f of the poor. He had already cut down the great mulberry tree in
the garden, because his privacy was disturbed by the early pilgrims to
the poet's shrine, and for this act alone his name was an offence to the
lads of Stratford, who broke his windows when opportunity afforded. But
the town had not finished with the reverend gentleman. When the
assessors refused to listen to his claim that he should not pay full
rates to Stratford because he resided for a part of the year at
Lichfield, he vowed that New Place should never be assessed again. He
pulled the place down. Boswell described the cutting down of the
mulberry tree as a piece of "Gothic barbarity," but was silent about the
other act of vandalism. The mulberry, sold for firewood, was bought by
a local clockmaker, who made solemn affidavit that the toys he made of
it were from the genuine sacred tree. When the Rev. Mr. Gastrell had
gone to where he may have met the poet, though this is unlikely, his
widow sold the remains of the estate to a Mr. Wm. Hunt, who in time sold
it to a firm of bankers. In 1827 Miss Smith purchased the site of New
Place with the adjacent house, now the museum. Mr. Edward Leyton and his
daughter, Mrs. Loggin, were the next holders, and in 1861 Mr. J. O.
Halliwell-Phillipps, an enthusiastic student of the poet's history,
established the existing Trust after raising the necessary money by
public subscription. But as far as New Place, so called, is concerned,
it must be remarked, with deference to those whom the reminder may
offend, that the Falcon Hotel, which can be seen from the house, is the
older establishment by centuries--indeed the billiard-room is panelled
with some of the old oak from the New Place that Shakespeare knew. New
Place Museum is really the house adjoining Shakespeare's, and was the
property of Thomas Nash, first husband of Elizabeth, daughter of Susanna
Hall.

Shortly after his purchase of New Place, the poet found himself in a
better position than ever for increasing his property and gratifying his
passion for real estate. Richard and Cuthbert Burbage, sons of that
James Burbage who owned "The Theatre" in which the poet is said to have
been a servitor, had built the "Globe Theatre" on Bankside. It was an
octagonal wooden building, in which Shakespeare's company was to be seen
year after year; the poet refers to it in the opening part of "Henry V."
The two brothers, from motives of prudence or generosity or both issued
twen