“WARE; ‘Bed of Ware;’ a huge bed, capable of holding twelve persons; formerly at the Saracen’s Head Inn at Ware, now at the Rye-House.”
Source: Twelfth Night Glossary, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Vol. 8, Shakespeare, Hudson, Gollancz, Herford, Bigelow Smith and Co., NY, 1909, page 127
I believe this bed is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, where it is on display. It’s quite nice! Rumor was it was built by a Ware who owned an Inn and was used to host a King.
I guess you could say that this was the first real “Family Room”.
C. Wayne Ware
Cedar Falls, IA