e was _ed._ with his brother Gilbert at Stratford Grammar
School, where he learned Latin from Lilly's Grammar, English, writing,
and arithmetic. He probably read some of the Latin classics and may have
got a little Greek, and though his learned friend Ben Jonson credits him
with "little Latin and less Greek," Aubrey says he "knew Latin pretty
well." This happy state of matters continued until he was about 13, when
his _f._ fell into misfortune, which appears to have gone on deepening
until the success and prosperity of the poet in later years enabled him
to reinstate the family in its former position. Meanwhile, however, he
was taken from school, and appears to have been made to assist his _f._
in his business. The next certain fact in his history is his marriage in
November, 1582, when he was 18, to Ann Hathaway, _dau._ of a yeoman at
the neighbouring hamlet of Shottery, and 8 years his senior. Various
circumstances point to the marriage having been against the wishes of his
own family, and pressed on by that of his wife, and that it was so urged
in defence of the reputation of the lady, and as perhaps might be
expected, they indicate, though not conclusively, that it did not prove
altogether happy. The birth, in May, 1583, of his eldest child Susannah
(who is said to have inherited something of his wit and practical
ability, and who _m._ a Dr. John Hall), followed in the next year by that
of twins, Hamnet and Judith, and the necessity of increased means, led to
his departure from Stratford, whence he travelled on foot to London,
where the next 23 years of his life were mainly spent. The tradition that
his departure was also caused by trouble into which he had got by killing
the deer of Sir Thomas Lucy, of Charlcote, is credible. Leaving Stratford
in 1585 or the beginning of 1586, he seems at once to have turned to the
theatres, where he soon found work, although, as Rowe, his first
biographer, says, "in a very mean rank." It was not long, however,
before he had opportunities of showing his capacities as an actor, with
the result that he shortly became a member of one of the chief acting
companies of the day, which was then under the patronage of the Earl of
Leicester, and after being associated with the names of various other
noblemen, at last on the accession of James I. became known as the King's
Company. It played originally in "The Theatre" in Shoreditch, the first
playhouse to be erected in England, and afterwards i