Epilogue – A Year
With The Bard - “Our revels now are ended. These our actors, as I foretold
you, were all spirits, and are melted into air, into thin air…”
After the summer of 1613, Shakespeare retired permanently to Stratford
and perhaps only visited London a couple of times over the next two and a half
years. From the “poor player” who made about £35 for the year, he ended his life in comfortable retirement with probably a healthy
income from houses, land, tithes (rents on fields and common land),
grain storage, the family wool businesses and storage and also some money would come
from his share in the King’s Men and some money would come in from his plays. All of this would add up to about £2000
a year when the average wage was about £75. He probably made only about £1200 in 1615. That means that in today’s terms
Shakespeare would probably have been making about £800,000 a year in his
retirement. So Edward Bond’s image in his 1973 play ‘Bingo – Scenes of Money
and Death’ of Shakespeare spending his last days getting money from the new
land enclosures in Warwickshire and drinking with visitors
from London like his fellow playwrights Ben Jonson and John Fletcher, his poet
friend Michael Drayton and his acting buddies John Heminges and Henry Condell, is probably not too far from the truth. He had blown away much of this before his death, since he seemed to have only about £500 on his death bed (including 40 pounds to buy rings for his friends and about 5 pounds for funeral expenses including a stone covering for his grave which was engraved), 3 houses, 3 tenements, plates, crockery, two beds and a sword.
We know that he visited
his son-in-law John Hall (who was married to William Shakespeare’s daughter
Susanna) from October until November 1614 in London. This probably related to
an accusation which John Lane made of adultery against Susanna and the
subsequent defamation case brought against John Lane that saw him found guilty
of defamation and excommunicated from the local church and the local Stratford
community.
Sometime late in January
1616, Shakespeare called to his house his lawyer Francis Collins, to dictate to him an important document. This draft was not completed and so on March 25th,
1616, Shakespeare summoned Francis Collins again to his house, along with Julyus Shawe,
John Robinson, Hamnet Sadler and Robert Whattcott. Shakespeare’s last piece of
writing was dictated to Francis Collins, witnessed by Shawe, Robinson, Sadler and Whattcott and signed by Will’s now shaky hand. It
was not a sonnet, nor a long narrative poem nor a play. It was neither comedy, history or tragedy. It had no profound and
poetic thoughts, no characterization, metaphors and imagery. It had very little
punctuation and no paragraphing. It was Will Shakespeare’s last will and
testament which read as follows:
“In the name of god Amen I William Shackspeare, of Stratford upon Avon
in the countrie of Warr., gent., in perfect health and memorie, God be praysed,
doe make and ordayne this my last will and testament in manner and forme
followeing, that ys to saye, ffirst, I comend my soule into the hands of God my
Creator, hoping and assuredlie beleeving, through thonelie merites, of Jesus
Christe my Saviour, to be made partaker of lyfe everlastinge, and my bodye to
the earth whereof yt ys made. Item, I gyve and bequeath unto my [sonne
and] daughter Judyth one hundred and fyftie poundes of lawfull English money,
to be paid unto her in the manner and forme foloweng, that ys to saye, one
hundred poundes in discharge of her
marriage porcion within one yeare after my deceas, with consideracion
after the rate of twoe shillings in the pound for soe long tyme as the same
shalbe unpaied unto her after my deceas, and the fyftie poundes residwe thereof
upon her surrendring of, or
gyving of such sufficient securitie as the overseers of this my will shall like
of, to surrender or graunte all her estate and right that shall discend or come
unto her after my deceas, or that shee
nowe hath, of, in, or to, one copiehold tenemente, with thappurtenaunces,
lyeing and being in Stratford upon Avon aforesaied in the saied countrye of
Warr., being parcell or holden of the mannour of Rowington, unto my daughter
Susanna Hall and her heires for ever. Item, I gyve and bequeath unto my
saied daughter Judith one hundred and fyftie poundes more, if shee or anie
issue of her bodie by lyvinge att thend of three yeares next ensueing the daie
of the date of this my will, during which tyme my executours are to paie her
consideracion from my deceas according to the rate aforesaied; and if she dye
within the saied tearme without issue of her bodye, then my will us, and I doe
gyve and bequeath one hundred poundes thereof to my neece Elizabeth Hall, and
the fiftie poundes to be sett fourth by my executours during the lief of my
sister Johane Harte, and the use and proffitt thereof cominge shalbe payed to
my saied sister Jone, and after her deceas the saied l.li.12 shall remaine
amongst the children of my saied sister, equallie to be divided amongst them;
but if my saied daughter Judith be lyving att thend of the saied three yeares,
or anie yssue of her bodye, then my will ys, and soe I devise and bequeath the
saied hundred and fyftie poundes to be sett our by my executours and overseers for the best benefitt of her and
her issue, and the stock not to be paied unto her soe long as she
shalbe marryed and covert baron [by my executours and overseers]; but my will
ys, that she shall have the consideracion yearelie paied unto her during her
lief, and, after her ceceas, the saied stocke and consideracion to be paied to
her children, if she have anie, and if not, to her executours or assignes, she
lyving the saied terme after my deceas. Provided that yf suche husbond as she
shall att thend of the saied three years be marryed unto, or att anie after,
doe sufficientlie assure unto her and thissue of her bodie landes awnswereable
to the porcion by this my will gyven unto her, and to be adjudged soe by my
executours and overseers, then my will ys, that the said cl.li.13 shalbe paied
to such husbond as shall make such assurance, to his owne use. Item, I
gyve and bequeath unto my saied sister Jone xx.li. and all my wearing
apparrell, to be paied and delivered within one yeare after my deceas; and I
doe will and devise unto her the house
with thappurtenaunces in Stratford, wherein she dwelleth, for her naturall
lief, under the yearlie rent of xij.d. Item, I gyve and bequeath unto
her three sonnes, William Harte, ---- Hart, and Michaell Harte, fyve pounds a
peece, to be paied within one yeare after my deceas [to be sett out for her
within one yeare after my deceas by my executours, with thadvise and direccions
of my overseers, for her best frofitt, untill her mariage, and then the same
with the increase thereof to be paied unto her]. Item, I gyve and
bequeath unto [her] the saied
Elizabeth Hall, all my plate, except
my brod silver and gilt bole, that I now have att the date of this my
will. Item, I gyve and bequeath unto the poore of Stratford aforesaied
tenn poundes; to Mr. Thomas Combe my sword; to Thomas Russell esquier fyve
poundes; and to Frauncis Collins, of the borough of Warr. in the countie of
Warr. gentleman, thirteene poundes, sixe shillinges, and eight pence, to be
paied within one yeare after my deceas. Item, I gyve and bequeath to
[Mr. Richard Tyler thelder] Hamlett
Sadler xxvj.8. viij.d. to buy him a ringe; to William Raynoldes gent., xxvj.8. viij.d. to buy him a ringe; to
my dogson William Walker xx8. in gold; to Anthonye Nashe gent. xxvj.8. viij.d.
[in gold]; and to my fellowes John
Hemynges, Richard Brubage, and Henry Cundell, xxvj.8. viij.d. a peece to buy
them ringes, Item, I gyve, will, bequeath, and devise, unto my
daughter Susanna Hall, for better
enabling of her to performe this my will, and towards the performans thereof,
all that capitall messuage or tenemente with thappurtenaunces, in Stratford aforesaid, called the
New Place, wherein I nowe dwell, and two messuages or tenementes with
thappurtenaunces, scituat, lyeing, and being in Henley streete, within the borough
of Stratford aforesaied; and all my barnes, stables, orchardes, gardens,
landes, tenementes, and hereditamentes, whatsoever, scituat, lyeing, and being,
or to be had, receyved, perceyved, or taken, within the townes, hamletes,
villages, fieldes, and groundes, of Stratford upon Avon, Oldstratford,
Bushopton, and Welcombe, or in anie of them in the saied countie of Warr. And
alsoe all that messuage or tenemente with thappurtenaunces, wherein one John
Robinson dwelleth, scituat, lyeing and being, in the Balckfriers in London,
nere the Wardrobe; and all my other landes, tenementes, and hereditamentes
whatsoever, To have and to hold all and singuler the saied premisses, with
theire appurtenaunces, unto the saied Susanna Hall, for and during the terme of
her naturall lief, and after her deceas, to the first sonne of her bodie
lawfullie yssueing, and to the heires males of the bodie of the saied first
sonne lawfullie yssueinge; and for defalt of such issue, to the second sonne of
her bodie, lawfullie issueing, and to the heires males of the bodie of the
saied second sonne lawfullie yssueinge; and for defalt of such heires, to the
third sonne of the bodie of the saied Susanna lawfullie yssueing, and of the
heires males of the bodie of the saied third sonne lawfullie yssueing; and for
defalt of such issue, the same soe to be and remaine to the ffourth [sonne],
ffyfth, sixte, and seaventh sonnes of her bodie lawfullie issueing, one after
another, and to the heires males of the bodies of the bodies of the saied fourth,
fifth, sixte, and seaventh sonnes lawfullie yssueing, in such manner as yt ys
before lymitted to be and remaine to the first, second, and third sonns of her
bodie, and to theire heires males; and for defalt of such issue, the said
premisses to be and remaine to my sayed neece Hall, and the heires males of her
bodie lawfullie yssueinge; and for defalt of such issue, to my daughter Judith,
and the heires males of her bodie lawfullie issueinge; and for defalt of such
issue, to the right heires of me the saied William Shackspeare for ever. Item, I gyve unto my wief my second best bed with the furniture, Item,
I gyve and bequeath to my saied daughter Judith my broad silver gilt bole. All
the rest of my goodes, chattel, leases, plate, jewels, and household stuffe
whatsoever, after my dettes and legasies paied, and my funerall expenses
dischardged, I give, devise, and bequeath to my sonne in lawe, John Hall gent.,
and my daughter Susanna, his wief, whom I ordaine and make executours of this
my last will and testament. And I doe intreat and appoint the saied Thomas Russell esquier and
Frauncis Collins gent. to be overseers hereof, and doe revoke all former wills,
and publishe this to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have
hereunto put my [seale] hand,
the daie and yeare first abovewritten.”
On either Friday
April 22nd or Saturday April 23rd 1616, Michael Drayton
and Ben Jonson arrived from London and either took William Shakespeare out to
celebrate his 52nd birthday or had considerable alcohol delivered by cart from the local tavern to Will's house. Then as the Vicar of the Holy Trinity
Church in Stratford relates in his diary:
"Shakespeare, Drayton, and Ben Jonson had a
merry meeting and it seems drank too hard, for Shakespeare died of a fever
there contracted."
Another possible
cause of Shakespeare’s death could have been Typhus, since a new outbreak
seemed to happen in Stratford around this time. C. Martin Mitchell, uses the
death mask made of Shakespeare, his will and last signatures to conclude that
Shakespeare died of cerebral hemorrhage or apoplexy.
William Shakespeare
probably died in his own bed on his 52nd birthday on Saturday April
23rd 1616 late in the evening. His own son-in-law John Hall, who was
a doctor, probably pronounced him officially dead. I do not know exactly why Shakespeare
left his “second best bed" to his wife but I would like to think that
this was their matrimonial bed and rich in sentimental significance. On Monday
April 25th, probably around 11 am since this was the custom at this time of year, William Shakespeare was buried in the chancel of the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. A stone slab with engraving covering was probably added
a few days later when the carving was completed. It is Shakespeare’s final epitaph and it includes a final
curse to those who wish to disturb the remains of William Shakespeare:
“Good frend for Iesvs sake forbeare,
To digg the
dvst encloased heare.
Bleste be ye
man yt spares thes stones,
And cvrst be he
yt moves my bones.”
I have thoroughly
enjoyed my 'Year With The Bard. I have blogged approximately 300,000 words on
Shakespeare (about 50,000 are direct quotes from Shakespeare so I have written
about 250,000 words). I have blogged on 199 occasions this year about
Shakespeare’s plays and poems. I had almost 19,000 views of the blog to date.
The most popular blog has been the one on ‘Taming of the Shrew’ followed by the
one on the Sonnets where I blogged about Sonnet 18 “Shall I compare thee to a
summer’s day…” The joint third place in popularity were the blogs on ‘Hamlet’
and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ followed in fifth place by the blogs on ‘Macbeth’ and
sixth place for ‘The Tempest’. November 25th was the day when the
blog received the most views (for ‘The Tempest’).
About 58% of my views
were done in Australia, 19% in the United States and 5% in Russia (both places
where I don’t know anyone). This is followed by about 3% in both Germany and China
and about 1.5% in the United Kingdom, India, France and South Korea. All in all
I got hits from people in 62 countries on six continents.
My favourite plays to
re-read were ‘Macbeth’, ‘Hamlet’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘King Lear’ and these
were also the hardest and most enjoyable to blog about.
So some final stats
on Shakespeare:
· Shakespeare
wrote about 845,000 words
·
Shakespeare
wrote between 36 to 39 plays and co-wrote 1 or 2 plays
·
About
50% of Shakespeare’s plays are comedies, 25% are tragedies and 25% are histories
·
Shakespeare
invented about 28,820 new words
·
Outside
of common words like articles such as “the”, the word which Shakespeare uses the most is “sweet” which appears 840
times in his complete works.
The final words
should rest with William Shakespeare himself who once gave the character of the
melancholic Jacques in ‘As You Like It’, the following now famous ‘seven ages
of man’ speech:
“All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”
No comments:
Post a Comment