Shakespeare of Stratford/The Biographical Facts/Fact 59
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 trustees gave the vendor, Henry Walker, a mortgage for the remaining sixty pounds. The terms of this document are that Walker is to regain possession of the Blackfriars property for a term of one hundred years from the feast of the annunciation next coming (March 25, 1613): Provided always that if the said William Shakespeare, his heirs, executors, administrators or assigns, or any of them, do well and truly pay or cause to be paid to the said Henry Walker, his executors, administrators, or assigns, the sum of threescore pounds of lawful money of England in and upon the nine-and-twentieth day of September next coming after the date hereof, at or in the now dwelling-house of the said Henry Walker, situate and being in the parish of Saint Martin near Ludgate, of London, at one entire payment, without delay, that then and thenceforth this present lease, demise, and grant . . . shall cease, determine, and be utterly void, frustrate, and of none effect.
Note. There is no evidence that this mortgage was paid off, except the fact that the property remained in Shakespeare’s possession and was bequeathed in his will. On February 10, 1618, the poet’s trustees, John Jackson, John Heminge, and William Johnson executed a document (Halliwell-Phillipps, Outlines, 7th ed., ii. 36–41) putting into effect the provision the poet’s will made with reference to his Blackfriars property. (See p. 85.)