omas Bralis." To Joane Hewes, Agnes Abell,
John Charnell, various remembrances, his son Thomas to be sole executor,
Sir John Willoughby overseer; witnesses, Martin Ardern, Robert Ardern,
Symon Broke, clerk; John Charnell, John Croke, Rauf Vale. The will was
proved June 27, 1526.

Where was Thomas, son of Walter, meanwhile? I have only been able to
find two of the name contemporary with the cadet of Park Hall. A Thomas
Arden of Saint Martin's Outwich, London, citizen and clothworker, on
November 29, 1549, drew up a short will,[401] leaving his wife, Agnes,
his sole heir and executrix, proved January, 1549. I endeavoured to
learn if by chance he had come from Warwickshire, but the
apprentice-books of the company do not begin early enough. There was a
commercial family of Ardens in London, of whom he more probably was a
member. The possibility of his being a Warwickshire man I thought worthy
of careful consideration, but have been able to bring no further facts
forward.

There was also a Thomas Arden of Long Itchington mentioned in the
Subsidy Lists, whose will is preserved at Lichfield.

The other Thomas Arden was settled at Wilmecote, in the parish of Aston
Cantlow, on lands formerly owned by the Beauchamps. There is no record
how he acquired them. Aston Cantlow[402] had been settled, with the
castle and Honour of Bergavenny, upon Sir William de Beauchamp, second
son to Thomas, Earl of Warwick. He died 12 Henry IV., and Richard
Beauchamp, Earl of Worcester, his son and heir, inherited all his lands.
Richard's daughter and heir, Elizabeth, married Sir Edward Neville, a
younger son to Ralph, Earl of Westmorland, who was forthwith summoned to
Parliament as Lord Bergavenny. Dugdale gives us the arms depicted on the
roof of the chancel of Aston Cantlow Church, three varieties: "Gules, a
fesse betwixt six cross-crosslets or" (Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick);
"Argent 6 cross-crosslets fichee Sable, upon a chief Azure two mullets
or" (Clinton, Earl of Huntingdon); "Argent, 3 cross-crosslets fichee
Sable upon a chief Azure a mullet and a Rose Or." But Dugdale does not
know the family this represents. Could it be a variety of the Ardens?

The Thomas Arden who resided here paid subsidy of 26s. 8d. on L10 land,
being one of the largest landholders in the parish. He bought certain
lands at Snitterfield on May 16, 16 Henry VII., associated with certain
gentlemen whose names are suggestive, as I have shown on page 28. John
Mayowe trans