Shakespeare's Family Part 28

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 a.s.sistant 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 Ess.e.x, 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, Ess.e.x, 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, Ess.e.x, 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, Ba.s.singhall,[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.

"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," "G.o.detha," "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.