Shakespeare of Stratford/The Biographical Facts/Fact 30
XXX. SHAKESPEARE AND HIS WIFE MENTIONED IN THOMAS WHITTINGTON’S WILL (1601).
Extract from the will of Thomas Whittington of Shottery, who died in April, 1601, bequeathing
Unto the poor people of Stratford xl s. that is in the hand of Anne Shaxspere, wife unto Mr. William Shaxspere, and is due debt unto me, being paid to mine executor by the said William Shaxspere or his assigns according to the true meaning of this my will.
Note. Whittington was a shepherd who had been in the employ of the Hathway family. It has been sentimentally supposed that he assisted the poet’s wife with a loan of forty shillings at some long past period of embarrassment, while Shakespeare was absent in London. It is equally likely that the sum had been entrusted to the Shakespeares for safe keeping or represented a promised gratuity or uncollected wages.
See J. W. Gray, Shakespeare’s Marriage, 28, 29.