Lescrop, sworn and
examined, being asked if the arms, azyure, a bend or, belonged or ought
to pertain to the said Sir Richard by right and heritage, said, Yes; for
he saw him so armed in France, before the town of Petters, and Sir Henry
Lescrop armed in the same arms with a white label and with banner; and
the said Sir Richard armed in the entire arms azyure a bend or, and so
during the whole expedition until the said Geaffray was taken. Being
asked how he knew that the said arms belonged to the said Sir Richard,
said that he had heard old knights and esquires say that they had had
continual possession of the said arms; and that he had seen them
displayed on banners, glass paintings, and vestments, and commonly
called the arms of Scrope. Being asked whether he had ever heard of any
interruption or challenge made by Sir Robert Grosvernor or his
ancestors, said No; but that he was once in Friday Street, London, and
walking up the street he observed a new sign hanging out with these
arms thereon, and enquired what inn that was that had hung out these
arms of Scrope? And one answered him, saying, 'They are not hung out,
Sir, for the arms of Scrope, nor painted there for those arms, but they
are painted and put there by a Knight of the county of Chester, called
Sir Robert Grosvernor.' And that was the first time he ever heard speak
of Sir Robert Grosvernor or his ancestors, or of any one bearing the
name of Grosvernor." This is really almost the only authentic scrap we
possess of the facts of Chaucer's life.

The "White Horse," a tavern in Friday Street, makes a conspicuous figure
in the "Merry Conceited Jests of George Peele," the poet and playwriter
of Elizabeth's reign.

At the Wednesday Club in Friday Street, William Paterson, the founder of
the Bank of England, and originator of the unfortunate Darien scheme,
held his real or imaginary Wednesday club meetings, in which were
discussed proposals for the union of England and Scotland, and the
redemption of the National Debt. This remarkable financier was born at
Lochnabar, in Dumfriesshire, in 1648, and died in 1719. The following
extracts from Paterson's probably imaginary conversations are of
interest:--

"And thus," says Paterson, "supposing the people of Scotland to be in
number one million, and that as matters now stand their industry yields
them only about five pounds per annum per head as reckoned one with
another, or five millions yearly in the whole, at this r