A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Arundel, (Blanche, Lady)
ARUNDEL, (BLANCHE, LADY) Daughter of Edward Somerset, Earl of Worcester, Died 1649, aged 66.
Wardour Castle being summoned, May 2, 1643, by the parliamentary forces under Sir Edward Hungerford, to surrender, the Lady Arundel, who commanded it in the absence of her husband, refused to deliver it up, alledging, that she had orders from her lord to keep it, and those orders she was determined to obey. On this reply, the cannon were drawn up, and the battery commenced, which continued from Wednesday till the following Monday. The castle contained but twenty-five fighting men. During the siege two mines were sprung, by the explosion of which, every room in the fortress was shaken and endangered. The besiegers offered, more than once, to give quarter to the women and children, on condition that the besieged should surrender their arms at discretion. But the ladies of the family disdained to sacrifice their brave friends and faithful servants to their own safety; and when the latter were almost worn out by watching, they, with their female servants, assisted in loading the musquets, and in administering refreshments to their intrepid defenders.
For nine days was the castle thus defended; but, finding there was no hope of holding out longer, a parley was demanded, and the castle surrendered on honourable terms. But when the besiegers had taken possession, one article alone, that of sparing the lives of the inhabitants was observed. They destroyed the fine paintings, took the ladies and children to Shaftesbury, whither five cart-loads of their richest furniture and hangings were carried in triumph. The castle, the park, every thing was destroyed; and the loss of the earl of Arundel, on this occasion, was computed at one hundred thousand pounds.
Conceiving their prisoners insecure at Shaftesbury, it was proposed to remove them to Bath, which, at that time was infected both with the plague and small-pox. Lady Arundel, alarmed for her children, remonstrated against this barbarous purpose, determined that force only should effect it; and, afraid of exciting the indignation of the people, her adversaries relinquished the design, though they cruelly separated her from her young children, who were carried captives to Dorchester.
Lady Arundel is buried with her husband, near the altar of an elegant chapel, at Wardour Castle. Under the inscription on their tomb is this verse from the Proverbs:
"Who shall find a valiant woman? The price of her is as things brought from afar off, and from the uttermost coast. The heart of her husband trusteth in her."