According to, William Shakespeare left his wife, Anne Hathaway, his "second best bed with the furniture" in his will. The "second best bed" is likely to have been the actual marriage bed that he and Anne shared as man and wife. The furniture refers to the curtains and bedcover, which formed part of the complete bed. This bequest is not as unusual as it might seem, and its unlikely to have been intended as the snub that it appears to us today. The best bed in a house was always kept in the guest room, and the second-best bed was the one that would be offered to staying guests.

There are several theories as to why Shakespeare left his wife the second-best bed. Some scholars believe that this was simply a practical choice, as the best bed was likely a valuable piece of furniture that would be more beneficial to bequeath to his daughter, Susanna. Others argue that the second-best bed had sentimental value, as it may have been the bed in which Shakespeare and Anne shared their most intimate moments.

Under medieval common law in England, a widow was entitled to one third of her late husbands estate, even if it was not specifically mentioned in the will. In practice, however, most wives were mentioned, usually in terms of affection and trust, and were frequently made executrix of the will. Unusually, in Shakespeares will, we find no affectionate reference to Anne.