The will was proved of Thomas Arden, of Hampton Turvill, Highworth, Wilts, yeoman, February 3, 1621. His wife Agnes to live in the house in convenient rooms and have £10 a year, payable out of the manor of Westthroppe, in the parish of Heynes; or, if she does not like her diet, £20 a year. He stands possessed for a terme of 1,000 years in the moitie and one-half part of one-fifth of the manor of Westthropp, to be given to eldest son, Thomas Arden, and heirs male; if no heirs, to John Arden, his second son; then to Edward Arden, his third son; to Nicholas Arden, his fourth son, each of which are to have £100. To Henry Arden, my son, £4 a year, and his dwelling in the house at Hampton and good usage there, and if he does not like his treatment, to have £10 a year. To John, my son, my tenements in Birdlip, Gloucester; to Edward, my son, a house in Highworth and the Chantrey House. My kinsman, Thomas Arden, of Fairford, Gloucester, oweth me £40. I give this to Agnes, my daughter, wife of Henry Gearinge. Thomas, his son, sole executor. His loving brother, Thomas Stratton, and Henry Gearing, overseers.[514]
The Ardernes of Cottesford and Kirtlington, Oxford, bore the same arms as the Park Hall Ardens, with a mullet for difference;[515] but the relationship is not given in the pedigree of the Visitation. It only starts with Robert Arden of Cottesford, whose son William[516] married Agnes Stotesby of Evenley, and he had, first, Thomas, second, John, third, William, fourth, George. His daughter Alice married Thomas Thorne of Northampton. Thomas predeceased his father and John succeeded, who married, first, Isabel Woodward, widow of Richard Swillington, who bore him a son, Leonard, who became a priest, and Eleanor, married to Anthony Yate. John married, second, Isabell, daughter of John Gifford, of Twyford, Bucks, by whom he had John Arden, of Cottesford (who married Catharine, daughter of John Cheyney, and whose son was John Arden), Richard, and Anthony, who married Margery, daughter and heir of Walter Coxe, of Kirtlington, through whom he acquired this property. Anthony's family consisted of John, Thomas,[517] Henry,[517] Alice, Margaret, and Mary.
There were Indentures drawn up between Henry VIII. and "John Arderne, of Cotisford" (see Cromwell's "Remembrances," 1534).
The will of John Arden, of Cottesford, Oxfordshire, gentleman,[518] November 12, 1557, furnishes us with some particulars. He wished to be buried before the cross in Cottesford beside his father's tomb. To Katharine,[519] his wife, if she claimed no jointure, an annuity of £13 6s. 8d. (to be paid by brother Richard Arden, in the lordship of Willaston), 300 marks, and the house they dwell in, with half the furniture, etc. "To every of the children of Roger Arndern, of Evynley, now living, twenty shillings." To his cousin, Robert Thorne, to his cousin, Nicholas Thorne's wife, to his sister, Eleanor Yates, legacies. "To John Ardern, son of Anthony Ardern,[520] my young brother," tenements, etc.; failing whom, they were to pass to Henry Ardern, third son of his said brother. To the wives of Richard and Anthony, his brothers, four angels. To Richard, his brother, all his titles to Cottesford and Willaston, and to Anthony, his younger brother, the title of his lease of Shelliswell. Residue to his brothers, the executors; desiring Mr. Walter Wright, Doctor of the Civil Law and Archdeacon of Oxfordshire, to be overseer. Witnesses, Nicholas Thorne, Walter Prior, and John Tench. "Memor.: Laurence Pate, parson of Harwicke, had to hide the will in his coffer till Arden's death."[521]
Robert Arden, of Berwyck, writes to the Earl of Leicester about Mr. Arden, of Cotesford, March 1, 1588.
John Arden in 1595 prays some Court service. But in January, 1595-96, he has been sent to the Marshalsea on suspicion of treason, when he was about to marry. Nicholas Poutor, in October, 1601, promises to pay £100 to John Ardern, of Kirtlington, in October, 1602.
These Ardens are evidently connected with those of Evenly in Northamptonshire. Thomas Arden, of Evenly, died between 1520-26; Roger Arden, of Evenly, 1537-40; William Arden, of Norton, 1548-61.[522] The Inventory of the goods of John Arden, of Evenley, gent., was taken November 9, 1559. On the back of this is a settlement, dated 1576, between John and Thomas Arden, and others.[523]
It is not clear whether the Cottesford Ardens are in any way connected with a family residing at Henley-on-Thames, co. Oxon. In a will of Robert Arden he left everything he had to his wife Margery, August 8, 1493;[524] and on February 24, 1525, John Arderne, of Henley,[525] drew up a will leaving to his daughter Margery £6 13s. 4d.; and to his wife Johane all his lands and tenements, with remainder, first to his son and heir, Humphrey Arderne, after him to his son Robert, after him to his son John, after him to his son Edmund or their heirs. His wife Johane, executrix; James Hayles, overseer. Proved May 4, 1526.
Beyond the more important habitats, we find Ardens in many English counties. John Yate, the elder, of Bockland, Berks, gent., in his will, January 12, 1578,[526] mentions his son-in-law, Mr. John Arderne, and Anthony Arderne, son of his daughter Bridget, deceased. John Daubeney, of Woolmeston, gent., April 6, 1625, mentions his brother-in-law, Guy Arden, of West Chinnock.[527]
The State Papers mention this family.