Shakespeare's family
family because their names do not appear in the pedigrees collected at
the Visitations. We know that the descendants of younger sons and
daughters are frequently omitted, and the sons and daughters themselves
occasionally ignored. For instance, the Sir Robert Arden who was
executed in the time of Henry VI., 1451, is stated[459] to have left
seven children, but the name of his heir, Walter, is alone preserved.
Such omissions are more likely to have occurred in earlier times. The
Ardens frequently held land in more counties than one, and thus may
appear in county histories as doubles; while their general use of common
Christian names at other times makes it difficult to separate recorded
incidents. Wills, inquisitions, and other records often strangely bring
into closer relationship individuals not known to be connected, and the
severe test of dates often separates those supposed to be near in blood.
The main line had estates in Northampton. Robert de Arden had a charter
of free warren in Wapenham and Sudborough.[460] In 7 Henry IV. Wapenham
was assigned as dower to Elena, widow of Sir Henry de Arden, by Ralph
his son, with remainder to Geoffrey de Arden, his brother (see p. 170).
After the death of Elena and Geoffrey it reverted to Ralph, and to
Robert, his son, who in 20 Henry VI. received the King's pardon for
alienating it without licence. The manor of Sulgrave[461] was sold by
the Traffords to Sir Henry Arden, and it remained in the family until
Sir Robert sold it in 20 Henry VI. Laurence Washington, Mayor of
Northampton 1538, had a grant of the dissolved priory of St. Andrews
there. On April 26, 1564, William Arderne of Sulgrave[462] left to his
sister Mary all the portion his father, Richard Arden,[463] had left
her, and all his own goods. He left a legacy to Robert,[464] son of
Laurence Washington, and Laurence was the overseer of his will. There is
preserved a bond by John Ardern, Laurence Washington, and others for
L100, July 4, 1587.
An Adam de Arden, clerk, was incumbent of Croughton 1218. Another Adam
was Rector of Thornhagh and Bolewyck 1336 and of Barby 1361. Nichola de
Arden presented John de Arden to Cotesbrook Church, May, 1361.
Thomas de Arderne was incumbent of Laxton, July 9, 1310, and of
Clopton-on-the-Wold, 1325. Robert de Ardern, clerk, is mentioned August
16, 1322. Thomas de Ardern, diac., was presented to Nether Heyford,
1455. Eustachia de Ardern, patron of Holdenby, 1263, presented Ralph de
Ardern, and Thomas, son of Thomas Ardern, of Hanwell, recognised as
co-patron Thomas Ardern, of Rotley.
FOOTNOTES:
[439] The will of Thomas Arden of Long Itchington was proved 1552, at
Lichfield. Sons, Edmund, William and Thomas, and six daughters.
[440] Dugdale, 926.
[441] Baker's "Northampton"; Whalley's "Northampton."
[442] Dugdale's "Warwickshire," 927.
[443] Add. Charters, 21, 492.
[444] Cotton MS. Charters, xxii. 15.
[445] Egerton Ch., 368.
[446] Brit. Mus., Ch. lxxxii. 15.
[447] Cott. Ch., xi. 36.
[448] Dugdale's "Warwickshire," 952.
[449] I think the dates show that there must have been two generations
of Ralphs. One appears in another county.
[450] See _Genealogist_, New Series, XIII.
[451] A lion rampant contourne. See Brit. Mus., Ch. lxxxii. 15.
[452] Nichols's "Herald and Genealogist," vi. 432, and vii. 299-311.
[453] Foss's "Lives of the Judges," i. 379. Campbell's "Lives of the
Chief Judges," i. 19.
[454] Pipe Roll, 1 Richard I., pp. 208 and 145, Charter, Richard I.,
signed at Gorron in Maine, March 31, 1190.
[455] Fuller's "Worthies of Hereford."
[456] Pipe Roll, Essex, 6 Richard I.
[457] Foss's "Lives of the Judges," i. 338.
[458] Coke, 8th Report, ii. 29, and Blomfield's "Norfolk," viii. 341.
[459] Harleian MS., Visitation of Warwickshire, 1167, f. 57.
[460] Concerning forest rights in Clyve, Northamptonshire, Gilbert de
Arden appeared for the Prior of Markyate, Cherchebikenhull, Kynesbury,
26 Edward I. (55, Inquis. P. M.).
William de la Zouch de Haryngworth enfeoffed Adam de Arderne and Simon
Ward in Boroughley Manor of the Honour of Peverel, Northampton; Eton,
Weston, Ing, Houghton Manors, Bedford; Calston Manor, Wilts; Totnes
Castle, Devon; Weston-in-Arden Manor, Wolfareshull, Foulkeshull, and
Kelpesham Manors, Warwick, probably as trustees, 33 Edward III. (79,
Inquis. P. M.).
[461] Whalley's "Northampton," i. 25, 263.
[462] 7, Crymes, Somerset House Wills.
[463] Of Whitfield, 29, Street, Somerset House.
[464] Robert's son Laurence sold Sulgrave, went to America, and became
the great-grandfather of George Washington.
CHAPTER IV
THE ARDENS OF CHESHIRE
In the Conqueror's time the Manor of Watford, Northamptonshire, was
recognised as belonging to Gilbert the Cooke, to whom his son Baldwin
succeeded. But the next owner was Eustace de Arden,[465] son of
Alexander and Agnes Arden, in the time of Henry II. The first Eustace,
born about 1140, was probably the Eustachius de Arderne who granted
Watford Church to the Abbey of St. James. His son, also named
Eustace,[466] died in 1213. The dower of his widow Hawisia was in
Watford and Silvesworth, and Ranulph III., Earl of Chester, became her
security that she would not marry again without license from the
King.[467] Her two sons were Eustace[468] and John de Arderne. Eustace
died in 4 Edward I., 1221, leaving a son Eustace. The line ended with
four daughters, coheiresses--Aveline, Mary, Jane, Elena, 1275. The arms
of Eustace were: Gules, on a chief argent, a label azure.[469] I have
wondered if the following entries concerned younger sons of this family:
"To Master William of Watford 50 marks for his expenses going as a
messenger to the King beyond the sea";[470] and, "Paid to William de
Watford, Keeper of the Queen's palfreys."[471]
John, the second son of the second Eustace and brother of the third,
received either an original grant, or the confirmation of a grant, from
the Earl of Chester of the Manor of Aldford, in Cheshire. He was
probably the son-in-law of the Richard de Aldford who preceded him.[472]
As the Earl of Chester was Hawisia's surety, he may have been her son
John's guardian. John afterwards granted part of this fee to Peter, the
Earl's clerk, and another part to Pulton and Chester Abbey. On November
28, 1213, he compounded with the King for his father's annual payment
for lands in Watford, and granted to Eustace, his brother, the lands he
had received there from his father. He executed this deed in Aldford,
August, 1216. In that year he received, as a Knight of Ranulph, Earl of
Chester, then in the Holy Land, a grant of the lands of Geoffrey de
Sautemaris. Sir Walkelyn, his son, succeeded him in or before 1237-38.
Through his wife, Agnes de Orreby, he acquired Elford, in Staffordshire,
with Alvanley, Upton, and other manors in Cheshire. He was frequently at
Court, as his attestations to various charters prove, about 41 Henry
III. In 1264-65 he granted the Manor of Alvanley to his eldest son, Sir
Peter, who succeeded to all the family estates on the death of his
father, about 1268. He bore arms based not on those of Eustace de
Watford, or on those of the Earl of Chester, from whom he held land, but
on those of William de Beauchamp, who had succeeded to the Earldom of
Warwick in 1257, as if to claim descent from the Warwickshire family.
His seal appears first in 17 Edward I. in a release to Sir John de
Orreby of a debt due.[473] It bore a shield with three crosses crosslet
pattees, a chief Arderne, with the motto, "Frange, lege tege." See also
the charters in the British Museum.[474] His son and heir by Margery,
his wife, was Sir John, who married Margaret, daughter of Griffin ap
Madoc, Lord of Bromfield, of royal Welsh extraction.[475]
Sir John de Arderne at the tournament at Stepney, 2 Edward II., in the
retinue of the Earl of Lancaster, bore "Gules, 10 crosses crosslet, and
a chief or."[476]
But it is said that after his marriage the Arden arms were temporarily
varied to gules, crusule or, and a chief or.[477]
In 9 Edward II. he purchased part of Haselover from Geoffrey
Salveyn.[478]
In that year the "Nomina de Villarum" gives the name of "Sir Henry de
Ardena" as Lord of Elford. John's name, however, is given in the list by
the Lieutenant of the Knights and men-at-arms of the county, 17 Edward
II., 1324; and he was one of the Knights summoned to attend the great
council at Westminster, 17 Edward II. John and Margaret had two
sons--John, who succeeded to Aldford, Alderley, Alvanley, and Elford, 19
Edward III., and Peter, afterwards of Over Alderley. John married,
first, Alice, daughter of Hugh de Venables, and had by her two sons,
John and Peter, and a daughter Margaret. His second wife was Joane,
daughter and heiress of Sir Richard de Stokeport, by whom he had no
issue; and his third wife was Ellen Wasteneys, by whom he had two sons,
Thomas and Walkelyn, born before marriage, and two daughters, Isabel,
wife of Sir Hugh Wrottesley, and Maud, wife of Robert Leigh, of
Adlington, and a son, born after marriage (about 1341), who evidently
died soon.
Then occurred an extraordinary hitch in the history of primogeniture.
His eldest son, John, had died without issue before his father. Peter,
the second son, and natural heir of his brother and father, then aged
twenty-four, on his father's death found by the inquisition[479] that he
died possessed of "no lands,"[480] all his vast possessions being
settled on himself and his wife Ellen only for life, and secured by a
deed of gift, in reversion to Thomas, the elder illegitimate son of
Ellen Wasteneys. By an appeal, however, to the courts, based on the
previous settlement on his great-grandfather, Peter, the legitimate heir
recovered Alvanley. He married Cicely,[481] daughter and heiress of Adam
de Bredbury, who inherited Hawarden from her father, and henceforward
Alvanley and Hawarden were the chief seats of the Cheshire Ardens. It is
evident, therefore, that the root-meaning of Hawarden, or Harden, has no
relation to the family name.
The favoured Thomas received Aldford, Etchells, and Nether Alderley,
Cheshire; and Elford, Staffordshire. He was knighted before 1359, and
died 1391. He married Katherine, daughter of Sir Richard Stafford,
heiress of Clifton Campvile, Pipe, Haselover, and Statfold, and was
buried in Elford Church, where his beautiful marble monument still
remains. He is represented in full knightly armour, wearing a rich
collar, with the letters "S.S." interwoven, his basinet bearing the
words "The Nazarene." His wife lies by his side, richly robed, and also
wearing a collar with "S. S." His son and heir, John, born at Elford,
March 12, 1369, was over twenty-one at his father's death,[482] 15
Richard II. He married Margaret Pilkington, and died in 1408, leaving no
male heir.[483] A large monument in memory of him in Elford Church is
almost decayed.
In his inquisition, his nearest male relatives are stated to be Robert
de Legh, of Adlington, aged forty, and Hugh de Wrottesley, aged eight.
His only daughter was Matilda, aged twelve, who was granted Alderley and
Etchells only. She married Thomas de Stanley.[484] John's widow,
Margaret, took for her second husband Sir Robert Babthorpe, and died
1423. Her Inquisition Post Mortem is very interesting. She died seized
of Nether Alderley only, which reverted to her daughter, Matilda
Stanley.
"The Prince of Wales as Earl of Chester _versus_ Margaret, formerly wife
of John, son of Thomas de Arderne, to determine the right to the manors
of Aldford, Alderdelegh, and Echells, the advowsons, and 10 marks a year
from the manor of Upton, in Wyrehale. It mentions that Thomas and
Walkelyn were illegitimate; but Walkelyn died _s.p._, and pleaded the
settlement" (Chester Pleas, 10 Henry IV., m. 9, _Genealogist_, New