Alice Arden was the daughter of John Brigandine and Alice Squire, and step-daughter of Sir Edward North, later Lord North.
34 Facts About Alice Arden
1.
2.
Alice Arden conspired to have her husband, Thomas Arden of Faversham, murdered so she could carry on with a long-term affair with a tailor, Richard Moseby.
3.
Alice Arden was tried, convicted, and burnt at the stake for her part in the murder.
4.
Alice Arden began an affair with a tailor, Richard Mosbye, and then she plotted to kill her husband.
5.
In time Alice Arden came to loathe her husband and considered disposing of him.
6.
Alice Arden made an early attempt on his life by poisoning him.
7.
Alice Arden had failed to account for the taste of the poison used.
8.
Alice Arden had to find an accomplice for her further efforts.
9.
Alice Arden found her accomplice in the person of Mr Green, a local man who had personal grievances with Thomas Arden.
10.
Alice Arden claimed the vicinity of his residence as part of his own property, successfully wresting control of Green's land.
11.
Alice Arden was already there for a while before asking Green to join him there.
12.
The duo soon met Thomas Alice Arden who had traveled there for his own purposes.
13.
Alice Arden had business with Thomas Cheney, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports in South-East England.
14.
Alice Arden had his servant travel to the Isle of Sheppey and meet Cheney.
15.
Alice Arden concealed the letter and had the servant claim to have lost it.
16.
Alice Arden procured the services of Mosbye's sister, Cicely Pounder, and of two of Arden's domestic servants, Michael Saunderson and Elizabeth Stafford.
17.
At a given signal in the game, Black Will came with a napkyn in his hand, and suddenly came behind Alice Arden's back, threw the said napkyn over his hedd and face, and strangled him; and forthwith Mosbye stept to him, and strake him with a taylor's great pressing iron upon the scull to the braine, and immediately drew out his dagger, which was groat and broad, and therewith cut the said Alice Arden's throat.
18.
Alice Arden arranged for most of their servants to be sent on various tasks outside the residence, "except those who were privy and consenting to the villainous design".
19.
Alice Arden had Black Will hide in a closet located at the parlour of the residence, waiting for a pre-arranged signal to come out.
20.
Alice Arden was told their supper was not ready yet.
21.
Alice Arden paid him his ten pounds and Green provided him with a horse to make his escape.
22.
Alice Arden, to make certain that her husband was indeed dead, stabbed him seven or eight times.
23.
Alice Arden feigned ignorance at the reasons her husband was taking so long to return home.
24.
Alice Arden made sure to keep her guests around as long as possible while constantly reminding them of the suspicious absence of her spouse.
25.
Suspicion being aroused, the house was searched, and it was found that Alice Arden had been murdered in his own parlour.
26.
That night, Alice Arden made a show of her supposed worry for her spouse's disappearance.
27.
Alice Arden had her servants search for him late into the night, wept and lamented, alerted the neighbours.
28.
Alice Arden was at length forced to confess to her guilt, while naming her associates.
29.
Alice Arden was found sleeping at the "Flower-de-Luce", the house of Adam Fowle, which he frequented.
30.
Alice Arden was mentioned in the correspondence between Alice and Green as the man who introduced them to Black Will.
31.
Alice Arden was found guilty of the crime of murder and burnt at the stake in Canterbury.
32.
Alice Arden's co-conspirators were all rounded up and executed by various means and at different locations.
33.
Alice Arden was eventually caught and "hanged in chains in the highway between Ospringe and Boughton".
34.
Alice Arden's story was adapted into a broadside ballad, "The complaint and lamentation of Mistresse Arden of Feversham in Kent".