25, 1615-16 (now at Somerset House). In all the signatures some of
the letters are represented by recognised signs of abbreviation. The
signature to the first document is 'William Shakspere,' though in all
other portions of the deed the name is spelt 'Shakespeare.' The
signature to the second document has been interpreted both as Shakspere
and Shakspeare. The ink of the first signature in the will has now faded
almost beyond decipherment, but that it was 'Shakspere' may be inferred
from the facsimile made by Steevens in 1776. The second and third
signatures to the will, which are also somewhat difficult to decipher,
have been read both as Shakspere and Shakspeare; but a close examination
suggests that whatever the second signature may be, the third is
'Shakespeare.' Shakspere is the spelling of the alleged autograph in the
British Museum copy of Florio's 'Montaigne,' but the genuineness of that
signature is disputable. {285} Shakespeare was the form adopted in the
full signature appended to the dedicatory epistles of the 'Venus and
Adonis' of 1593 and the 'Lucrece' of 1594, volumes which were produced
under the poet's supervision. It is the spelling adopted on the
title-pages of the majority of contemporary editions of his works,
whether or not produced under his supervision. It is adopted in almost
all the published references to the poet during the seventeenth century.
It appears in the grant of arms in 1596, in the license to the players of
1603, and in the text of all the legal documents relating to the poet's
property. The poet, like most of his contemporaries, acknowledged no
finality on the subject. According to the best authority, he spelt his
surname in two ways when signing his will. There is consequently no good
ground for abandoning the form Shakespeare, which is sanctioned by legal
and literary custom. {286}

Shakespeare's portraits. The Stratford bust. The 'Stratford' portrait.

Aubrey reported that Shakespeare was 'a handsome well-shap't man,' but no
portrait exists which can be said with absolute certainty to have been
executed during his lifetime, although one has recently been discovered
with a good claim to that distinction. Only two of the extant portraits
are positively known to have been produced within a short period after
his death. These are the bust in Stratford Church and the frontispiece
to the folio of 1623. Each is an inartistic attempt at a posthumous
likeness. Ther