WILLIAM FITZ-OSBERT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 72, 25 March 1871, Page 2

WILLIAM FITZ-OSBERT

A STORY OP LONDON LIFE IN THE DAYS OF RICHARD CCEUR DE LION. From the Family Friend. The good priest, turning round, was attracted to the spot where Mary had sat down by the sound of half-stifled sobs. My child, my child, what means this grief?" he exclaimed, leaning over her, and putting his hand gently on her shoulders. Mary did not heed him, but bowing to and fro, gave way to the full force of her great grief. "Oh, Heaven!" she cried, between her sobs, "forgive me, forgive me. I cannot live. Let me die. Oh, help me to die!" "Hush, my child! Come, let us return, What has happened?" asked Broadhart.

raising her tenderly from the ground. The effort awake nril Mmy to a consciousness of her position. Removing; her hands from her eyes, and brushing aw:iy Ihe hoi. tears that were rolling <!ov/n her pale cheeks, she looked intently fur a moment nfc the kind features of her companion like o:;e suddenly aroused from a dream, and allowed hj>n to lead her away. Broadliart possessed too sensitive a nature, and too delicate a sense of sympathy to press any questions then, and they slowly walked homewards in silence. For remainder of news see fourth /furje.

"You must wonder at this madness," said Mary, as they approached the prioV"l am, indeed, surprisedyto discover s^ much grief in so young ajfearfc," answer<s Broadhart. \S ; { - J "If you had been \affndering for year^," said Mary, "in a dark uncertain labyrinth, with your eyes f^ed on one solitary fight until that light "becarie your one hope — your one care — your »ne dream of life; and if, while you toilec^ wearily onward, it was suddenly extinguished for ever, you would feel as I do now — hopelessly, helplessly, miserably ct ushed — utterly crushed. Oh, death would be better — far better — than this cruel despair! Pardon me, kind father; this weakness is foolish. I cannot help it — indeed I cannot. lam alone now in all the world, without even one ray of hope to bear me company." Broadhart shuddered at the tone of intense ajrony with which the poor girl thus sobbed forth her sorrow. He felt that no words of comfort which he could speak would avail then, and he wisely contented himself with simple expressions of earnest sympathy. Although he knew not the actual cause of Mary's grief, he was conscious that her's was no ordinary sorrow. That she had seen or heard something at Fitz-Osbert's house which aroused this tempest of woe in her young bosom he felt certain, and as he parted from Mary and walked to his own cell in the priory, his brow contracted, and he muttered to himself, "An evil cloud hangs over that man's house."

Chapter XXI.

THE ItlOT. The tempest which had been gathering for years burst upon the City of London at last. Fitz-Osbert had never wavered in his purpose, had never flinched in Ms bold advocacy of the people's cause, had never sought to compromise the difficul ties which separated the interests of the poor from of the rich, and Fitz-Osbert had possessed neither the courage nor the power to avert the inevitable outbreak. The strong arm of authority on which the Mayor of London depended, had hitherto proved all-sufficient to maintain order and to enforce the unjust system of taxation. On this authority, which meant the assistance of the ArchBishop, who acted as Chief Justicier of the kingdom, Fitzaiwynne rested in confidence. He could not avoid the knowledge that every hour brought the storm-laden elements nearer to the moment of collision, but he watched events, and awaited the result with the firm resolve of one who felt himself able to do battle with the hurricane. A cold gloomy sky, torn into vast'ehasms and seams of leaden clouds fringed with spray of feathery white, seemed strangely ominous of the disturbance about to take place in the city. Fitz-Osbert was unusually silent and calm on that eventful morning. Nelly prepared with her own hands his morning meal. She knew that his mind was occupied with affairs of great anxiety — she scarcely dared to question the full extent of their importance — and she was careful not to interrupt his meditations. A secret fear that the quarrel between the people and Fitzaiwynne would soon take a more formidable shape, and that her father would fall a sacrifice to the cause, robbed her beautiful face of its usual rosy tints, and made her look even more spiritual than ever. When her father rose to depart she threw her arms rouud his ueck, and kissed him with an earnest enthusiasm which he well understood. He hurried along Cheapside with the warmth of that expression of his child's love still lingering on his lips, and it seemed to give him new courage for the great work before him. His eyes gleamed almost fiercely, and he clenched his hands with an involuntary movement as he walked towards Paul's Cross. As he 'came in sight of the open space he beheld a great crowd surging to and fro — a dark and restless tide of human beings. His appearance on the scene was the signal for a shout of welcome from those of the multitude who recognised him, and the cheer was swiftly taken up by all the excited mob. "Longbeard!" "Longbeard!" "Long live the people's champion!" was shouted, shrieked, and howled from hundreds of excited throats. The cool and determined leader of the faction showed his intellectual superiority to advantage at such a moment. With calmness and dignity he bowed to to the enthusiastic people, and advanced through the space willingly made for him, shaking heartily as manyof the : eagerly extended hands as the peculiarity of his position would permit. The crowd was increasing in dimensions every minute, and he saw that without leadership no good results could be effected by the meeting. He' did not hesitate, therefore, to accept the i invitations vociferously pressed upon him by the people around, and ascended a hurriedly constructed rostrum at the foot of the Cross. ' As his massive brow and dark beard rose above the multitude, every head was upturned towards him, and the hum of tongues suddenly ceased. '•-'"■ "Citizens I" lie said, raising his right

hand on high, -with the fingers extended 'as if to grasp the whole attention of his audience, "for what do you assemble here today? Have you oue grief, one wrong, one hope, one purpose, that you have gathered together here with mutual sympathy and resolve? If so, let us not loosen this sacred bond of union until, by one great and united effort, we have flung off the heavy yoke imposed upon us by unjust and unscrupulous oppressors. There is :i day still fresh in the memory of every true-hearted citizen — a day full of hope and gladness — a day when we hung forth gilded banners from our windows — when glittering cloth of gold swayed in the wind from the portals of our shops — when incense burned on the hallowed altars of our churches — and when the fanfare of a hundred trumpets, the ringing of bells, and the clash of brazen symbols welcomed King Richard to London. Above all the splendor, and above all the loud strains of martial music, there rose on that day a mighty shout which went to our great Kiug's heart. It was the welcome — the honest, earnest, hearty welcome — of his English people. But why did you raise that shout of joy? -wiVAi)' did you press forward with beaming faces to greet your abpent monarch? Because you felt that the day of persecution was over — the hand of the oppressor was lifted from your necks — the reign of extortion and massacre were closed — and saw in the return of the Lion Heart the dawn of a new life. You breathedfreely with the sweet hope of freedom, and you shouted forth your hope and confidence without misgiving, withouthesitation. What has been the result of your faith, patience; and loyalty? '..Alas! I shudder to contemplate so spleiidecp.au offering of popular love and devotion cast, aside so carelessly, and trodden under foot so ruthlessly by the shameless minions of a too generous and easy king!" Fitz-Osbert was here interrupted by the hoarse roar of enthusiastic applause. Agafu^ lifting his right hand on high he restored silence, and resumed his fervid address. "We all know," he said, ''(hat it fs'hot King"Richard's will to crush us thus iv,ith the burden of taxes which ought to Jhil 4 — and would fall lightly — on the rich. In vain you labor and toil through the long year if the bread which you have well earned is snatched from yo üby the idle and dissolute men who feed like vultures on the helpless poor. I have raised my voice against the wroug-doers, but their hearts are of stone, and their ears are as dull as their reason. Words will not avail against your oppressors, and the hour has come for action. Solemnly, and with the awful sense of a great responsibility, I commend you to your task." He was about to say more, hut he was suddenly interrupted by a commotion among the people, and the unexpected arrival of a body of armed horsemen from the Tower. The horsemen drew up in line at about twenty paces distant, and ;i powerful knight, cloth gel Jin complete steel, rode forward and called upoh^the people to disperse. FitzOsbert did 116^ move from his elevated position. His face^ was as calm as ever, but his eyes glowed with the fire of enthusiasm. Many looked at hife^ to know what to do in the emergency, and iiis cool unflinching attitude instantly inspired them with confidence. A few of the mere idlers slunk away and hurried home, alarmed at the prompt and formidable measures to maintain order. Others, on the contrary, not only remained doggedly around their leader but raised a cry of derision at the request. One bold fellow sprang forward and threw a handful of mud into the face of the knight, aud another instantly followed his daring example by flinging a stone. The officer dashed into the crowd, and stooping down over his charger's side contrived to seize oue of these assailants. This was the signal for riot. The mob dragged the horseman to the ground, and his retainers galloped up to defend him. Swords were drawn, arrows darted on their fatal errands, maces and^axes clashed and rang, shouts and groans, nijngled with the tramp of feet, filled the air wlTjh ! a«loud,\confused clamour, and the multitude/which^ few moments before stood motionless listening to FitzOsbert, was now heaving and rolling like a sea swept by an impetuous whirlwind. The troop of horsemen being mounted and well armed, appeared to have the ad-' vantage, but the citizens were maddened iiitb fury by the sight of their companions crushed and battered beneath the horses' feet, and with wild yells and execrations they closed round the troopei's, and dragged them to the ground by force of numbers. Only one of thqtnumber contrivefe to escaj&jjl and gallop off to the Tower foi*assistance* Arrow after arrow followed the fugitive, but they either glanced off his polished armour or fell short of their mark. Glutted with bloody and hilarious with victory, the frantic crowd poured down Cheapside on their way to Fitzalwynne's . house at Newgate. On the tops of poles and pikes they carried with them the ghastly heads of the unfortunate soldiers, and Fitz r Osbert was born triumphantly in their midst on the shoulders of two of Sis most staunch supporters. - To be continued.