Shakespeare's family
"Hugh de Arderne, 1321. Roll 50 (5); A.D. 1342. Roll 70 (2).
"Alice, wife of Hugh de Arderne ... Johanna, wife of ...
"Giles de Arderne, 1351. Roll 80 (29).
"John Arden, called Mordon, Stockfishmonger, 1363.
Roll 91 (87) (93); also 1371, 1373, 1374, 1377.
"Margaret, wife of John, called Mordon....
"Isabella, wife of Richard Arden, and widow of John Melbourne,
co. Surrey, 1392. Roll 121 (143).
"Alice, wife of Thomas de Arden, Brewer, 1371. Roll 99 (83).
"... 1372. Roll 100 (54) (55), 1373, 1376; 104 (145).
"Alice, widow of Richard de Arderne, 1403. Roll 131 (61).
"John Arden, Esq., 1413. Roll 141 (25-36); 1421 (Roll 149).
"... 1426. Roll 154 (50); 1457, Roll 185 (32).
"Margaret, wife of John Arden, gent., 1413 and 1421; same Rolls.
"Peter Ardern, chief Baron of the Exchequer, 1459. Roll 188 (37).
"Thomas Arden, clerk, 1466. Roll 196 (17).
"John Arden, of Creechurch, merchant tailor, 1625. Roll 302 (15).
"Francis Arden, son of Richard, Cit. and Loriner,
of London, 1646, Apprentice."
The Royalist Composition Papers,[579] 1644-57, mention as "Delinquents,"
"Mr. Arden," "John," "Robert" is mentioned twenty-three times, "Thomas,"
"Ann," "Elizabeth," "Godetha," "Mary," "Mrs. Arden," "John and Mary
Arderne." And many other allusions could be added to the list of
references to the various members of this distinguished family.
COLONIAL ARDENS.
In speaking of the Ardens of Victoria, Burke[580] disclaims their right
to arms, but nevertheless derives them from Humphrey Arden. He says:
"The first recorded ancestor, Humphrey Arden, of Longcroft, co.
Stafford, died in 1705, and so far from being able to show descent from
Siward, they are unable even to prove connection with the extinct family
of Arden of Park Hall."
Here Burke is clearly in the wrong. If they can prove their descent from
Humphrey of Longcroft, they can through him claim descent from the
Ardens of Park Hall and from Siward, as can be seen from all pedigrees.
FOOTNOTES:
[533] Ashmolean MS., 829, iii., and 1434, i.; also Sententiae, 1437, Art.
xv., alluded to in Gerard's "Herbal," 657.
[534] Harl. Chart., 45, D. 9.
[535] 23 Moone, proved May 26, 1501.
[536] "Misc. Gen. et Her.," N. S., iv. 21; "Yorksh. Archaeo. Journ.," xi.
12.
[537] Burton's "Monasticon Eboracense," p. 250.
[538] Fuller's "Worthies of Yorkshire."
[539] Letters and Papers Henry VIII., 1524, _et seq._, Gairdner.
[540] Pat. 9 Henry VIII., p. 1, m. 14.
[541] Add. Chart. 8069. See also Blomfield's "Hist. of Norfolk," viii.
533.
[542] Peter Arden, son and heir of John, ob. May 20, 21 Henry VIII.;
Inq. at Poklyngton, York. Ralph Arden, brother and heir of Peter, then
aged eighteen.
[543] Burton's "Monasticon Eboracense," p. 90.
[544] Morant's "History of Essex," i. 216.
[545] Fuller's "Worthies of Essex," 341.
[546] Harl. Charters, 45, D. 8, Brit. Mus. See also p. 193.
[547] Add Chart., 19,967.
[548] Inquis. Post. Mort., 33 Edward I., 117.
[549] Morant's "Essex," i. 148. John Arderne was Vicar of Harwich
Chapel, March 23, 1388. Will Arderne, Vicar of Tolleshunt Darcy, April
4, 1676.
[550] Administrations, Somerset, f. 4, 1631-33.
[551] Consistory Court, f. 162, Sperin, and 291, Bullock.
[552] Visitation of Cheshire.
[553] "History of Leicester," iv. 939.
[554] _Ibid._, 19.
[555] This William Arden left a son, Thomas, who had no heirs ("Grants
and Certificates of Arms," _Genealogist_, New Series, xiii.).
[556] Originalia et Memoranda on the Lord Treasurer's side of the
Exchequer.
[557] "Receyved of Mr. Arden for a payer of wheels and the hedd of an
old pageant, 2s. 8d. 1504." "Payd. For the charges of brenning Mrs.
Arden, and the execution of George Bradshaw, 43s."--Chamberlain's
Accounts, City of Canterbury, 1550-1.
[558] Burke's "General Armory."
[559] Wills of the Court of Hustings, ii., p. 63.
[560] _Ibid._
[561] Commissary Court Admins., 1508.
[562] Papers of Henry VIII., P.R.O.
[563] 31^a Clyffe, Commissary Court Wills.
[564] Chester's "Marriage Licenses of Bishop of London."
[565] State Papers, Dom. Ser., Eliz., cxx. 34.
[566] Brit. Mus., Add. MS., 34,729.
[567] Registers of St. Saviour's, Southwark.
[568] "Marriage Licenses of Dean of Westminster," Harl. Publ.
[569] _Ibid._
[570] "Marriage Licenses of Dean of Westminster," Harl. Pub.
[571] _Ibid._
[572] _Ibid._
[573] Chester's "Marriage Licenses."
[574] _Ibid._
[575] 35 Bakou.
[576] 5 Stevenson, Somerset House.
[577] Administrations, 1639, f. 36, Somerset House.
[578] Inquis. P.M., 1 Edward III. (12).
[579] See Index Library (12).
[580] Burke's "Colonial Gentry," _Genealogist_, New Series, xiii.
TERMINAL NOTES.
Page 2.--Mary, Countess of Southampton, was the mother of Shakespeare's
patron, the Earl of Southampton, to whom he dedicated "Venus and Adonis"
in 1593, and "The Rape of Lucrece" in 1594. In both of these poems,
probably corrected by himself, his name is spelt _Shakespeare_. In 1594
the Countess married Sir Thomas Henneage, the Vice-Chamberlain of the
Household, and that same year Shakespeare was invited to act at Court.
Sir Thomas died the following year, after a lingering illness, and his
widow had to superintend the making up of his official books, and check
the bills. And thus it happened that it was she who introduced the
_first official record of Shakespeare's name_, and probably spelt it
correctly, according to the contemporary usage.
Page 5.--Mr. Nanson, the town clerk of Carlisle, has in his possession
the deed which concerns the Shakesperes of Penrith, 21 Richard II.
Page 22.--Shakespeare's shield bore an ordinary _canting_ pattern, or
one that was based upon the supposed meaning of the name. But the use of
the falcon in the crest requires explanation. French says: "The falcon
was one of the badges of Edward IV., father of Henry VII.'s Queen
Elizabeth. No person would venture to adopt this without special favour"
("Shakespeareana Genealogica," p. 523). There is something keenly
suggestive of expected objections in the motto, "Non sanz droict." Some
day, perhaps, it may be discovered why this crest and motto were
assumed.
Page 27.--Aston Cantlow, with the castle of Abergavenny, was settled on
Sir William de Beauchamp, second son of Thomas, Earl of Warwick, 12
Henry IV. It descended to his son, Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Worcester,
whose daughter Elizabeth married Sir Edmund Neville, and brought it to
him (Dugdale's "Warwickshire").
Page 27.--Another opinion of the derivation of Thomas Arden has been
discussed. It has been supposed possible that he might have been
descended from Thomas Arden of Leicestershire, son of Ralph Arden of
Alvanley, by his wife Catharine, daughter of Sir William Stanley, of
Hooton. This would account for the grant of the Cheshire arms, and would
not thrust him out of the Arden pedigree; but the theory is not
satisfactory on other grounds. One main objection is that there was no
known Thomas of suitable date in that family. But in the Park Hall
family there was a Thomas known to be alive during the period between
1502 and 1526, who has _never been traced_, if he did not go to Aston
Cantlow. Members of the Arden family accept him as the missing brother
of Sir John, and believe that it was through a careless mistake of the
heralds that the fesse chequy was struck out, and that the Shakespeares
resented the substitution of another in place of the arms to which they
had a right, and never accepted the grant. During the discussion John
Shakespeare died.
Page 27.--The pedigrees of those associated with the Ardens are worth
noting, and their wills might suggest connections.
Page 32.--It would be interesting to find and group the Warwickshire
Ardens who bore the three cross-crosslets and the chief or, for it has
never been done.
Page 35.--Thomas Arden was presented for owing suit of Court in 1526,
1529, 1531. (See Portfolio 207, Court Rolls, No. 88.)
Page 36.--Thomas and Robert Arden's purchase at Snitterfield had been
witnessed by John Wagstaff,[581] Richard Rushby, of Snitterfield,
Richard Atkins, of Wilmecote, John Alcokkes, of Newenham. The overseers
of Robert Arden's will were Adam Palmer,[582] of Wilmecote, Hugh
Porter,[583] of Snitterfield, and John Skerlett, of Wilmecote; the
witnesses, Sir William Bouton Curett, Adam Palmer, John Scarlet, Thomas
Jenkes, William Pitt. Adam Palmer was overseer of Mrs. Agnes Arden's
will, in conjunction with George Gibbes, who had, later, the lease of
Asbies from the Shakespeares at the time of its mortgage to Lambert.
Page 45.--A Thomas Mayo had a seat in the Church of St. Nicholas,
Warwick, 1595; an Elizabeth Mayo was buried there in 1596; and Henry
Maio in 1601. (See Churchwarden's Accounts of St. Nicholas, Warwick,
edited by Mr. Richard Savage.) The Webbes of Snitterfield appear among
the gentry of the country in 1580 (State Papers, Domestic Series, Eliz.,
c. xxxvii. 68).
Page 51.--It is difficult to imagine John Shakespeare making up the
bills for the other Chamberlains, or conducting so many financial
responsibilities, if he was unable to read and write, as well as reckon
well--as Halliwell-Phillipps says he was.
Page 52.--The goods of Richard Shakespeare were prised at L35 17s., and
the bond for their just administration entered into by John Shakespeare
and Thomas Nicols, of L100, seems disproportionably large, unless there
were some unusually heavy responsibilities attached. John Shakespeare
may very well have been termed a farmer if he had been brought up as
one, and if he had been superintending his father's farm at the time of
his death. In the description of a neighbouring farm, Ingon is mentioned
as "now or late in the occupation of John Shaxspere or his assignes." It
is quite possible that he was the responsible farmer, and that Henry his
brother was his "assigne." Ingon, though in the parish of
Hampton-on-Avon, was very near Snitterfield.
Page 56.--Henry Shakespeare probably quarrelled with Mr. Cornwall, the
second husband of Margaret Arden, about the resettlement of Snitterfield
farm, and went to reside at Ingon, though taken in his brother's name.
The Court Rolls show that he was "contumaceous" in not paying tithes,
May 22, 1582, and was "excommunicated." "Of Henry Shaxper, for not
labouring with teems for the amending of the Queen's Highway, 2/6." "Of
Henry Shaxper for having a dich between Redd Hill and Burmans in decay
for want of repair, Oct. 22nd, 1596." Probably the man was ill and dying
then. He was buried two months later.
Page 58.--The petition of the burgesses of Stratford-on-Avon for relief
of burdens shows that the borough had fallen into decay through the
decline in the wool trade. From this general depression John Shakespeare
probably suffered.
Page 61.--"The Book of John Fisher of Warwick" shows that the master of
the Grammar School there had a salary of L10 a year. Seeing that the
master of Stratford-on-Avon Grammar School had L20 a year, it is
probable that the burgesses had a better selection of scholars as
candidates.
Page 62.--It is too often forgotten that Anne Hathaway lost her father
in the summer of 1582. It is probable that the betrothal would therefore
be a quiet one. It is also more than likely that she went to reside with
a friend or relative after her father's death, and that this caused the
confusion in the address in the marriage bond. The bridegroom in general
only required one guarantee for a bond of the kind; but Shakespeare
being under age, the one became his representative, and the other
guarantor for that representative.
Page 67.--"The Comedy of Errors" was doubtless one of the plays