Lord God one thousand, six hundred and four . . . And further that all and every fine and fines to be levied, recoveries to be suffered, estates and assurances at any time or times hereafter to be had, made, executed or passed by or between the said parties of the premisses, or of any parcel thereof, shall be, and shall be esteemed, adjudged, deemed and taken to be to the only and proper use and behoof of the said William Shakespeare, his heirs and assigns, for ever, and to none other use, intent or purpose. . . .
Note. There are two copies of this deed. One, signed by Shakespeare and two of his trustees (Johnson and Jackson) and intended to be retained by the vendor, is in the Guildhall, London. The other, signed by Walker, and delivered to Shakespeare, was formerly in the possession of Halliwell-Phillipps, and now belongs to Mr. H. C. Folger. The document makes it clear that the property was purchased by Shakespeare and that Johnson, Jackson, and Hemming were merely acting as trustees in his interest. Whether the John Hemming who figures here is identical with the actor-friend of the poet is uncertain.
Sir Sidney Lee conjectures that the employment of the trustees was a legal device adopted in order to defeat Shakespeare’s widow’s claim to dower.
LIX. MORTGAGE DEED ON THE BLACKFRIARS PROPERTY (1618).
British Museum, London.
In purchasing the property transferred to him and his trustees by the deed of March 10, 1613, Shakespeare seems to have paid down £80 of the agreed price of £140. On the following day he and his three
