Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 3.djvu/611

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
1543.]
THE FRENCH WAR.
591

queans upon the Bankside.' After these and other proceedings of imperfect propriety, they disappeared among the unlighted alleys of the City. They escaped detection for the night. In the morning they were traced to the house of a certain Master Arundel, in Laurence-lane.[1] Their names were taken, and the rank of the offenders led to an inquiry by the privy council. The immediate matter was no more than a pardonable frolic; but the examination of the witnesses, especially of Mrs Arundel's servants, showed that Surrey allowed himself to be regarded by his friends as more than the hero of a midnight disturbance.[2] Surrey in

  1. The lane which ran down from the south side of Laurence Poultney-church-yard, now known as Laurence Pountney lane.—See Stowe's Survey of London, p. 84
  2. 'A meat dealer from the City, examined, deposed that on the 19th of January a maiden servant of one Arundel, of St Laurence-lane, came to him and complained of the meat which had been furnished to her master. She desired 'that at all times she might be serv'ed of the best, for she said that peers of the realm should eat thereof, and besides that a prince.' 'Deponent asked what prince that should be? She answered, the Earl of Surrey. Unto whom deponent said that he was no prince, but a nobleman of honour, and of more honour like to be. Then she said yes; and if aught other than good should become of the King, he is like to be King. Unto whom deponent said, it is not so. said she, it is said so.'
    ''Mistress Arundel, examined, said that the Earl of Surrey and other young noblemen frequented her house, eating meat in Lent, and committing other misdemeanors.' 'Further, she saith, how at Candlemas they went out with stone bows at nine o'clock at night, and did not come back till past midnight, and the next day there was a great clamour of the breaking of many glass windows both of houses and churches, and shooting at men that night in the street; and the voice was that those hurts were done by my lord and his company. Whereupon she gave commandment unto all her house that they should say nothing of my lord's going out in form specified. Item, she said, that that night or the night before they used the same stone bows, rowing