He neglected, however, to scrape the parchment, in sequence of which the letters appear imperfe&ly formed.

He purchased the estate here mortgaged, from Henry Walker, for 1401. as appears from the enrolment of the deed of bargain and sale now in the Rolls Chapel, dated the preceding day, March 10, 1612-13. The deed here printed thews that he paid down eighty pounds of the purchase-money, and mortgaged the premises for the remainder. This deed and the purchase deed were probably both executed on the same day, (March 10,) like our modern conveyance of Lease and Release. MALONE. THIS INDENTURE made the eleventh day of March, in the yeares of the reigne of our Sovereigne Lorde James, by the grace of God, king of England, Scotland, Fraunce, and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. that is to say, of England, Fraunce and Ireland the tenth, and of Scotland the six-and-fortieth; Between William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon, in the Countie of Warwick, gentlemen, William Johnson, Citizen and Vintner of London, John Jackson, and John Hemyng of London, gentlemen, of thone partie, and Henry Walker, Citizen and Minstrell of London, of thother partie; Witnesseth, that the faid William Shakespeare, William Johnson, John Jackfon, and John Hemyng, have demised, graunted, and to ferme letten, and by theis presents do demise, graunt, and to ferme lett unto the said Henry Walker, all that dwelling house or tenement, with thappurtenaunts, situate and being within the precinct, circuit, and compasse of the late Black ffryers,

London, sometymes in the tenure of James Gardyner, Esquire, and since that in the tenure of John Fortescue, gent, and now or late being, in the tenure or occupation of one William Ireland, or of his assignee or assignes; abutting upon a streete leading downe to Puddle Wharfe, on the east part, right against the Kings Majesties Wardrobe; part of which said tenement is erected over a greate gate leading to a capitall messuage, which sometyme was in the tenure of William Blackwell, Esquire, deceased, and since that in the tenure or occupation of the right honourable Henry now Earle of Northumberlande : And also all that plott of ground on the west side of the same tenement, which was lately inclosed with boords on two sides thereof, by Anne Baton, widow, so farre and in such forte as the same was inclosed by the faid Anne Baton, and not otherwise; and being on the third fide inclosed with an old brick wall; which said plott of ground was sometyme parcell and taken out of a great voyde peece of ground lately used for a garden; and also the foyle whereupon the faid tenement ftandeth; and also the faid brick wall and boords which doe inclofe the faid plott of ground; with free entrie, accesse, ingreffe, and regresse, in, by, and through, the faid great gate and yarde there, unto the usual dore of the said tenement: And also all and singular cellors, follers, romes, lights, eafiaments, profitts, commodities, and appurtenaunts whatsoever to the said dwellinghouse or tenement belonging or in any wise apperteyning: TO HAVE and to HOLDE the said dwelling-house or tenement, cellers, follers, romes, plott of ground, and all and fingular other the

premisses above by theis presents mentioned to be demised, and every part and parcell thereof, with thappurtenaunts, unto the said Henry Walker, his executors, administrators, and assignes, from the feast of thannunciacion of the blessed Virgin Marye next coming after the date hereof, unto thende and terme of One hundred yeares from thence next ensuing, and fullie to be compleat and ended, withoute impeachment of, or for,

any manner of waste : YELDING and paying therefore yearlie during the said terme unto the saide William Shakespeare, William Johnson, John Jackson, and John Hemyng, their heires and affigues, a pepper corne at the feast of Easter yearly, yf the same be lawfullie demaunded, and

PROVIDED alwayes, that if the said William Shakespeare, his heires, executors, administrators or afligns, or any of them, doe well and trulie paie or cause to be paid to the faid Henry Walker, his executors, administrators or aslignes, the sum of threescore pounds of lawfull money of England, in and upon the nyne and twentieth day of September next coming after the date hereof, at, or in, the nowe dwelling-house of the said Henry Walker, situate and being in the parish of Saint Martyn neer Ludgate, of London, at one entier payment without delaie; That then · and from thenesforth this presente lease, demise and graunt, and all and every matter and thing herein conteyned (other than this privifoe), shall cease, determinė, and bee urterlie voyde, frustrare, and of none effect, as though the faine had never beene had, ne made; theis presents or any thing therein conteyned to the contrary thercof in any wise notwithstanding. And the said William Shakspeare for himselfe, his heires, executors, and admi. niftrators, and for every of them, doth covenaunt, promisse and graunt to, and with, the faid Henry Walker, his executors, administrators and assignes, and everie of them, by theis presentes, that he the faid William Shakspeare his heires, executors, administrators or affignes, shall and will cleerlie acquite, exonerate and discharge, or from tyme to tyme, and at all tymes hereafter, well and sufficientlie save and keepe harmless the said Henry Walker his executors, administrators, and assignes, and every of them, and the faid premisses by theis presents demised, and every parcell thereof, with thappurtenaunts, of and from all and al manner of former and other bargaynes, sales, guiftes, graunts, leases, jointures, dowers, intailes, statuts, recognizaunces, judgments, executions; and of, and from, all and every other charge, titles, troubles, and incumbrances whatsoever by the said William Shakspeare. William Johnson, John Jackson, and John Hemyng, or any of them, or by their or any of their meanes, had made, committed or done, before thensealing and delivery of theis presents, or hereafter before the said nyne and twentieth day of September next comming after the date hereof, to bee had, made, committed or done, except the rents and fervits to the cheef lord or lords of the fee or fees of the premisses, for, or in respect of, his or their fegnorie or seignories onlie, to bee due and done.

H 3

IN WITNESSE whereof the said parties to theis indentures interchangeablie have fett their seales. Yeoven the day and years first above written, 1612 [ 1612-13].

9 John Heming did not sign, or seal, MALONE, * j, c. Scrivener, MALONE,