would have about L5 each. It
may be noted the widow was left no furniture or goods. She may have
claimed the widow's third, though the effect of her jointure was to
disturb the law of dower. She seems to have had furniture of her own.
She evidently stayed on in her husband's home, and apparently brought
her own children there.

Mary Hill was married to John Fulwood, November 15, 1561, at Aston
Cantlow. Agnes Arden, widow, made her will in 1578. The opinion that
there was no great friendliness with her husband's family is
strengthened thereby, yet there was not the absolute estrangement some
writers have supposed. Halliwell-Phillipps states that she does not
mention a member of her husband's family. She left legacies to the poor,
to her godchildren, to her grandchildren, and the residue to her son and
son-in-law in trust for their children. She left twelve pence to John
Lambert, her stepdaughter Joan's son, and twelve pence to each of her
brother Alexander Webbe's children, one of whom, at least, was the son
of her stepdaughter Margaret. She left nothing to any of her
stepdaughters, and nothing to any of the young Shakespeares. The
overseers were Adam Palmer and George Gibbs; so she had been able to
keep friendly with her husband's friend. The witnesses were Thomas
Edkins (a stepdaughter's husband), Richard Petyfere, and others. She was
buried on December 29, 1580, and the inventory of her goods was taken
January 19, 1580-81. The low rate at which it is calculated is
remarkable. "Item 38 sheep L3; fivescore pigs L13 4s.," etc. The sum
total was L45. The will was proved on March 31, 1581.

The friendliness between the Shakespeares and the other Arden families
seems to have been unstable. Aunt Joan's husband, Edmund Lambert, of
Barton-on-the-Heath, and their son John, through rather sharp practice
for cousinly customs, became owners of Asbies. There is a hazy suspicion
even about the bona fides of the Edkins. Agnes had settled rather far
off at the home of the Stringers, in Stockton, co. Salop. In February,
1569, Thomas Stringer devised to Alexander Webbe his share of
Snitterfield. John Shakespeare was one of the witnesses to the
indenture. Alexander Webbe, it is true, made John Shakespeare, his
brother-in-law, the overseer of his will at his death in 1573.

Joyce Arden and Alice Arden seem both to have died unmarried, without
leaving a will. There is no further mention of Alice, the wealthier of
the two maiden sisters,