Shakespeare's family
died unmarried. His son Henry married Anne Alcock, and died 1728, aged
63. Humphrey's son and heir, John, was born 1693, and died 1734, aged
40. He married, first, Anna Catherine Newton, and second, Anne, daughter
of the Rev. John Spateman, Rector of Yoxall, 1730. He was High Sheriff
of the County in 3 George II. His son, Henry Arden, of Longcroft,
married Alethea, daughter of Robert Cotton, Esq., of Worcester, and died
June 22, 1782. The full pedigree is given, and the monuments at Yoxall
are described in Shaw's "Staffordshire," and in French's "Shakespeareana
Genealogica." Descendants still survive in this country and the
Colonies.
FOOTNOTES:
[427] Fuller's "Worthies."
[428] Administration of goods of Christian Arden, wife of Simon, 1563
(Lichfield Wills).
[429] Nich., "Col. Top. et Gen.," vol. viii., p. 298.
[430] Lansdowne MS., xxx. 27, 30.
[431] Subsidy Rolls, Yoxall, 1590; Shaw's "Staffordshire," i., pp.
100-102 and 499; and Talbot Papers, Heralds' College, Dugdale p. 932.
[432] See also manuscript notes on the copy of Shaw's "Staffordshire,"
by Samuel Pipe Wolferstan, Esq., of Statfold, preserved in the British
Museum, p. 102.
[433] Note that this is the same man appointed trustee by Mary
Shakespeare's grandfather.
[434] "Nichola, d. of Geff de. Shenton, sued Joan, formerly wife of
Ralph de Anderne, of Yoxhale, for a messuage in Yoxhale" (De Banco,
Trin., 23 Ed. III.).
[435] His will proved 1625 at Lichfield. Simon's daughter Elizabeth
became second wife of Clement Fisher of Wincote, addressed by Sir Aston
Cokaine in verses alluding to Shakespeare (Dugdale's "Warwickshire,"
1140).
[436] Shaw's "Staffordshire," p. 102; MS. notes of the author, Brit.
Mus.
[437] Ambrose had another son Ambrose, whose family appears in the
registers of Barton:
Frances, daughter of Ambrose Arden, bapt. February 19, 1631, buried June
7, 1634.
Humphrey, son of Ambrose Arden, bapt. November 2, 1634.
Henry " " " " October 7, 1637.
Benjamin " " " " July 19, 1642.
John " " " " September 3, 1643.
William " " " " January 8, 1647
(buried Sept. 18, 1666).
Robert Masson and Elizabeth Arden were married December 22, 1644.
Ambrose Arden, gent., buried July 15, 1656.
[438] His father had been married twice; but this second Humphrey is the
son of Jane Rowbotham. See Registers of Marchington.
CHAPTER III
OTHER WARWICKSHIRE ARDENS
It would be interesting to know more of some of the other Warwickshire
Ardens, particularly those mentioned in the Register of the Guild of
Knowle, as some have suggested that Shakespeare's mother may have
descended from them:
"1460. John Arden and Agnes, his wife, of Longehychyngton.
"1504. Richard Arden and Margaret, his wife, and for the souls of John
and Johanna, their parentes, of Longeychyngton.
"1506. For the souls of John Arderne and his wife, of the same.
"... Richard Salway, and Estell his wife, and for the soul of John
Arderne.
"1512. Alicia Arderne, and for the soul of William."
On turning to the Subsidy Rolls to find any further notice of the Ardens
of Long Itchington, I found only the following: "14 and 15 Hen. VIII.
Co. Warr., Knighton Hundred, Bilton [the next parish to Long
Itchington].[439] Thomas Arderne, land, 4 marks, 2/6. Solks. Henry
Arderne in goods 40/- 4d." The latter is twice repeated.
In the same Guild Register appears as member:
"1496. Robert Arderne, Master of Arts, Rector of Lapworth."
He does not appear in the preserved pedigree, as Robert, the son of
Walter, who died 1502, was in the King's service. The Warden and
scholars of Merton College appointed Robert Ardern, Master of Arts, to
the Rectory of Lapworth, January 10, 1488. On the rood loft of the
church are the arms of Sir Henry Arden:[440] Ermine, a fesse chequy, or
and az., with a crescent for difference, arms, by some thought to be the
parson's.
Henry de Arden,[441] in the time of Henry II., had two sons: Thomas of
Curdworth[3] and William de Rodbourn.[442] The descent of Thomas we have
already noticed, as well as the descent of Thomas Arden, of Drayton,
elder son of William Arden de Rodbourn. The second son of William was
another William of Rodbourn, killed in 17 Henry III. He married Avisia,
daughter of Robert de Kyngeston, and had also a son, William of
Rodbourn, whose heir was William, who sold the manor in 1369.
Dugdale says that Little Grafton was called Arden's Grafton because it
was bought by William de Arden in 10 John. In 52 Henry III. William de
Arden was certified to hold it of the Earl of Warwick; but he
transferred it to Edward I. in exchange for Offord, near Aston Cantlowe,
in the parish of Wootten Wawen.
A seal used by William D'Arderne, clerk, of Offord, Warwickshire, is
preserved in the British Museum,[443] appended to a deed in which he and
John D'Arderne were concerned, 1366. It has a shield of arms, three
cross-crosslets fitchee, on a chief a lion passant, on the border: "S.
Nicholai de Ardena." I have not traced a Nicholas. But Nichola de Arden
presented John de Arden to Cotesbrook Church, Northampton, May, 1361
(see p. 195).
Among other charters in the same collection occur the seals of--
Thomas de Arderne, of Newton, co. Warwick, 1280-90, on a shield, a fesse
chequy Ardern, "Sigillum Secreti."[444]
Thomas de Arderne, Lord of Peddymore, co. Warwick, 1281, on a shield
chequy, a chevron, "Sig. Thome de Arderne."[445]
Thomas de Arderne, 1286, a shield chequy, a chevron, "S. Thome de
Arderne."[446]
William de Ardena de Hamtune (_i.e._, Hampton in Arden, Warwickshire)
used a seal with a pointed oval shield thereon, a lion rampant
contourne, _circa_1188-98.[447]
Dugdale says concerning Hampton in Ardern,[448] that it is not _quite_
certain that Ralph de Arderne was a son of Turchil.[449] He is mentioned
in 5 Stephen and in 33 Henry II. as a Justice Itinerant. Hampton in
Arden was not altogether his own, but his son Robert purchased it for
500 marks. Robert was a clergyman, Archdeacon of Lisiaux, in Normandy,
and gave his estate here to his brothers Peter and Roger. Peter became a
clerk also, and gave his share to Roger, whose sons were William de
Ardena, 5 Henry III.; Walter, a Clerk; Roger, a Clerk. William's
children were: Hugo de Ardena, a Justice of Assize, 35 Henry III.;
Oliva, who married Robert le Megre; and Hawisia, who married Richard
Peche. Hugh's sons were William and Richard. William sided with the
Montforts, was pardoned, but was soon after slain by Richard de l'Isle.
He left no family; his brother Richard was an idiot; and his estates
went to the heirs of his aunts, John Peche and William le Megre[450]
(Plea Rolls, Ed. I.).
There is so much confusion regarding the most distinguished of these
early Ardens, that I would like to examine his story more closely.
Dugdale, as I have already noted, is not absolutely certain that Ralph
de Ardern, of Hampton, was a son of Turchil, but believes it
sufficiently to put him in the pedigree. Yet he goes on to state that
this Ralph was a justice itinerant in various reigns. Now, it is not
only dates that make this impossible: Turchil had married, first, the
Countess of Perche, and, second, Leverunia; and Ralph de Arderne, of
Hampton, is given as of the first family. But the mother of Ralph the
justice was a De Bohun. I propose, therefore, tentatively, to consider
that the first Ralph de Hampton married a De Bohun, and hope to find the
records true of an eldest son Ralph, brother of Robert, the Archdeacon
of Lisiaux, of Peter the clerk, and of Roger of Hampton. This view is
supported by many facts, and it gives _time_. Ralph was at the height of
his power in 1188, the very date at which William de Ardene, of Hampton,
the son of Roger, draws up a deed and affixes his seal.[451] According
to Dugdale, this should be his grandson. The name of Ralph's son and
heir is Thomas, not Roger. It was very unusual for a noble family to
bring up the eldest son to the Church, and yet the Archdeacon of Lisiaux
is considered by Dugdale as the eldest son of Ralph, who gives up his
inheritance to his brothers. But if we find a Ralph to be the eldest
son, we can easily account for his giving up the Hampton in Arden home.
He had made his fortunes elsewhere. Ralph was in high favour with the
King,[452] Henry II., and had married Amabilia, daughter and coheir of
Ranulph de Glanville,[453] the great lawyer, author, statesman, soldier,
and crusader, who, while Sheriff of York, had made prisoner William the
Lion of Scotland, and laid the King of England under an obligation.
Ralph's mother was a daughter of Savaric FitzCana, and sister of Ralph,
Gelduin, and Savaric FitzSavaric. Ralph FitzSavaric having died without
heirs, on the death of his uncle Savaric, Franco, the son of Gelduin,
laid claim to his vast possessions in England and the fief of Bohun in
Normandy. It is believed that Gelduin had married within the forbidden
degrees, without dispensation, and that this was the reason that Ralph
de Arderne put forward his mother's claims. Henry II. decided in his
favour at a court at Caen in 1187. But on the accession of Richard I.,
Ralph fell into disgrace, ostensibly through some delay in rendering his
accounts at Westminster while Sheriff of Hereford, and Henry's decision
was reversed 1189.[454] But it was evidently a doubtful question. Franco
died in 1194, and when his son and heir Engelger came of age, 1198,
Ralph de Arderne revived his claim, which was settled by a compromise.
After the disturbances in Normandy, 1208, a new dispute arose between
Engelger, the son of Franco FitzSavaric, and Thomas, the son of Ralph
Arden, which ended in a new compromise.
The offices held by Ralph were numerous. He was Sheriff of Hereford
1184-89,[455] and also justice itinerant. He married a second wife in
1194, Agnes de la Mara, heiress of the Barony of Holgate in Shropshire,
after which he regained royal favour. He received a gift from the King
of land in Essex, for which he paid[456] L362 16s. 8d. He was made
custodian of the temporalities of Canterbury at the time of the troubles
there Bailiff of Pont-Audemar in Normandy, 1198; in 1202 attended King
John at La Suse in Anjou; in 1203 was sent on an embassy to Otho, King
of the Romans; in 1204 went to Flanders on the King's service. He was
said to have acted as justice at Shrewsbury, 1208, but Foss[457]
believes this was his grandson, and states that Coke says so. Ralph de
Arderne endowed the Priory of Butey, Sussex, founded by Ralph de
Glanville, with half the town of Bawdsey. He founded the Priory of
Shulbrede, near Midhurst, and endowed it with half a knight's fee in
Lavington. His son Thomas was engaged in a lawsuit[458] with his aunt
about the partition of his grandfather Glanville's property. "Thomas de
Ardern, et Radulphus filius Roberti ponunt loco suo Mag. Will. de Lecton
_versus_ Will. de Auberville et Matilda uxorem ejus," etc. There is no
mention of Thomas after 14 John, 1213. Lands in Hereford, Sussex, Essex,
and Yorkshire were known to have belonged to him, and many scattered
branches in later periods may represent his descendants. I have not
found his arms; were they the same as William de Ardern of Hampton's,
already referred to?
Though Shakespeareans are only concerned with the Ardens who remained in
their own county, genealogists are interested in the fortunes of the
whole family. A volume would be necessary for a complete account, and at
present I only attempt to collect and preserve the scattered facts I
have found in various printed and manuscript authorities.
It is too often taken for granted that individuals do not belong to a