died shortly after the publication of the last edition of his book, in 1520-1.
Arnold's work is merely a commonplace book dealing with London antiquities. It contains the chief charters granted to the city, accounts of its customs, and notes on a variety of topics chiefly but not entirely connected with commerce. Hearne called it a chronicle; but its only claim to that title rests on its opening section, which gives, with occasional historical notes, a list of the names of the 'Balyfs, Gustos, Mayers, and Sherefs' of London between 1189 and 1502. The greater part of this list was evidently borrowed direct from a manuscript now in the Cottonian Library at the British Museum. Arnold himself gives the book no name; Douce, its latest editor, christens it the 'Customs of London.' Its most interesting feature is its introduction of the 'Ballade of ye Nottebrowne Mayde,' which occurs, without any explanation, between an account of the tolls payable by English merchants sending merchandise to Antwerp, and a statement of the differences between English and Flemish currencies. No earlier version of the ballad is known, and according to Capel, Warton, Douce, and Collier, it is probable that it had been composed only a few years before Arnold transcribed and printed it. Hearne, however, assigns it to the time of Henry V, and Bishop Percy to the early part of Henry VII's reign. Its authorship is unknown; but Douce assumes, on very just grounds, that it was translated from an old German ballad by some Englishman whom Arnold met at Antwerp. It was frequently reprinted separately in the sixteenth century, and enjoyed very great popularity for many years; interest in it was revived by its republication in the 'Muse's Mercury' for June 1707, where it was first seen by Prior, who paraphrased it in his 'Henry and Emma' about 1718.
From typographical evidence it is clear that Arnold's book was first published at Antwerp in 1502 by John Doesborowe, who published other English books. This edition is without date, place, or printer's name. A second edition, in which the list of the mayors and sheriffs is brought down to 1520—doubtless the date of publication—is ascribed by typographical experts to Peter Treveris, the first printer who set up a press at Southwark. It is also without date, place, or printer's name. A third edition, with introduction by Francis Douce, appeared in 1811. Copies of the two original editions, which are now of excessive rarity, are in the British Museum. Stowe and Holinshed both mention Arnold's compilation among their authorities; Bale and Pits pay it exaggerated respect as an original historical work. But its want of arrangement and heterogeneous contents, in most cases borrowed from readily accessible sources, give it little value for the modern historical writer.
[Douce's edition of Arnold's Customs of London; Corser's Collectanea Anglo-Poetica, i. 54; Collier's Early English Literature, i. 30; Ames's Typog. Antiq., ed. Herbert and Dibdin, iii. 34; Percy's Folio MS., ed. Hales and Furnivall, ii. 174; Percy's Reliques, ed. Wheatley, 1876, ii. 31-47.]
ARNOLD, SAMUEL (1740–1802), musical composer, the son of Thomas Arnold, was born on 10 Aug. 1740. Through the patronage of the Princesses Amelia and Sophia he was admitted to the Chapel Royal, where he was educated under Gates and Nares; he is said also as a boy to have been noticed and advised by Handel. Before 1763 he was engaged by Beard as composer to Covent Garden, where in 1765 he brought out his opera, the 'Maid of the Mill,' the first of the long series of compilations from the works of other composers, which, by a judicious combination with a small amount of original work, sufficed to win him a considerable reputation as an operatic composer. Arnold became a member of the Royal Society of Musicians 4 March 1764 (Records of Roy. Soc. of Musicians). In 1767 he set Browne's ode, the 'Cure of Saul,' as an oratorio. This work achieved some success, and was followed by 'Abimelech,' the 'Resurrection,' and the 'Prodigal Son,' which were perfonned during Lent in 1768, 1773, and 1777 at Covent Garden and the Haymarket. In 1769 he took a lease of Marylebone Gardens,where he produced many operas and burlettas, amongst others Chatterton's 'Revenge;' but, owing to the dishonesty of one of his subordinates, during the three years of his tenancy he lost by the speculation a sum of nearly 10,000l. In 1773 the university of Oxford asked Arnold's permission to perform his oratorio, the 'Prodigal Son,' at the installation of Lord North as chancellor, and on the request being granted the honorary degree of Mus. Doc. was offered the composer. This was declined by Arnold, who preferred to take the degree in the ordinary manner, and accordingly composed as an exercise Hughes's ode on the Power of Music. On tendering this composition to the Oxford professor. Dr. Hayes, the latter returned it to Arnold unopened, with the remark that it was unnecessary to scrutinise an exercise composed by the composer of the 'Prodigal Son.' The accumulated degrees were conferred on him on 5 July 1773. In
