A C A TAL O G U E O F T HE finnha filanug crimz fififim sf ati uitiw aah ielicz g q , i , I LLU ST RATIVE O F T H E LIFE AND WORKS OF SHAKESPEARE; AN D O F THE HISTO RY O F STRATFO RD- UPO N - AVO N W HI C H ARE PRE SERVED IN T HE SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY AND MUSEUM IN HE NLE Y STRE E T . LO NDO N INTE F R THE S HAKE PE ARE F ND PR D O S U . P R E F A C E . Fu n d T E Shakespeare was established in October, 1 8 61 f ollo i n —1 w . , to accomplish the g objects , The purchase of the Gardens of Shakespeare at New 2 . d Place . The purchase of the remain er of the - 8 Birth place Estate . The purchase of Anne ’ Hathaway s Cottage , with an endowment for a di t l ’ 4 . r e e . G s custo an The pu chase of y Copyhold , - - n 5 . Stratford o Avon . The purchase of any other - on - properties , at or near Stratford Avon , that either formerly belonged to Shakespeare , or are intimately connected with the memories of his life . 6 . The calendering and preservation of those records at ’ - on - Stratford Avon which illustrate the Poet s life , or the social life and history of Stratford - ou - Avon in 7 . m his time . And The erection and endow ent of a - on - Public Library and Museum at Stratford Avon . The list of objects to be accomplished appeared r e to be so formidable , that the project was garded in many quarters as chimerical . Ne ve r t h e i n less , the few years which have elapsed since the t h e i m establishment of Fund , three of the most ' portant of the above -named objects have been nearly completed , and , amongst them , the formation of the vi CONTENTS . i valuable L brary and Museum , the contents of which are ina dequately described in the followin g pages . The permanency of this important collection has been carefu lly secured . The Library and Museum have been conveyed to the Corporation of Stratford on - Avon , upon trust to place their management under the control of a Board , consisting of the Lord Lieu o f tenant the County , the High Steward of the Borough , the Mayor and Aldermen , the Vicar , the Master of the Grammar School , and others . A satisfactory classification of a collection of miscellaneous Shakespeariana is impracticable . In a the following Cat logue , which has been compiled . a by Mr Clarence Hopper , the only arr ngement attempted has reference to the names of the va r i Ou s donors . Presents to the Museum , or subscriptions to the Fund , will be thankfully received by Mr . J . O . 1 1 . Tr u n t e r e W . S . Halliwell , No , g Road , London , , f f & c . b e and o ers of books , , for purchase will also acceptable . F E R A B U RY , 1868 . M I S S W H E L E R . For upwards of half a century the late Mr . Wheler dili gently occupied himself in the completion of one of the most remarkable local antiquarian collections ever formed by a single individual . The following - pages , being merely a brief hand list of these treasures , convey a very inadequate idea of their importance and value ; but as the construction of a more elaborate calendar would have required a con si d e r a ble time , it was thought that a sketch of the contents of the collection would be an acceptable 0 ering to the public , especially to the inhabitants of Stratford , who will not fail to appreciate the generosity of Miss Wheler in presenting the Town with so important a gift , and the judgment which dictated the place of its locality . It wou ld not only have been sad , and an injury to the local topographical literature , had these collections , formed by so much labour and anxiety , ever been dispersed ; but they would have lost much of their interest and value had they been allowed to depart from Stratford . The late Robert Bell Wheler was born at Strat l st 1 785 w ford on January , , in the house in Old To n in which he continued to reside during his life , and 8 PRESENTED BY Hi s 1 5t h 1 85 7 72 . where he died on July , , aged father , Mr . Robert Wheler , his predecessor in his f . profession of a solicitor , entered the o fice of Mr dl - Bra ey , the Town Clerk , and a solicitor of large 1 5 di 7 7 . practice , in January , He ed in August , 1 8 1 9 77 . , aged His son , the object of this notice , was articled to him , but , unlike most articled clerks , he served no part of his time in London , merely going there for abou t a month at the time of his f f admission . His a ection for Stratford , and love for Sh a ke s e r i a n p pursuits , were so intense that he never seemed to be happy out of his native town ; so that , in the whole course of his long life , he spent very little p ortion of his time indeed out of Stratford . In early life he was a member of the Stratford volunteer corps , and he afterwards became a commissioned - 0 1 06 1 8 ; l 3 lieutenant and quarte master , in the third regiment of the Warwickshire local militia stationed at Stratford , m which capacity he was much esteemed 0 i by his brother cers and by Colonel Sheldon , then in command of the regiment . ’ Wh e le r . s Mr first work , and that by which he is chiefly known , is the admirably compiled History ” - - and Antiquities of Stratford upon Avon , published 1 0 in 8 6 . His next separate production was a ” - - 1 8 14 Guide to Stratford upon Avon , , one which w is well termed by a distinguished riter , a very ” superior book to many which bear a similar title , H n t e r on h a ke s e r e 1 0 u S a . 7 . p , i This was followed , 1 824 ll in , by his exce ent sketch of the history of ’ - Shakespeare s Birth place . Besides these works he was the writer of several ar ticles of interest in the ’ Gentleman s Magazine , and other periodicals . His published works , however , form but a small 9 MISS WHELE R. part of the results of his labours , the extent of which will only be duly estimated by the careful examiner of the present collection . Upon his autograph manuscripts in this collection will henceforth rest his principal title to literary distinction , and in securing them for ever to Stratford , his surviving sister , Miss Anne Wheler , has paid the best possible tribute to his memory , and realized his own most probable aspirations . 1 4 . Collectanea de Stratford . to MS This marvellous example of the results of the u n rivalled industry and accuracy of the late Mr . Wheler , 586 in quarto pages , so minutely written , that a transcript in ordinary call igraphy would fill half- a dozen volumes of a like size , well deserves to be placed in the fore - front of this li ttle catalogue ; and the r ather that we are enabled to add an excellent index to the principal contents of the volume , from ll the equa y accurate pen of Mr . W . 0 . Hunt . Ast r oit s , or Star Stones , found in great plenty at t e n . Baden (now called Bordon) Hill . See G 1 4 4 9 . 1 7 6 . 505 50 9 Ma . 8 7 g June , vol , p to 1 5 8 . 89 Avon Account of a great flood in 88 . River made navigable to Stratford in 1 63 7 200 Correspondence between the Corpo ration of Coventry and Wm . Sandys , Esq . , and a Letter from the King (Chas . II . ) to the Corporation of Coventry as to extending the n navigatio to the city of Coventry, March , 1 663 - 64 1 5 7 Petition to Parliament from the Corporation of Stratford regarding the navigation and ton 1 751 404 nage of the Avon , 10 PRESENTED BY Bishopton Chapel . Founded by Sir Wm . Bishopton 4 68 . 7 6 7 as a Chauntry , temp Edward III , , 1 590 2 71 Register , commencing w a s 1 83 3 463 Bell , showing where it in h u r c h o h ou s e Bishopton . The C of Stratford was sold 4 l . for 0 . and p aid to Mr Henry Smith of Strat a t ford , who was by his land Bishopton to secure 508 . per annum for e ver unto the 1 630 2 1 3 Church from Midsummer , ’ - 2 . 8 Barnard , Mrs (Shakespeare s grand daughter) 1 . 650. June , Mrs Barnard for Shottery Corn 1 20l Tithes of the yearly value of . was rated 6 l U . up to the rent See Nash , Mrs . Elizabeth 21 7 i . m Bridgetown Her tage and Chapel , on the site where the Shoulder of Mutton Inn now stands . Sir John Clopton built a large house 1 6 77 here about , which was afterwards con verted into an Inn called the Bear , and was kept by William Bradford (see his Token amongst the Stratford Tokens It was the largest public Inn in these parts , till it was ruined by Mr .