To all and to whom thes presentes shall come, Agnes Arden of Wilmcote in the countie of Warr: widowe greting, knowe ye that I the sayd Agnes have receaved of Allexander Webb and still doe receave of his executors and assignes for twoe messuages one cottage and all lands and tenements with thappurtenaunces belonginge to the same lyinge and being in Snitterfield in the countie aforesaid, one yearly rent of fortie shillings, according to the demise thereof made by me the sayd Agnes to the sayd Allexander Webb bearing date the one and twenteth daie of Maii in the second yeare of the raigne of the Queenes Majesties that nowe is for the terme of fortie yeares, if I the sayd Agnes so long doe lyve; Of which sayd messuage and premisses estate was made to me the sayd Agnes for terme of my lyffe by Roberte Arden my late husband in the fourth yeare of the raigne of the late King Edward the sixt, of which sayd estate for terme of my lyffe I am yet seased. All which to be true I have thought good to testifie by this my wryting, and am and wilbe readye to depose the same upon myne othe at all tymes and places if I weare able to travell, being aged and impotent. In wytnes wherof to thes presentes I have putt my seale the fifte day of July, 1580.

terme unto the said Agnes Arderne or her assignes ffourtie shillyngs of lawfull money of Englande to be payde at two termes in the yeare, that is to saye at the feast of Saynt Michaell tharchaungell and the annunciation of our Ladye by equall portions; And the said Alexander Webbe covenaunteth by these presents to dyscharge paye and save harmeles the said Agnes Arderne of all maner of chieff rents and suete of court dewe to the lorde of the ffee, and all other charges belonging to the forsaid measuages or tenements; and yf it happen the said rent of ffourtie shillyngs to be byhynde unpayd in parte or in all after any of the said ffeasts or dayes of payment at whiche yt ought to be payde as is afforsaid by the space of one month, beyng lawfully asked and demanded, and no sufficient distres can or may be founde in and upon the premysses by the space of syxe weks next after any of the sayd ffeasts, that then it shall be lawful to the said Agnes Arden and her assignes to re-entree and have agayn their premysses and every parcell thereof as in her first estate, and the said Alexander Webbe his executers and assignes therof to expell and putt out, any thynge herein contayned to the contrary in any wyse notwythstandynge. Also the said Agnes covenaunteth and graunteth to and wyth the sayd Alexander and his assignes, that the said Alexander his executors and assignes shall have enjoy and take duryng all the said terme sufficient housebote, ploughbote, cartbote and hedgebote, wyth loppes and shreds growyng and beyng in and upon the premysses, or any parcell therof, for the defense and use of the same howses

Agnes Arden did not long survive the execution of this document, the register of Aston Cantlow containing the following entry in 1580,* "the xxix. day of December was bureyd Agnis Arden wydow, anno prædicto." Her will was proved at Worcester, March 31st, 1581, and the only printed copy of it being very inaccurate, I subjoin a careful transcript, with the inventory of her goods, the latter not having yet been published:

In the name of God. . . . . . . . yeare of our Lorde God 1579, and in the yeare of the raigne off our Soveraigne ... .. Queene Elyzabethe, by the grace off . . . . . . Fraunce, and Irlande, Queene, deffendris of the faythe, &c.; I, Agnes Ardenne, of Wylmcote in the perishe of Aston Cantlowe, wydowe, do make my laste wyll and testamente in manner and forme followinge. First, I bequethe my soule to Almighty God my maker and redeemer, and my bodie to the earthe. Item, I geve and bequethe to the poore people and inhabitaunce of Bearley iiij.s. Item, I geve and bequeth to the poore people inhabited in Aston perishe, x.s., to be equallie devided by the discrecion of my overseers. Item, I geve and bequeth to everi one of my god-children xij.d. a peece. Item, I give and bequeth to Averie Fullwod ij. sheepe, yf they doe lyve after my desease. Item, I give and bequeth to Rychard Petyvere j. sheepe; and to Nycolas Mase, j. sheepe; and Elizabeth Gretwhiche and Elyzabethe Bentley, eyther of them one shepe. Item, I geve and bequeeth to everie off

be

and clousures withowt doyng any wast. Also the said Alexander Webbe covenaunteth by these presents yearely to repayre maynteyne and keape all and all maner of necessary reparacions perteynyng and belonginge to the forsayd tenements cottages, havyng sufficient tymbre on the forsaid grounds yf any there to be hadd for the same. And the said Agnes Arderne and her assignes [let] the said two messuages or tenements with the sayd cotages a yarde and a halfe of lande and all other the premysses with their appurtenaunces unto the said Alexander Webbe his executers and assignes for the said yearely rent in manner and fourme afforsaid, agaynst her and her assignes shall awarrunt and defende duryng the said terme of xl years, if she live so longe. In wytnes wherof the parties afforsaid to these present indentures enterchaungeably have putt to their scales the day and yeare abovewrytten.

Selyd and delyveryd in the presents of John Somervyle, and Thomas Osbarston,

and others.

The same register has the following entries: 1581, the viijth of August was bureyd Christofer Ardern; 1588, the xxix. day of March was bureyd Elizabeth Arden. Many persons of the name of Hill are mentioned: 1579, the first of March Ric. Hill the sonn of Roger Hill was baptized; 1585, the second of December Marget Hill the daughter of Roger Hill was baptized; 1587, the vijth of January John Hill the sonn of Roger Hyll (Bapt.); 1617, Mary Hill and Anne Hill, the daughters of Richard Hill of Shellfield, were baptized the xixth daye of Aprill; 1581, the xvj. day of January was mareyd Thomas Cokes and Margeri Hill; the xj. day of ffebruary Humfry Tylbye mareyd Marget Hill; 1587, the xxvth day of the sam (Dec.) was bureyd Thomas Hill.

Jhon Hill's children everi one of them one sheep; and allso to John Fullwodes children everi one of them one shepe. My wyll is, that they said sheepe soe geven them shall goe fforward in a stocke to they use of they sayd children untyll the come to the age of discrecion. Item, I geve and bequethe to John Payge and his wyfe, the longer liver off them, vj.s. viij.d., and to John Page his brother, j. strike of wheat and one strike of maulte. I geve to John Fullwod and Edwarde Hill my godchilde, everi one of them, one shipe more. Allso I geve to Robarte Haskettes iij.s. iiij.d. Also, I geve to John Peter ij.s. And allso to Henrie Berrie, xij.d. Item, I give to Jhohan Lamberde, xij.d. And to Elizabethe Stiche, my olde gowne. Item, [I geve] and bequeth to John Hill my sonne, my parte and moitie of my croppe in the ffieldes, as well wheate, barley, and pease, painge for the same half the lordes rente and dueties belonginge to the same, so that my wyll is the sayd John Hill shall have the nexte croppe uppon the grounde after my desease. I geve to the said Jhon Hill my best platter of the best sorte, and my best platter of the second sorte, and j. poringer, one sawcer, and one best candlesticke. And also I geve to the said John two paire of sheetes. I give to said Jhon Hill my second potte, my best panne. Item, I geve and bequeth to Jhon Fullwod, my sonne in lawe, all the rest of my housholde stuffe. Item, I give and bequeth to John Hill my sonne, one cowe with the white rumpe. And also I geve to John Fullwod, j. browne steare of the age of two yeares olde. Item, I give and bequeth to my brother Alexander Webbes children, everi one of them xij.d. a peece. The rest of all my goodes moveables, and unmoveables, not bequethid, my bodie brought home, my debtes and legacies paid, I geve and bequeth to John Fullwod and to John Hill, to the use and behalf of the said John Fullwodes and John Hilles children, to be delivered unto them and everie of them when the come to age of discrecion. Yf any of the said children doe die before they recover their partes so geven by me, their partes deseased shall remain to the other so levinge with the said John Fullwod and John Hill, [whom] I do ordaine and make my ffull executors of this my last wyll. Allso, I ordeyne and make my overseers, Addam Palmer, George Gibbes. These being witnesses, Thomas Edkins, Richarde Petifere, with others.

The inventorie of all the goodes moveable and unmoveable of Annes Ardenne of Wylmcote deceased, praised by Thomas Boothe, Addam Palmer, George Gibbes, Thomas Edkins thelder, Thomas Edkins the younger, the xixth day of Januarye, anno regni Elizabethæ reginæ xxiij.

Inprimis in the halle twoe table bordes with a coobbarde and a painted clothe, three coshens with shilves, other formes and benches viij.s.

Item, three pottes of brasse, ij. calderons, ij. brasse pannes, ij. peeces of pewter, with iij. candelstickes, with two saltes, xvj.s.

Item, ij. broches, j. payre of cobbardes, j. fireshovell, with pott-hokes and linkes for the same, xvj.d.

Item, in the chambers her apparrell, l.s.

Item, the beddinge and bedstides with apreeware in the said chambers,

iij.li. iij.s. iij.d.

ltem, three coffers with a peece of woollen clothe, xv.s.

Item, the cowperie ware, with a maulte mylle, one knedinge troughe with

syves, and a stryke

Item, ffowre oxenne, ffowre kyne, ij. yearlinge calves

Item, xxxviij sheepe

Item, three horses and one mare

Item, five score pigges

X.S.

xij.li. xiij.s. iij.d.

iij.s.

iiij.li.

xiij.s. iiij.d.

Item, wayne and wayne geares, plowe and plowgeres, carte and cart

geares

Item, the wheate in the barne her parte, iiij.li.

Item, her part of barly in the barne, iij li.

ltem, her parte of hey in the barnes, xiiij.s.

Item, the wheate one grounde in the fieldes her parte, v.li.

Item, her parte of peason, iii.li. vj.s. viij.d.

Summa totalis, xlv.li.

XXX.8.

It has been proved by Mr. Hunter, and appears indeed from this will, that Agnes Arden was first married to a person of the name of Hill. She was, therefore, the second wife of Robert Arden, married probably to him in 1550, and was only step-mother to the family of seven daughters, of whom Mary, the wife of John Shakespeare, was the youngest. Shakespeare's grandmother on either side has still to be discovered. Mary Hill married Jobn Fullwood in 1561, at Aston Cantlow, "John ffullwood and Marey Hill weare mareyd the xv.th of November."* Their children are mentioned in the will of Agnes Arden, who seems to have been estranged from the family of her second husband, for even if we suppose she did not approve of the matrimonial choice of Mary Shakespeare, there seems to be no reason why remembrances of some kind should not have been given to the other branches of the family.

Be this as it may, Mary Arden shared the affection and confidence of her father with her sister Alice, being

*This family long held property in Wilmecote. Averie Fulwood, in his will dated Feb. 21st, 1630-1, says, "Item, I doe give and bequeathe unto my sonne Averie Fullwood that parte of howsehold stuffe which was putt into his possession att the tyme thatt I did sett and lett my livinge in Wilmecoate in the countie of Warr."

joined with her as executrix to his will, November 24th, 1556. To Mary he leaves his estate called Ashbies in Wilmecote, a farm of considerable value. Robert Arden, as appears from this will, was a substantial yeoman, a class whose proverbial vigour and honour would do no discredit to a poet's descent. Richard Shakespeare was also a considerable holder of land, and thus we find the poet of nature rising where we would wish to find him rise, from the inhabitants of the valley and woodland, carrying in his blood the impress of the healthiest and most virtuous class possessed in those days by England. The reader will peruse with interest the will of Robert Arden,* Shakespeare's maternal grandfather:

In the name of God, Amen, the xxiiij.th daye of November in the yeare of our Lorde God 1556, in the thirde and the forthe yeare of the raygne of our soveragne Lorde and ladye, Phylipe and Marye, kyng and quene, &c. I Robart Arden of Wyllmcote in the paryche of Aston Caunntlow, secke in bodye and good and perfett of rememberenc, make this my laste will and testement in maner and forme folowyng.

Fyryste, I bequethe my solle to Allmyghtye God and to our bleside Laydye Sent Marye, and to all the holye compenye of heven, and my bodye to be beryde in the churchyarde of Seynt Jhon the baptyste in Aston aforsayde.

Allso I give and bequethe to my youngste dowghter Marye all my lande in Willmecote, cawlide Asbyes, and the crop apon the grounde sowne and tyllide as hitt is. And vj.li. xiij.s. iiij.d. of monye to be payde orr ere my goodes be devydide. Allso I gyve and bequethe to my dawghter Ales the thyrde parte of all mye goodes moveable and unmoveable n ffylde and towne, after my dettes and leggeses be performyde, besydes that goode she hathe of her owne att this tyme. Allso I gyve and bequethe to Agnes my wyfe vj.li. xiij.s. iiij.d. apon this condysione, that [she] shall sofer my dowghter Ales quyetlye to ynyoye halfe my copye houlde in Wyllmcote dwryng the tyme of her wyddowewhodde: and if she will nott soffer my dowghter Ales quyetlye to ocuppye halfe with her, then I will that my wyfe shall have butt iij.li. vj.s. viij.d. and her gintur in Snyterfylde.

Item, I will that the resedowe of all my goodes moveable & unmoveable, my ffuneralles & my dettes dyschargyde, I gyve & bequethe to my other cheldren to be equaleye devidide amongeste them by the descreshyon of Adam Palmer, Hugh Porter of Snytterfyld, and Jhon Skerlett, whome I do orden &

*It has been previously printed, but most inaccurately, in Malone's Shakespeare. The original is preserved at Worcester.