Shakespeare's family
feathers charged with a martlet or." When, therefore, John Shakespeare
made application to impale the arms of his wife in his new coat, it
might seem natural that the fesse chequy, arms of the head of the house,
should be struck out, and those substituted more customary for a younger
son, and probably borne by Thomas, his wife's grandfather, or by Robert
Arden, his wife's father.
Thomas Arden, the son of Sir John, succeeded to Park Hall and the other
family estates in 1526. He married Mary, daughter of Sir Thomas Andrew
of Charnelton, by whom he had a large family: William, the eldest;
Simon, the second; George, the third, slain at Boulogne; Thomas, a
student of law; and Edward. His daughter Jocosa, or Joyce, married
Richard Cade, of London (see visitation of Hertfordshire, 1634);
Elizabeth married--Beaupre, Cicely married Henry Shirley, Mary married
Francis Waferer.
William, the eldest son, died before his father. Simon, the second son
of Thomas of Park Hall, was a wonderful man, of whom there will be more
to say elsewhere. He was elected Sheriff of the County in 1569,
and bore, while in Warwickshire at least, the arms three
cross-crosslets[406] and a chief or, without a difference. Shortly after
that time he purchased the property of Longcroft, in the Manor of
Yoxall, Staffordshire, and his descendants bear the fesse chequy, and
are noted in another county history.
The will of William Arden does not seem to have been noted by the family
genealogists, probably because it was drawn up in London. The Calendar
at Somerset House enters it as "William Arden,[407] of St. Brigyde,
London, and Saltley,[408] Warwickshire," 7 July, 36 Henry VIII. Its
details shed much light on the fortunes of the family, especially in
relation to the other family wills. He had married Elizabeth, the
daughter of Edward Conway, of Arrow, and left two sons and eight
daughters. He desired to be buried in the "Parish Church of Saint
Brigyde in Fleet Street, within the suburbs of London," and left "to my
youngest sonne, Francis Arden, all my purchased land, which I purchased
of my grandfather's youngest son, John Arden, and another part lying
within the Lordship of Saltley.[409] Item, I bequeath to him the lease I
have taken of my Lord Ferris for 31 years, which also lyeth within the
Lordship of Budbrooke, so that he come to his full age, and during his
nonage, the profits thereof to be taken up by mine overseers to the use
of my daughters. If it happen the said Francis to dye without lawful
issue, then I will my eldest sonne and heire, Edward Arden, when he
cometh to his full age, to enjoy the said purchased land and lease to
his heires. Item, I bequeath to the said Francis L6 13s. 4d., to be payd
yearely during the term of his naturall life, by the hands of my eldest
sonne, Edward Arden, when he cometh to his lands. Item, I give unto my
eight daughters, Anne,[410] Ursuley, Brigid, Barbara, Joyce, Jane,
Urseley, and Fraunces Arden the whole rent that my ferme beareth me,"
etc. "I bequeath to my brother, Edward Arden, my black Satin cote." "I
bequeathe my long gowne eggyd with velvet to my father, Thomas Arden, in
recompense of the money which he lent me, whom I make the Overseer of
this my will, with my father-in-law, Edward Conway." Edward Arden, his
son and heir, was to be sole executor. The witnesses were: Christopher
Drey, Francis Waferer (his brother-in-law), and John Tayloure, Vicar of
St. Brigyde, and it was proved April 14, 1546, by John, afterwards Sir
John Conway, uncle of the heir.
William's father, Thomas, died in 5 Elizabeth, 1563. I have not traced
his will. Edward, son of William, succeeded him. This Edward had been
ward to Sir George Throckmorton, of Coughton (though his grandfather was
alive), and he married Mary, third daughter of Sir Robert Throckmorton.
Brodesley,[411] Dudston, and Hybarnes were delivered to him 7 Elizabeth,
and in 15 Elizabeth he was called upon to prove his title to Curdworth
and to Berewood[412] Hall, which had been given by Hugh Arden to the
Canons of Leicester (Henry II.), and after the Dissolution purchased by
his grandfather, Thomas, and uncle, Simon, for L272 10s., with a yearly
rent of 30s. 4d., and settled on William, 37 Henry VIII. Various
purchases of land are recorded in Coke's "Entries."[413] He impaled the
park of Minworth on the other side of the Tame, to add to that of his
own Park Hall.[414]
Edward seems to have been highly respected in his time, and was Sheriff
of the County in 1575.[415] But he had offended Leicester[416] by
refusing to wear his livery (as many of the gentlemen of the county were
proud to do) and by disapproving openly of his relations with the
Countess of Essex before her husband's death. Leicester waited his time.
Edward Arden's sons were Robert (who married Elizabeth, daughter of
Reginald Corbet, Justice of the Royal Pleas, about 1577), Thomas,
Francis. Of his daughters, Catherine married Sir Edward Devereux, of
Castle Bromwich; Margaret, John Somerville, of Edreston; Muriel, William
Charnells, of Snareston, Leicestershire; and Elizabeth, Simon
Shugborough, of Napton, co. Warwick.
Edward Arden bore the family arms: Ermine, a fesse chequy or and azure.
Crest: On a chapeau azure, turned up erm., a boar passant or. Motto:
_Quo me cunque vocat patriam._
He appointed Edmund Lingard to Curdworth Church, 1573.
Edward Arden was a temperate follower of the old faith; but his
son-in-law, John Somerville, an excitable youth, seemed to chafe under
the increasing oppression of the Catholic Church and its adherents.[417]
The evil reports concerning the Queen and Leicester increased the
friction. Shut out from travel or active exercise, as all Catholics then
were by law, he studied and pondered, and his mind seemed to have given
way in his sleepless attempts to reconcile faith and practice. He
started off suddenly one morning before anyone was awake, attended only
by one boy, who soon left him, terrified; and when he reached a little
inn on the lonely road by Aynho on the Hill, he spoke frantically to all
who chose to hear that he was going to London to kill the Queen.[418]
Then followed arrest, examination before Justice D'Oyley, a march to
London with twelve guards,[419] examination in the Gatehouse,
imprisonment in the Tower. Thereafter went forth the mandate to arrest
Edward Arden, his wife, Francis Arden, of Pedmore, his brother,
Somerville's wife and sister, and the priest, Hugh Hall. Sir John
Conway, his wife's grand-uncle, was also commanded up to London, and
seems to have been confined for a time. Examinations, probably under
torture, followed fast on each other. John Somerville, Edward Arden, his
wife and brother, and the priest, Hugh Hall, were tried, found guilty,
and condemned to the traitor's death. Hugh Hall is said to have turned
Queen's evidence, but I have found no proof of it. Somerville and Arden
were carried forth from the Tower on December 19, 1583, to Newgate, in
preparation for their execution on the morrow; Somerville was found two
hours afterwards strangled in his cell; Edward Arden suffered the full
penalty of the law December 20, 1583.[420] Robert of Leicester had his
revenge. Mrs. Arden and Francis[421] seem to have suffered a term of
imprisonment, and then to have been released.
This first noble victim of the tyrannical Royal Commission was praised
by all the writers of his time, and pitied by all Europe. Burleigh lived
to be ashamed of his part in his death; and in his "Life" one can still
read in the index "On the Case of Arden" an explanation which has been
excised from the text.
It is more than probable that the active part that Sir Thomas Lucy took
in his arrest told more on the fortunes and feelings of young
Shakespeare than the fabulous deer-stealing story. The touching tragedy,
to which Froude has given but little attention or study, is given in
full detail in the State Papers. The _traitor's_ lands, of course, fell
to the Queen, and were granted to Edward Darcy.[422] But Robert
Arden,[423] "who was a prudent person" (doubtless fortified by his
brother-in-law's interest, and his own knowledge of the law), by virtue
of an entail executed on his marriage got back by degrees most of his
father's lands. He found, however, every tree in his parks had been cut
down by Darcy, who seems to have been a difficult person to deal with,
as may be gathered from Simon Arden's petition (p. 185); this Robert
lived to a great age, dying on February 27, 1635. His son and heir, Sir
Henry, who had been born April, 1580, had predeceased him in 1616.[424]
He had married Dorothy, daughter of Basil Fielding, of Newnham, and had
one son, Robert, and four daughters. Robert seems to have been a
brilliant youth, but he died single at Oxford. In the Bodleian[425] are
some verses deploring his loss. His four sisters were his coheirs:
Elizabeth, wife of Sir William Pooley, of Boxsted, in Suffolk;
Goditha,[426] wife of Herbert Price; Dorothy, wife of Hervey Bagot;
Anne, wife of Sir Charles Adderley, of Lea.
In Worcestershire, near Stourbridge, there is a parish of Pedmore, and a
hall of the name that seems at one time to have belonged to the Ardens,
as well as the Pedmore Manor, near West Bromwich, Warwickshire. By the
kindness of Mr. W. Wickham King, now resident there, I am told that
"Mistress Joyce Arden" was buried there in 1557; Jane Ardern and Hugh
Hall were married in 1560; Alice Ardeney and Thomas Carter married 1578;
while John Arden, son of Mr. Robert and Mistress Elizabeth, was
christened there in 1578. Frances Arden and Edward Wale married 1658;
Arthur buried 1668, and Judith Arden, widow, 1682. The arms in the
church are those of the Park Hall Ardens, and "Mr. Robert" was the heir
of Edward (p. 41 and notes).
The Pakingtons of Worcester quarter Ermine on a fesse compone or, and
az. an annulet for Arden.
FOOTNOTES:
[368] Dugdale's "Warwickshire," 372; Drummond's "Noble British
Families"; "Guy of Warwick," ed. Zupitza, Early English Text Society,
etc.; Harl. MS., 1167, f. 57; "Dictionary of National Biography."
[369]
"Guy of Warwick, I understand,
Slew a dragon in Northumberland."
Romance of Sir Bevis of Hampton.
"In Warwick the truth ye shall see
In arras wrought full craftily."
Romance of Sir Guy.
"Gy de Warwic ad a noun
Qui occis le Dragoun."
Legend round the Mazer Bowl, at Harbledon Hospital, Canterbury.
[370] "Warwickshire," p. 374; Drummond's "Noble British Families";
Leland's "Itin.," iv. 63; Heylin's "History of St. George," p. 63.
[371] Nichols's "Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica," iv. 29.
[372] Dugdale's "Warwickshire," 372-374; Drummond's "Noble British
Families"; Cox and Jones' "Popular Romances of the Middle Ages," pp. 63,
64, 297-319; Ward's "Catalogue of Romances in British Museum," i. 470.
[373] Dugdale's "Warwickshire," p. 373.
[374] Drummond's "Noble British Families," ii.
[375] Harleian MS., 853, ff. 113, 114.
[376] "Guthmund, Ailwin's second son, held Pakington under Turchil; his
son was Sir Harald de Arden, Lord of Upton" (French, "Shakespeareana
Genealogica," p. 432).
[377] According to Dugdale and Drummond; Harleian MS., 853, differs.
[378] Ralph and William are witnesses to a charter from Henry de Clinton
to Kenilworth Priory, Henry I. ("Monasticon," vi. 3).
[379] Hugh de Arden and Adela; William de Arden and Agnes were witness
to Henry's gifts ("Monasticon," v. 210-212).
[380] Philip, Osbert's second son, who took the name of Compton
(Drummond; Dugdale's, 'Warwickshire,' 549).
[381] Novoborgo: or and az., er. Thomas Arden de Rotley: or and az., gu.
A fesse betwixt 6 cross-crosslets or--Beauchamp. The Warwickshire
Visitation gives the coat of Sir Herald de Arden as three