On September 15, 1558, their first child, Joan, was baptised in the church of Holy Trinity; the second, Margaret, on December 2, 1562; both children died in infancy.

Two or three months after the birth of their third child, William, a terrible plague ravaged Stratford.

The birth-place of the poet was in one of two adjoining houses in Henley Street, possibly in the room now shown to reverent pilgrims. Of the two houses upon the

north side of the street, the one on the east was purchased by John Shakespeare in 1556, but that on the west (though there is nothing connecting it with him before. 1575) has been known "from time immemorial" as Shakespeare's Birthplace," perhaps from the circumstance of its being occupied until 1806 by descendants of the poet.

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1568-9. As bailiff, John Shakespeare entertained actors at Stratford, the Queen's and Earl of Worcester's companies evidently for the first time in the history of the town.

1571. At the age of seven, according to the custom of the time, William Shakespeare's school-life probably began he no doubt entered the Free Grammar School at Stratford, known as "the King's New School.' The teaching at the school during Shakespeare's schoolcourse was under efficient control; Walter Roche, Fellow of Corpus Christi College, and rector of Clifford, was appointed master in 1570, and Thomas Hunt, curate (and) subsequently vicar) of the neighbouring village of Luddington, held the office in 1577.

1575. Queen Elizabeth visited the Earl of Leicester at Kenilworth. William may have witnessed the Kenilworth festivities; in the next year two accounts were published (cp. Preface to Midsummer Night's Dream).

1577-8. About this time William was removed from school, owing to his father's financial difficulties. Fourteen was the usual age for boys to leave school and commence apprenticeship, if they were not preparing for a scholarly career.

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The Stratford records give us the clearest evidence that John Shakespeare's prosperity had come to an end: his attendance at the council meetings became more and more irregular, and he was unable to pay, in 1578, an assessment of fourpence weekly for the relief of the poor levied on the aldermen of the borough, and in 1579 a levy for the purchase of weapons. In the former year he was forced to mortgage the land in Wilmcote called Ashbies" for £40 to Edmund Lambert, his brother-in-law, to revert if repayment were made before Michaelmas 1580: in the latter year, their interest in the Snitterfield property was sold for £40 to Robert Webbe (Alexander Webbe was the husband of Agnes Arden, Shakespeare's aunt). Towards Michaelmas 1580 John Shakespeare sought to redeem the Wilmcote estate from Edmund Lambert, but his proposal was rejected on the plea that there were other unsecured debts.

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On September 6, 1586, John Shakespeare was deprived of his position on the council, on the ground that he doth not come to the halls when warned, nor hath not done of long time." About this time he lost an action brought against him by one John Brown, and it is reported that "predictus Johannes Shackspere nihil habet unde distringi potest," i.c. "the aforesaid John Shakspeare has no goods on which distraint can be levied."

There were in all eight children born to John Shakespeare: Two daughters who died in infancy; William; Gilbert, baptised October 13, 1566 (living at Stratford in 1609); Joan, baptised April 15, 1569, married William Hart of Stratford (died in 1646); Anne, baptised September 28, 1571 (died in 1579); Richard, baptised March II, 1574 (died at Stratford in 1613); Edmund, baptised May 3, 1580 (became an actor, and died in London in December 1607).

Nothing is definitely known concerning William's occupation on his withdrawal from school. The oldest local tradition seems to point to his being apprenticed to "a

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butcher," perhaps to his own father, who is variously described as "a dealer in wool," a glover," "a husbandman," "a butcher," and the like.

1582. In November of this year William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, who it would seem was the daughter (otherwise called Agnes) of Richard Hathaway, husbandman of the little village to the west of Stratford called Shottery; he had died during the year, his will, dated September 1, 1581, being proved on July 9, i.e. some four months before the marriage.

Anne Hathaway was twenty-seven years old, and William Shakespeare nineteen, when they became man and wife. The marriage did not take place at Stratford, but

possibly at Luddington (three miles from Stratford and one from Shottery), or at Temple Grafton (about four miles from Stratford), the registers of the old churches have disappeared. It is curious to note that in the Episcopal registers at Worcester there is a record of a license for a marriage between Willielmum Shaxpere and An

nam Whateley de Temple Grafton" dated 27th of November, 1582, where "Whateley Whateley" may be an error for "Hathwey," due to some exceptional accident or intended disguise; possibly (but less likely) the entry refers to some other "William Shakespeare." There is, however, preserved in the Bishop's Registry at Worcester, a bond dated November 28, 1582, "against impediments," in anticipation of the marriage of Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway" William Shagspere one thone parte, and Anne Hathwey of Stratford in the dioces of Worcester, maiden"; by this deed Fulke Sandells and John Richardson, husbandmen of Stratford (but more specifically farmers of Shottery, the former being "supervisor" of Richard Hathaway's will) bound themselves in a surety of £40 to "defend and save harmless the right reverend Father in God, John Lord Bishop of Worcester " against any complaint that might ensue from allowing the marriage between William and Anne with only once asking of the banns of matrimony. There is no reference to the bridegroom's parents; and all considerations seem to point to the conclusion that the marriage was hastened on by the friends of the bride.

1583. May 26; under this date we find the baptism of Susanna, daughter of William Shakespeare; on February 2nd, 1585, were baptised his twin children, Hamnet and Judith, named after his Stratford friends Hamnet and Judith Sadler.

1587. On April 23rd of this year was buried Edmund Lambert, the mortgagee of Ashbies; in September a formal proposal was made that his son and heir, John, should, on cancelling the mortgage and paying £40, receive from the Shakespeares an absolute title to the estate. "Johannes Shackespere and Maria uxor ejus, simulcum Willielmo Shackespere filio suo," were parties to this proposed arrangement, which, however, was not carried out, as we learn from a Bill of Complaint brought