There he exercised a generous hospitality, and led a quiet rural life.

He planted a mulberry-tree, which became a pilgrim's shrine to numerous travellers; but a ruthless successor in the ownership of New Place, the Reverend Francis Gastrell, annoyed by the concourse of visitors, was Vandal enough to cut it down.

Such was the anger of the people that he was obliged to leave the place, which he did after razing the mansion to the ground.

His name is held in great detestation at Stratford now, as every traveller is told his story.
Shakspeare's death occurred on his fifty-second birthday, April 23d, 1616.
He had been ill of a fever, from which he was slowly recovering, and his end is said to have been the result of an over-conviviality in entertaining Drayton and Ben Jonson, who had paid him a visit at Stratford.
His son Hamnet had died in 1596, at the age of twelve.

In 1607, his daughter Susannah had married Dr.Hall; and in 1614 died Judith, who had married Thomas Quiney.