespeare Newsletter on Electronic Shakespeares, and has written many articles and chapters for both print and online books and journals, principally on questions raised by the new medium in the editing and publication of texts. He has delivered papers and plenary lectures on electronic media and the Internet Shakespeare Editions at conferences in Canada, the USA, the UK, Spain, Australia, and Japan.

 Leah Hamby Leah Hamby

Leah Hamby is the primary encoder for the Early Modern England Encyclopedia. Aside from encoding, she also works as an editor for the project and contributed several articles of her own. She has been working on the EMEE since February 2023. As of February 2026, she is soon to graduate with honours from Utah Valley University with a major in history and a minor in creative writing. Her other work with the LEMDO program includes remediating William Kemp’s Kemp’s Nine Day’s Wonder for the Digital Renaissance Editions.

 Navarra Houldin Navarra Houldin

Training and Documentation Lead 2025–present. LEMDO project manager 2022–2025. Textual remediator 2021–present. Navarra Houldin (they/them) completed their BA with a major in history and minor in Spanish at the University of Victoria in 2022. Their primary research was on gender and sexuality in early modern Europe and Latin America. They are continuing their education through an MA program in Gender and Social Justice Studies at the University of Alberta where they will specialize in Digital Humanities.

 Kate McPherson Kate McPherson

Kate McPherson is Professor of English and Honors Program Director at Utah Valley University (Orem, UT, USA). In 2015, she began working to redevelop Shakespeare’s Life and Times, created by Michael Best, into the Early Modern England Encyclopedia. Her other publications include commentary on Pericles and The Comedy of Errors for the New Oxford Shakespeare (2016); the co-edited volumes Stages of Engagement: Drama and Religion in Post-Reformation England with James Mardock (Duquesne University Press, 2014) and Shakespeare Expressed: Page, Stage, and Classroom in Shakespeare and His Contemporaries, with Kathryn M. Moncrief and Sarah Enloe (Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2013). With Kathryn M. Moncrief, Kate has also two edited collections, Performing Pedagogy in Early Modern England: Gender, Instruction, and Performance (Ashgate, 2011) and Performing Maternity in Early Modern England (Ashgate 2008). She has also published numerous articles on early modern maternity in scholarly journals. Kate participated in the 2008 National Endowment for the Humanities Institute, Shakespeare’s Blackfriars: The Study, the Stage, the Classroom, at the American Shakespeare Center. She also served as Play Seminar Director, a public humanities position, for the Utah Shakespeare Festival in 2017 and 2018.

 LEMDO Team The LEMDO Team is based at the University of Victoria and normally comprises the project director, the lead developer, project manager, junior developers(s), remediators, encoders, and remediating editors. University of Victoria https://www.uvic.ca/

The original document of William Shakespeare’s will is preserved in the Principal Probate Registry at Somerset House. Shakespeare’s biographer Samuel Schoenbaum comments in Shakespeare: A Documentary Life about the circumstances under which the will was drawn up: During the winter of 1616, Shakespeare summoned his lawyer Francis Collins, who a decade earlier had drawn up the indentures for the Stratford tithes transaction, to execute his last will and testament. Apparently, this event took place in January, for when Collins was called upon to revise the document some weeks later, he (or his clerk) inadvertently wrote January instead of March, copying the word from the earlier draft. Revisions were necessitated by the marriage of Shakespeare’s younger daughter JudithThe lawyer came on 25 March. A new first page was required, and numerous substitutions and additions in the second and third pages, although it is impossible to say how many changes were made in March and how many currente calamo quickly written in person in January. Collins never got round to having a fair copy of the will made, probably because of haste occasioned by the seriousness of the testator's condition, though this attorney had a way of allowing much-corrected draft wills to stand.(242–6)

The modern transcription below appears on the website Shakespeare Documented, a rich source of all documented information about William Shakespeare.

The transcription of the early modern version appears after the modern transcription. Words which were lined-out in the original but which are still legible are indicated by brackets. Words which were added interlinearly are indicated by italic text. The word Item is given in bold text to aid reading and is not so written in the document. This transcription follows E. K. Chambers’s, William Shakespeare, a Study of Facts and Problems, vol. 2.

The Modern Transcription

March 25, in the 14th year of the reign of James now king of England and the 49th year of Scotland, 1616

William Shakespeare

In the name of god, Amen. I, William Shakespeare of Stratford upon Avon in the county of Warwick, gent., in perfect health and memory, God be praised, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say, first I commend my soul into the hands of God my creator, hoping and assuredly believing through the only merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour to be made partaker of life everlasting, and my body to the earth whereof it is made.

Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Judith one hundred and fifty pounds of lawful English money to be paid unto her in manner and form following, that is to say, one hundred pounds in discharge of her marriage portion within one year after my decease, with consideration after the rate of two shillings in the pound, for so long time as the same shall be unpaid unto her after my decease, and the fifty pounds residue thereof upon her surrendering of, or giving of, such sufficient security as the overseers of this my will shall like of to surrender or grant all her estate and right that shall descend or come unto her after my decease or that she now hath of in or to one Copyhold tenement with the appertenances lying and being in Stratford upon Avon aforesaid in the said county of Warwick, being parcel or holden of the manor of Rowington unto my daughter Susanna Hall and and her heirs forever.

Item I give and bequeath unto my said daughter Judith one hundred and fifty pounds more if she or any issue of her body living at the end of three years next ensuing the day of the date of this my will, during which time my executors to pay her consideration from my decease according to the rate aforesaid.

And if she die within the said term without issue of her body then my will is and I do give and bequeath one hundred pounds thereof to my niece Elizabeth Hall, and fifty pounds to be set forth by my executors during the life of my sister Joan Hart and the use and profit thereof coming shall be paid to my said sister Joan, and after her decease the said 50 pounds shall remain amongst the children of my said sister equally to be divided amongst them.

But if my said daughter Judith be living at the end of the said three years, or any issue of her body, then my will is, and so I devise and bequeath the said hundred and fifty pounds to be set out by my executors and overseers for the best benefit of her and her issue, and the stock not to be paid unto her so long as she shall be married and covert baron but my will is that she shall have the consideration yearly paid unto her during her life and after her decease the said stock and consideration to be paid to her children if she have any and if not to her executors or assigns, she living the said term after my decease, provided that if such husband as she shall at the end of the said three years be married unto or attain after, do sufficiently assure unto her and the issue of her body, lands answerable to the portion by this my will given unto her, and to be adjudged so by my executors and overseers then my will is that the said £150 shall be paid to such husband as shall make such assurance to his own use.

Item I give and bequeath unto my said sister Joan 20 pounds and all my wearing apparel to be paid and delivered within one year after my decease. And I do will and devise unto her the house with the appurtenances in Stratford wherein she dwelleth for her natural life under the yearly rent of 12 pence.

Item I give and bequeath unto her three sons William Hart name omitted Hart and Michael Hart five pounds a piece to be paid within one year after my decease unto her.

Item I give and bequeath unto the said Elizabeth Hall all my plate (except my broad silver and gilt bowl) that I now have at the date of this my will.

Item I give and bequeath unto the poor of Stratford aforesaid ten pounds; to Mr Thomas Combe, my sword; to Thomas Russell, Esquire, five pounds; and to Francis Collins of the borough of Warwick in the county of Warwick, gent., thirteen pounds, six shillings, and eight pence, to be paid within one year after my decease.

Item I give and bequeath to Hamlett Sadler 26s 8d to buy him a ring; to William Reynolds, gent., 26s 8d to buy him a ring; to my godson William Walker 20s in gold; to Anthony Nash, gent., 26s 8d; to Mr. John Nash, 26s 8d; and to my fellows John Heminge, Richard Burbage, and Henry Condell 26s 8d a piece to buy them rings.

Item I give, will, bequeath, and devise unto my daughter Susanna Hall, for better enabling of her to perform this my will and towards the performance thereof:

All that capital messuage or tenement with the appurtenances in Stratford aforesaid called the New Place, wherein I now dwell, and two messuages or tenements with the appurtenances situate, lying and being in Henley Street within the borough of Stratford aforesaid.

And all my barns, stables, orchards, gardens, lands, tenements, and herediments whatsoever, situate, lying, and being, or to be had, received, perceived, or taken within the towns and hamlets, villages, fields, and grounds of Stratford upon Avon, Old Stratford, Bushopton, and Welcombe, or in any of them in the said county of Warwick.

And also all that messuage or tenement with the appurtenances wherein one John Robinson dwelleth, situate, lying and being in the Blackfriars in London near the Wardrobe, and all other my lands, tenements and hereditaments whatsoever.

To have and to hold all & singular the said premises with their appurtenances unto the said Susanna Hall for and during the term of her natural life and after her decease to the first son of her body lawfully issuing, and to the heirs males of the body of the said first son lawfully issuing and for default of such issue to the second son of her body lawfully issuing and to the heirs males of the body of the said second son lawfully issuing and for default of such heirs to the third son of the body of the said Susanna lawfully issuing and of the heirs males of the body of the said third son lawfully issuing. And for default of such issue the same so to be and remain to the forth, fifth, sixth, and seventh sons of her body lawfully issuing, one after another, and to the heirs males of the bodies of the said forth, fifth, sixth, and seventh sons lawfully issuing in such manner as it is before limited to be and remain to the first, second and third sons of her body and to their heirs males. And for default of such issue the said premises to be and remain to my said Niece Hall and the heirs males of her body lawfully issuing for default ofsuch issue to my daughter Judith & the heirs males of her body lawfully issuing. And for default of such issue to the right heirs of me the said William Shakespeare forever.

Item I give unto my wife my second best bed with the furniture.

Item I give and bequeath to my said daughter Judith my broad silver gilt bowl.

All the rest of my goods, chattel, leases, plate, jewels, and household stuff whatsoever, after my debts and legacies paid and my funerall expenses discharged, I give, devise, and bequeath to my son in law John Hall, gent., and my daughter Susanna, his wife, whom I ordain and make executors of this my last will and testament.

And I do entreat and appoint the said Thomas Russell, Esquire, and Francis Collins, gent., to be overseers hereof. And do revoke all former wills and publish this to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand the day and year first above written.

By me William Shakspeare (signed)

Witness to the publishing hereof

Francis Collins

Julius Shawe

John Robinson

Hamnet Sadler

Robert Whattcott

Probatum coram Magistro Willielmo Byrde legum doctore Commissario etc. xxijd die mensis Junij Anno domini 1616 Juramento Johannis Hall unius executorum etc. Cui etc. de bene etc. Jurati Reservata potestate etc. Sussanne Hall alteri executorum etc. cum venerit etc petitur

Key Print Sources Schoenbaum, Samuel. Shakespeare: A Documentary Life. Oxford University Press, 1975.
Key Online Sources Will of William Shakespeare, Gentleman of Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire. Shakespeare Documented. 22 Jun. 1616. https://shakespearedocumented.folger.edu/resource/document/william-shakespeares-last-will-and-testament-registered-copy. Shakespeare’s Last Will and Testament: Made 25 March 1616, Proved 22 June 1616. Shakespeare Documented. 25 Mar. 1616. https://shakespearedocumented.folger.edu/resource/document/william-shakespeares-last-will-and-testament-original-copy-including-three.