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Shakespeare
Contents The Life and Times of William Shakespeare
Death
Shakespeare died at the age of 52 on 23
April 1616. This date is based on the Old
Style, or Julian calendar of his time. The New Style, or Gregorian calendar
date is 3 May 1616. Undoubtedly Shakespeare's son-in-law, Dr. Hall attended him, but the nature of his final illness is unknown. A legend has grown up, based on
a diary entry by a John Ward - a Stratford vicar. Ward wrote that
"Shakspear Drayton and Ben Jhonson had a merry meeting and it seems drank too hard for Shakespear died of a feavour there contracted."
This is difficult to believe as the diary entry was written fifty years after
Shakespeare's death although as vicar, Ward would have listened to local gossip and knew Judith Shakespeare in her later
years; whether this is based upon fact again is open to debate.
William Shakespeare is buried in the chancel of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Stratford. A stone slab - a reproduction of the original, which it replaced in 1830 marks his grave. It bears an inscription, perhaps of Shakespeare's own words:
GOOD FREND FOR JESUS SAKE FORBEARE,
TO DIGG THE DUST ENCLOASED HEARE.
BLESTE BE Ye MAN Yt SPARES THES STONES,
AND CURST BE HE Yt MOVES MY BONES.
His wishes have been honoured over the years although as the grave is near the river Avon underground currents may have sown no respect for the curse. A painted funerary bust was also erected in the church early in the seventeenth century that has lasted till present times. On the north wall of the chancel is his monument. It consists of a portrait bust enclosed in a stone frame. Below this is an inscription in Latin and English:
This
bust and the engraving by Martin Droeshout, prefixed to the First Folio edition
of his plays (1623), are the only pictures of Shakespeare which can be accepted
as showing his true likeness.
John Aubrey, an English antiquarian, wrote about Shakespeare 65 years after his
death, in 1681. He evidently used information furnished by the son of one of
Shakespeare's fellow actors. Aubrey described him as "a handsome,
well-shaped man, very good company, and of a ready and pleasant smooth
wit."
Shakespeare's Will
Whatever the cause of Shakespeare's death, he called for his lawyer to revise his will on 25 March 1616 (New Years day, old calendar). The marriage of his daughter Judith to Thomas Quiney made need of amendments. As G E Bentley says of his will, it is "a characteristic will of a man of property in the reign of James I." (Shakespeare: A Biographical Handbook, 1961). Its provisions are numerous and complicated, but the main bequeaths are as below:
 | £100 was left to his daughter Judith for a marriage portion with another £50 if she renounce any claim in the Chapel Lane cottage near New Place previously purchased by Shakespeare. Further, another £150 was given to Judith if she lived another three years, but forbade her husband any claim to it unless he settled on her lands. If Judith failed to live another three years the £150 was to have gone to Shakespeare's granddaughter Elizabeth Hall |
| £30 was given to his sister Joan Hart, and permitted her to stay on for a nominal rent in the western half of the two houses on Henley Street, which Shakespeare himself inherited from his father in 1601. He left each of Joan's three sons £5 |
| all his plate, except a silver bowl left to Judith, was bequeathed to his granddaughter Elizabeth |
| £10 to the poor of Stratford - a large amount considering similar bequeaths of the time |
| his sword and various small bequests were given to local friends, including money to buy memorial rings. His lifelong friend Hamnet Sadler is mentioned in this connection. He singles out "my ffellowes John Hemynges Richard Burbage & Henry Cundell" leaving them 26s8d to "buy them Ringes". Heminges and Condell were, seven years later, to become the editors of the First Folio |
| he does not mention his wife Anne (though it is commonly pointed out 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), except to leave her his "second best bed" and other furnishings. Much has been written about this odd bequest. There is little reason to think it was a slight. Indeed, it may have been a special mark of affection. This bed was probably the one they themselves used with the 'best bed' being reserved for guests. She died in 1623. |
"All the Rest of my goodes Chattels Leases plate Jewels & household stuffe whatsoever after my dettes and Legasies paied & my funerall expences dischared" he left to his son-in-law John Hall and his daughter Susanna.
It is often wondered that no books or play scripts are mentioned in the will, but of course Shakespeare would have owned no play scripts, since they were the property of the King's Men. Any books would not have been
itemised in the will but would have been part of his
"goodes."
The will contains three signatures of Shakespeare. These, with three others, are the only known specimens of his handwriting in existence. Several experts also regard some lines in the manuscript of 'Sir Thomas More' as Shakespeare's own handwriting. He spelled his name in various ways. His father's papers show about 16 spellings. Shakspere, Shaxpere and the more familiar Shakespeare are the most common forms.
Shakespeare's Memorial in Poets' Corner
It was not until l740 that a memorial statue to him was erected in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey, London. Shortly after Shakespeare’s death there was much talk about removing his remains from Stratford to the Abbey but the idea was quickly abandoned. This idea gave rise to the poet Ben Jonson’s lines:
" My Shakespeare, rise! I will not lodge thee by Chaucer or Spenser, or bid Beaumont lie a little further on to make thee
room ".
The life-size white marble statue, depicted in the fashion of his period, was erected by the Earl of Burlington, Dr Mead, Alexander Pope and
a Mr Martin. It was designed by William Kent and executed by Peter Scheemakers. The inscription above the head of the statue may be translated
" William Shakespeare [erected] l24 years after [his] death by public
esteem ". The carved heads of Queen Elizabeth I, Henry V and Richard III appear on the pedestal. The figure
of Shakespeare leans his elbow on a pile of nameless books and his left hand points to a scroll on which are painted a variant of Prospero’s lines from 'The Tempest':
The Cloud capt Tow’rs,
The Gorgeous Palaces,
The Solemn Temples,
The Great Globe itself,
Yea all which it Inherit,
Shall Dissolve;
And like the baseless Fabrick of a Vision
Leave not a wreck behind.
Some of the black paint has now been rubbed off the inscription so some letters are now illegible. The inscription at the base of the memorial (giving his name, dates and burial place) is a modern addition. There are no other words on the memorial.
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