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 £35 17s., and the bond for their just administration entered into by John Shakespeare and Thomas Nicols, of £100, 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.