on the throne. Therefore it is not surprising that there are
fewer priestly legacies in the later will, that it mentions also fewer
relatives, and no brother Robert. But there are still sisters, Thomasine
Cook, Grace Storeton, Jone Shackspere, and a relative, Anne Wilson; and
the legacy to the Church of St. Mildred's, Bread Street, London.[302]
Mr. Veley does not know of this later will, which is the one that was
proved. He takes it for granted Thomas was an Essex man, though he lived
in London. He probably was so.

Mr. Veley also mentions a Joseph Shakespeare of Havering, who made his
will 1640. He had a brother Samuel, of Hornchurch, whose widow Susan
made her will in 1678; a Samuel, of Romford, her son, who married
Judith, had a daughter Ann, and died in 1707; a Thomas, of Hornchurch,
also son of Susan, who made his will in 1702; and a William, probably a
third brother, who married Susannah, was father to John of Rawreth, and
made his will March 2, 1723. John of Rawreth's goods were administered
by his daughter Judith, wife of Asser Vassall, 1731. Mr. Veley also
finds a John and Elizabeth mentioned, but unfortunately does not print
the contents of these other wills.

It may be noted that there is a considerable gap between the date of the
priest and his brother Robert and these later Shakespeares. I was glad
to find among the administrations at Somerset House[303] the name of
"Alice Shakespeare, Widow, of Ginge Margretting, Essex, 1581." She might
have been the widow of this Robert, and might also have been, at an
advanced age, the sister Alice Shakespeare mentioned in the will of
Francis Griffin, of Braybrook, 37 Henry VIII., who, Mr. Yeatman insists,
must have been the poet's grandmother. Francis Griffin remembers another
sister, _Agnes Crosmore_. The goods of this Alice Shakespeare were
administered by her sister, _Agnes Williams_, of Barking. I have made a
prolonged search among the Subsidy Rolls of Essex to locate this family.
Nowhere have I found the spelling of the name so varied, from
Shakesphere to Shakespurr, Saxper, and even Shaksby and Shucksby.
Cross-references prove these to be intended for the same name.[304] In 3
Jac. I., in Foulness, Essex, a Nicholas Saxper; in Rochford,[305] 21
Jac. I., John Shuxbye, and in Stambridge Magna, 4 Car. I., both Shakesby
and Shukesby. The Hearth Tax,[306] Essex, Car. II., mentions Samuel
Shexpere, and the Subsidy Rolls of 14 Car. II., Samuel Shaksper, of
Harold's Wood