ALTERNATE ORIGINS

paied, and my funerall expenses dischardged, I give, devise, and bequeath to my sonne in lawe, John Hall gent., and my daughter chapter I shall have more to say about the apparent connections between the Stratford and London Combses, and the

Susanna, his wief, whom I ordaine and make executours of this my last will and testament. And I doe intreat and appoint the saied Archdales and Palmers.

Thomas Russell esquier and Frauncis Collins gent. to be overseers hereof, and doe revoke all former wills, and publishe this There is a story (to be taken with a grain of salt) to the effect that William Combe, the lawyer and high sheriff, got the youth, to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto put my [seale] hand, the daie and yeare first abovewritten.

Shakspere, out of trouble when the latter was accused of stealing deer on the estate of Sir Thomas Lucy. It has not been definitely established that Shakspere was guilty of such theft; but if he stole the glory of that is due somebody else for writing the so-called Witnes to the publyshing

Shaksperian plays, as he probably did, the theft of a whole herd of deer might be considered by him as a mere bagatelle.

hereof Fra: Collyns

And now, the famous four lines of verse, written purportedly by Shakspere as an epitaph for old John Combe: