ned,[281] was
possibly a native of another county. But we find some in the shire,
contemporary with the poet. Among the "Original Wills at Somerset House
there is one of Thomas Shackspeare, Innkeeper," in the suburbs of
Oxford. He wished to be buried in the Church of St. Giles, Oxford,
bequeathed property to his four children--Robert, Ellen, Mary, and
Elizabeth, L10 each when they came of age--and left his wife Elizabeth
residuary legatee and sole executrix; overseers, Mr. Ralf Shillingworth
and Henry Hedges. A remembrance was left to the preacher of his funeral
sermon, and to his loving friend Mr. Harris, of Yarnton, and he "set his
hand and seale thereto," May 27, 1642;[282] witnesses, Thomas Champe and
Nathaniel Harris. It is curious that the seal used should represent a
winged heart bleeding, surmounted by a ducal coronet.

Curiously enough, a notice of this one family is preserved in _Notes and
Queries_,[283] though it is not mentioned in the index. It was
transcribed from St. Mary Magdalene's, Oxford, by Dr. Macray while he
was yet curate. "Thomas Shakspere, the sonne of Thomas Shaxspere, was
baptised the 19th day of August, 1628;" Marie, April 15, 1630;
Elizabeth, June 29, 1632; "Robert, the sone of Thomas Shaxspere,
Inkeeper, was baptized September the 24th, 1634." Among the burials
appear, "Thomas, the son of Thomas Shaxespere, was buried Nov. 4th,
1642; Thomas Shaxsper, Inkeper, buried Nov. 11th, 1642; Ellinor Shaxsper
was buried May second, 1643." The earlier records of the Church are
lost. It is a pity the other Oxford registers have not been thoroughly
searched for the name, or printed.

A John Shakespeare,[284] of St. Mary's Hall, took the degree of B.A. in
1666. The _Oxford Chronicle_[285] of April 20, 1765, mentions a Richard
Shakespeare as being committed to Coventry Gaol as a forger.

Some of these Shakespeares gravitated towards London. In the will of
Leonard Wilmot, of Clanfield, co. Oxon., gent., 1608, there is a bequest
to "Leonard Shackspire, my godson, servant to John Prince, of Abington,
Vintner, 5^li, and to John Shackspire, of Newnam, 5^li."[286] This John
may be father of Leonard, and may be the John referred to in the note.
"John Shakespeare, of Nuneham Courtney, co. Oxford, an old feeble man,
had been drinking in his house, 25th Nov., 1633."[287] A Leonard is
mentioned in the register of Sunningwell, Berks, as being married to
Alyce Parkes of Abingdon, September 12, 1614. This is probably