The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1908-01-17
AIN ACClDENTTRAGEDY
Recalled by the Sa'sof Cid Books
In London.

How tho Assassins 0 ftho Mayor Of
Favorsham We're Dealt with BY
tho Old Timers.
At q recent old book sale in Lon
don some rare books were sold.
Among those that brought the high
est price were the third folio of
Shakespeare and "Arden of Faver-
sham. The first named brought ST.
750, and the latter So, $50.
This Arden Of Fayersham" is
doubtless the tragedy printed in 1892,
which was at first attributed to
Shakespeare. 1t is the dramatization
of one of the most terrible tragedies
in private life, and the play is now
attributed to George Lilo.
And this is the history: Thomas
Arden a gentleman of Kent, was
Mayor of Faversham, in 1850. Ar
denis wife, Mistress Alice, young,
tall, we'll favored of shape and coun-
tenance, had q lover named Mosebye.
"a black, swart man." The unfaith-
full wife and the lover conspired to
put an end to the husband. They
employed as confederates John
Green, q tailor, George Bradshaw, q
goldsmith, and one BLACK Will" a
professional murderer.
The wicked wife laid a plot for
numbering the husband in his own
house and procured the services Of
Mosebye's sister, Cicely Founder,
and of two of Ardcn's domestic SER
wants, Michael Sanderson and Eliza
beth Hafford. On a day chosen for
the deed Black Will was hidden in q
closet in Arden's parlor. After sup
per. Arden sat down to play some
kind of game with Mosebye. Green
stood at Arden's back, holding can
die.
At a signal in the game, Black
Will came out with napkin in his
hand, threw it over Arden's face,
and strangled him. Mosebye struck
Arden with a tailor's pressing iron
and cut his throat with a dagger. 1t
is added that Mistress Alice herself.
with a knife, stabbed the husband
seven or eight times in the breast.
When Black Will had helped to
drag the body into the closet he went
to Cicely Founders house and re-
ceived eight pounds for his work. He
then left Favcrsham.
Ciccly Founder then went to Ar
den's house and assisted in dragging
the body to a neighboring meadow.
where they laid him on his back in
his ni~ght-gOwn with his slippers on
his feet. After this Alice and her
companions says the chronich, dane
ed and played on the virginals and
were merry.
BY placing the body in the meadow
in his night clothes it was intended
to convey the impression that he had
been murdered by some one while
the festivities yer going on in the
house. Next morning Mistress Alice
alarmed the town with the announce
ment that her good man was missing
and that she had fears for his safe
ty. A search was made by the towns
people and the body was found.
Some of the people saw a long rush
or two from the parlor floor (there
were no carpets in those days. stuck
between one Of the slippers and the
foot of the corpse: This brought the
Nv N"""F 49, LWNa #TE a.
sdispptciT0h tiiaC Arden naGGf 1D'eeeeIni iiHYdfs-
dered in his own house. The details
of the murder soon came to be I'M
raveled.
Then came the punishment, Mis-
tress Alice was burned at Canter-
bury; Mosebye, Green, Bradshaw
and Cicely Pounded were hanged;
Sanderson was drawn and hanged;
Elizabeth Stafford was burned; Black
Will escaped for many years, but was
at last taken and burned on a scat
fold at Flushing.
Now there was a fine old-fashion-
ed.treadgy Of Merry England in the
%hancyon days Of good Queen Bess.
That this early copy of the play,
arden of Faversham," should
bring $6,050 shows the unmitigated
fury of the collector. 1t is doubt
full if any playwright Of today will
attempt to immortalize Harry Or
chard and his many murders. Per-
haps if a mouldy volume Of such q
play should be in existence $50 years
from nov there might be found
some collector to give $6, 900 for it.