Eventually the site became a public garden, where a slip of the mulberry-tree may still be seen.

[Illustration:  SHAKESPEARE’S TOMB, STRATFORD-ON-AVON.]

Shakespeare died in 1616, and was buried in the church at Stratford, where on the ancient stone that covered his remains were inscribed in old English characters the well-known words: 

  Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forbear
  To dig the dust enclosed here,
  Blest be the man that spares these stones,
  And curst be he that moves my bones.

Shakespeare’s threatened curse was doubtless one reason why his bones had remained undisturbed, for it was no uncommon occurrence in his time for the bones of the dead to be removed from a tomb and to be replaced or mingled with those of a stranger, for even the tomb of his daughter, who died in 1649, shared that fate, her epitaph being effaced and replaced by another of a person in no way related to the Shakespeare family, but who was buried in the same grave.

In one corner of the church was a tomb bearing the effigy of John O’Combe, who we thought might have hailed from the neighbourhood of the old abbey of that name which we passed the night before.  In spite of his benefactions recorded in the church, he was looked upon as a usurer, because he charged 10 per cent, for his money.  He was at one time a friend of Shakespeare, and often asked the poet, who was no doubt acquainted with his rate of interest, to write him an epitaph.  When at length he acceded to his request he greatly offended Combe by writing: 

  “Ten in the hundred” lies here en-graved,
  ’Tis a hundred to ten if his soul be saved. 
  If any one asks who lies in his tomb—­
  “Oho” quoth the devil “’tis my John O’Combe.”

Shakespeare bought the house in which he wrote his plays from the Clopton family, calling it “New Place,” and a sorrowful story was connected with the Clopton vault in Stratford Church.  Sir Hugh Clopton, who was buried there, was Lord Mayor of London in 1492, and had a very beautiful young daughter named Charlotte, who, according to her portrait, which was still in existence, had light blue eyes and pale golden hair.  In the time when a plague was raging in Stratford she was said to have been found sitting in a chair in the garden apparently dead, and was at once carried to the vault to be buried.  A few days afterwards another member of the family died of the plague, and was also taken to the vault; but when the torch-bearers descended the steps leading into the vault, the light from their torches revealed the form of Charlotte Clopton leaning against the side of the tomb.  They were stricken with horror, but had arrived too late to save her, as she was now quite dead.  The poor girl must have been in a trance when they carried her to the vault, and in her agony of hunger had bitten a piece of flesh from her own shoulder!