Shakespeare's family
county gentry of 12 Henry VI. a William Anderne(?). Fuller thinks the
Commissioners passed too many gentry for this small shire. In others it
was the cream, here the thin milk.
[517] Inquis. P. M. of Thomas, 14 James I., of Henry, 20 James I.
[518] 52 Wrastley.
[519] Katharine, daughter of John Cheney of Woodaye, Esq., married to
John Arderne of Cottesford, co. Oxon. See Visitation of Wiltshire, 1565
(_Genealogist_, New Series, xii.).
[520] He had to prove his right to Kirtlington and Jackley,
Oxfordfordshire (Hil. Rec., 10 Elizabeth, Rot. 38).
[521] Anthony's will was proved in 1572, 3 Peter, Somerset House.
[522] Northampton and Rutland Wills.
[523] Inq. P. M., 1 & 2, Ph. & M.
[524] 11 Vox, Somerset House Wills.
[525] _Ibid._, 6 Porch.
[526] Somersetshire Wills, printed, Fourth Series.
[527] _Ibid._
[528] Cotton MS., Galba, c. viii.
[529] State Papers, Dom. Ser., Eliz., xix. 24.
[530] _Ibid._, cxcviii. 12.
[531] _Ibid._, ccxxxiv. 66.
[532] "Life of Father John Gerard," by John Morris, p. cxv.
CHAPTER V
BRANCHES IN OTHER COUNTIES
An interesting Arden whom I have not been able to connect with any
relatives was John Arderne, of Newark,[533] a physician who practised
with distinction at the time of the plague, 1349, and whose medical
books were freely quoted by Johannes Argentein and succeeding medical
writers.
I have not found his arms. There is, indeed, the seal of a John Arderne,
son and heir of Sir Adam de Arderne, of Lincolnshire, 1312, in the
British Museum, bearing a shield[534] "Ermine, on a bend three crosses
crosslet, depending from a tree of three small branches," who might have
been the same person.
Richard Arderne owned a messuage in Stanford, Lincoln, 27 Edward III.,
Inquis. P.M. As late as 1501 an Edmund Arden,[535] of St. Martin's,
Lincoln, left a gown to his brother Thomas, a gown to Pierce Arden, and
other legacies. John Gedney married Mary, daughter of John Arden, of
Sibsey, co. Lincoln (Visitation, 1592). In the neighbourhood there was a
noted Robert de Arderne, of co. Norfolk, 1315, whose seal bears two
shields side by side in fesse; Dext. ermine a fesse chequy Arden;
Sinist. on a fesse three garbs with cabalistic letters, explained in
_Journ. Brit. Arch. Ass._, xl. 317.[536]
Nothing brilliant is recorded of the Ardens of Yorkshire. Sir ---- de
Arderne, bearing arms Arg. a lion ramp. az. debruized by a baston gu.,
appears in Planche's Roll of Arms of Henry III.[537] John de Ardern, of
Yorkshire, is in the list of gentlemen of 43 Edward III. He is mentioned
also as witness for Haselden, of Goldyngton, 41 Edward III. Thomas
Arden, of Marton, near Bridlington, 1455, and Margaret, his wife, 1458,
were buried in Bridlington Priory.[538] William Ardern, of Belthorp, was
among the gentlemen of 12 Henry VI.[539] John Arderne, of Kelingthorpe,
secured an exemption from serving on juries, April 1, 8 Henry VIII., at
Greenwich.[540] There are many documents in the Record Office concerning
the sale of the lands of John Ardern, of Kelingthorpe,[541] York; and a
receipt from Thomas Perpoint, draper, London, of L516 paid him by John
Arden; also a release to Perpoint and John Arden by Thomas Hennage of
the Cardinal's household. To this Hennage, Arden grants the wardship of
his son Peter; and, if he should die, the wardship of Raffe; failing
whom, the wardship of John, his third son, 1533. His wife was Margery.
Sir Raff Ellerker married Jane, daughter of John Arden, Esq.
(Visitation, Yorks, 1563). There is also noted the Inquis. P. M., of
Peter Arden, of York, 22 Henry VIII.,[542] and William Arden's lease of
Yaresthorpe, Yorks. The priory of nuns at Arden, founded 1150, was
suppressed in 1536.[543]
The Ardens appeared also early in Essex. At the Conqueror's Survey, Earl
Eustace of Boulogne owned Horndon-on-the-Hill,[544] but the next owners
were Ardernes, who built Ardern Hall. In 1122 Thomas Ardern and his son
Thomas gave to the monks of Bermondsey the tithe of the corn in their
lordship of Horndon. Sir Ralph de Ardern, of Horndon, was Sheriff of
Essex, 39 and 40 Henry III.[545] His seal bore on a shield a fesse
chequy between two roundels.[546] Sir Thomas de Arderne, the son of
Ralph, used "a seal, bearing two trumpets, mouthpieces in base, between
nine crosses crosslet in fesse, three and three, in pale S. Thome de
Arderne."[547] John Lovetot, who died in 1295, held land of him in
Horndon, by the service of one rose of yearly rent; and John de Arderne
granted lands in Rochford 33 Edward I.[548] The manor of Walkefares, in
Clavering, Essex, belonged to Walter Arden some time previous to
1340.[549]
The property of Timothy Arden, Somerset, was administered 1631.[550]
There was an Inquisition Post Mortem of William de Arderne, of
Chelesworthy Manor, Devon, in 56 Henry III. (39). Another of Adam de
Ardern, 53 Henry III. (35), owner of Colverden, Walesworth, and Berton
juxta Gloucester.
In 1 Edward VI. Inquisition Post Mortem of William Arden, Wig, the
administration of the goods of Richard Arden, of Worcester, was granted
his wife Margaret, 1636 (Admins., 1636-38, f. 116, Worcester).
William Arden, parson, of Wennington, in 1582, left small legacies to
his sister-in-law, Bridget Doulton, and all the rest to his two
daughters, Alice Arden, who married a Stevenson, and Margaret
Arden.[551]
In the Visitation of the Cheshire Ardens, it is stated that from Thomas,
son of Ralph and brother of John, the Leicestershire Ardens are
descended.[552]
In the great "History of Leicestershire," edited by Nichols, there are a
few notices of the name, and these chiefly of the Warwickshire Ardens,
who held property in the shire. Baldwin Freville owned certain lands at
Ratcliffe held by Roger de Ardern 1387.[553] Sir Robert of Park Hall was
Sheriff of Warwickshire and Leicestershire 16 Henry VI.
"Thomas Ferrars holds of the heirs of Roger Arden the third part of the
feod of Radcliffe, Leicestershire," 37 Henry VI., Inquis. P. M. (34).
Simon de Ardern and Hugo de Arderne were priests 1387.[554]
In Bedford, the earliest entry I have found is the record of lands of
Sir Thomas de Arderne, "utlagatus pro feloniis et transgressionibus,"
Rokesden Manor and Bereford Cottage in Bedfordshire, 21 Edward III.
(Inquis. P. M. 60).
William Ardern of Struton, in Oskellyswade, co. Beds, Clerk of the
Market to the King's household, Crest a boar quarterly, or and az.,
granted by Barker (Stowe, 692; "Misc. Gen. et Her.," Harwood, New
Series, xii. 13).[555] A William Ardern wrote to Cromwell, from Hawnes,
May 27, 1535, on behalf of Mr. Franklyn, cited before my Lord of Lincoln
(Letters and Papers Henry VIII., Gairdner). Can these be the same?
Compare pp. 171, 172, 188 and notes.
There was an Inquisition Post Mortem on the property of Isabel Arden,
Ideot, Bedfordshire, 10 Elizabeth.
The manor of Lyesnes, in Kent, was released to Thomas Ardern in 37 Henry
VIII.[556] There are many notices of the Kent Ardens in Hasted's
"History of Kent." But perhaps public attention was drawn most to the
member of the family who was murdered.[557] The story is closely
followed in the "Tragedy of Arden of Feversham," by some attributed to
Shakespeare, though with little probability.
Burke[558] gives many other branches; as, for instance, Arden of Sunbury
Park, Middlesex, and Rickmansworth Park, Herts; arms: Ermine, two
barrulets compony or and azure, in chief three boars' heads erased of
the last, armed of the second, langued gu.
Ardens of East Burnham, Bucks, same arms. Arden of Blackden Hall, co.
Chester, Ermine, a fesse chequy or and az.; same crest as the Park Hall
arms, but with different motto.
Various Ardens drifted to London, but there seems to have been one
business family settled there from early times. Thomas of Plumstede left
rents and a cellar, called Drynkwater Taverne, in the parish of St.
Magnus, to John Arderne, fishmonger, September 26, 1361.[559] John
Hanhampsted left the reversion of tenements held for life by John
Arderne, Esquire, in the parish of St. Mary Aldermanchurch, May 4,
1424.[560] An administration of goods of John Arderne, of St.
Sepulchre's, was granted February 15, 1508.[561]
In May, 1534, a pardon was granted John Appowell for abetting John Done,
a thief, who stole a gown and a piece of cloth belonging to Thomas
Ardrenne from the house of Thomas Chief, May, 1534.[562]
Thomas Arden, September 29, 1549, citizen and clothworker, left all his
goods to Agnes, his wife; will proved January 27, 1549.[563]
Robert Arden, of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, vintner, and Agnes Mather
of the same, were licensed to be married at any church in the
jurisdiction of Westminster, November 27, 1568.[564]
A Robert Arden was assistant to the Clerk of the Accatory, 1577.[565]
Several deliveries to him of Government victuals are noted in State
Papers, 1594-97.
I do not know whether or not he is the Robert Arden who writes a letter
to the Government about the composition of ling and cod from the Iceland
fisheries, landed in Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk, September 14, 1593, a
letter interesting as showing the relative trade of the towns at that
date.[566]
At St. Saviour's, Southwark, Robert Stillard and Bridget Arden were
married August 21, 1618.[567]
Among marriage licenses[568] are those of Richard Bromfield and Jane
Arden, February 14, 1564; John Arden and Dorothy Hazard, of the city of
Westminster, June 16, 1639;[569] Hugh Phillips, gent., of St.
Margaret's, Westminster, and Elizabeth Arden, of same, November 17,
1641;[570] Henry Arden, of Chelmsford, Essex, gent., widower, and Mary
Boosie, of Writtle, spinster, at St. Magnus the Martyr, London, February
22, 1664;[571] Thomas Arden, of the city of Westminster, Esq., to
Theodosia Long, October 10, 1664; William Ardern, junior, gent., Bach.,
of St. Martin's, Ludgate, and Mrs. Margaret Smith, of Great Wigborough,
Essex, widow, to be married there, March 21, 1665-66;[572] John Arden,
of St. James's, Westminster, widower, aged about fifty, and Mrs.
Elizabeth Wright, spinster, twenty-two, January 12, 1687-88.
Gabriel Josselyn, gent., of St. Michael, Bassinghall,[573] and
Elizabeth, daughter of ---- Arden of same, deceased, December 1, 1587.
John Brown, of St. Olave's, Hart Street, London, haberdasher, and Anne
Arden, of St. Andrew's,[574] Holborn, widow of John Ardern, Fletcher,
February 10, 1595.
The will of Robert Arden, gent., Deptford, was proved 1579.[575]
An Alexander Arderne, of Deptford, wished to be buried in the churchyard
beside the hawthorn-tree; he had a wife, Elizabeth, a brother-in-law,
William Inson, and no children, February 26, 1639.[576] Administration
of the goods of James Arden, London, was granted his wife Anne,[577]
1639. Thomas le Barber, from Peter de Arderne, held tenements in the
parish of St. Clements Danes.[578] Alicia Arderne, who was wife of
Richard Hampton, left tenements in the parish of St. Mary in the Strand
and in the parish of St. Clement's Danes, 1466.
It seems wiser to group a set of records not generally accessible to
students, which, though preserved in London, concern the Ardens of many
branches--I mean a set of deeds, charters, and conveyances preserved
among the Guildhall Records of London:
"Johanna Arden, wife of Roger de Arden, tailor, 1295. Roll 24.
"Henry de Arderne, A.D. 1305. Roll 34 (35).
"Cecilia, wife of Henry de Arderne, 1307. Roll 36 (26).
"Agnes, wife of William de Arderne, 1307....
"Henry, son of William de Arderne....
"John, son of William de Arderne, 1337 and 1345.