WILLIAM FITZ-OSBERT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 73, 27 March 1871, Page 3

WILLIAM FITZ-OSBERT.

A STORY OF LONDON LIFE IN THE DATS OF RICHARD CCEUR DE LION. From the Family Friend.

Chapter XXII. DEFEAT OF THE RIOTERS. The victorious insurgents experienced a sudden check to tlvir impetuous progress wln-n they arrived at the foot of the hill near Ncwirute. Assistance had been procured from the Tower, and Fitzalwynne had collected together as many of the loyal citizens as was pr.s ible in so fhort a ?p;ice of time. Wuen Fitz-Osbert surveyed the formidable array of the Mayor's forces, an omi;:j .o shadow parsed over his face, and lie ordered his excited followers to halt. It was not an easy task to control the movements of the maddened and clamorous multitude pressing around him. Although they outnumbered the military by hundreds, it was impossible to use the rebel citizens^ effectively against the trained ami well armed horsemen in front, and if they retreated to the narrow streets, tlieir greater number would give them but little advantage. Fitz-Osbert fully comprehended the difficulty of his position; but he also knew the danger of hesitation, and when he looked at the eager faces of his followers, he resolved at once to lend them on to the m attack while they were yet inspire I by the f enthusiasm of victory. A loud yell of savage triumph greeted their leader's command to "press forward," and Fitzal Wynne's party responded with a loud cry of execration as they beheld the heads of their slain comrades swaying to and fro in the midst of the advancing rebels. They iushed forward on the furious multitude thirsting for revenge, and the air was rent by the awful crash and the shrill wail of the collision. For a f ■ w moments the great erowdjappeared to waver andbre^k up before the heavy rush of the cavalry, but one aftor another

the horsemen were hui'led from their horses by the strong arms of the citizens and fell ponderously in their massive armour. Encouraged by every such success, the rebels recovered from the first shock of the attack and hurried forward more furiously than ever. Fitz-Osbert was foremost in the strife, dealing blows right and left with a heavy axe. His long black beard tossing about with the rapid evolutions of the struggle, his dark flashing eyes, and his strange stooping figure made him a conspicuous object, amoug the heaving crowd of combatants. Ai-ound him the soldiers pressed with frantic energy. They knew that a price was on his head, and they fought desperately to hem him in and separate him from his followers. Their efforts met with but little success. The terrible blows of his battle-axe cleaved and shattered their armour, and already five or six sturdy men, well trained to arms, had fallen crushed and lifeless at his feet. At last, however, an opportunity occurred. Fitz-Osbert's foot slipped on the gory ground, and he stumbled over ihe dead body of a follower. In an instant a dozen swords were raised to dispatch him. "Surrender thee, Longbeard!" cried a stalwart knight, who had closely pressed the rebel leader throughout the contest. "Not yet," muttered Fitz-°sbert, raising himself on one knee aud dexterously warding off the blows aimed at his head. "Not yet, for her sake," cried a stern voice close behind, and a knight, with a strange crest and with his visor down, sprang at the foremost assailant, and smote him to the earth. Fitz-Osbert leaped to his feet, and, with his new ally, broke through his astonished opponents and rejoined the citizens, who were showing an inclination to retreat. The re-appearance of their leader, accompanied by the valiant stranger, whose prowess was even greater than that which Fitz-Osbert had displayed, filled the insurgents with new courage, and they again gathered themselves together, and pushed vigorously forward. AH their efforts were, however, quite ineffectual against the discipline, and steadiness of the force opposed to them. The first body of cavalry had hurled themselves madly among the crowd; but Fitzalwyime disposed of his forces judiciously, and kept reserves in readiness, anticipating the moment when they might be used with advantage. Two hours' hard fighting found the insurgents much reduced in numerical strength, and less ardent in their onsets. This seemed to the Mayor the right moment for availing himself of his reserves, and he ordered them to the front. Fresh, and ready for their work of slaughter, they fell upon the multitude with loud shouts of victory, and Fitz-Osbert tried in vain to rally his fol lowers. Retreat was now the inevitable course of the rebels, and to prevent it from becoming an abject flight, Fitz-Osbert and his mysterious ally, surrounded by a stout adherents, protected the rear of their undisciplined partisans. On reaching the narrow thoroughfares within Ludgate, the rioters sought shelter in the houses and hurled missiles irom the windows at Fitzalwynne's victorious partisans. In several places houses were set on fire by the enraged soldiers, and gi'eat columns of smokecurledupwavds,increasing the terror of the citizens and inflaming the fury of Fitz-Osbert's followers. Fitz-Osbert and his mysterious companion, however, endeavoured vainly to make a stand, or to rally the retreating crowd. The soldiers were armed with crossbows, and maintained a continuous discharge of bolts. How Fitz-Osbert escaped those deadly missiles none could understand. He seemed to have a charmed life. Again and again the horsemen rushed forward to capture him, and again and again his remarkable agility and the heroic courage,of his comrade baffled their attempts. "VVfien he looked round, as he frequently did, in the hope of saving his followers from the immediate disasters of a complete route, he was greatly distressed to observe how rapidly their number was diminishing. Anxious to save themselves from the destruction which now appeared certain, many of them fled down the narrow lanes on either side of the streei, and concealed themselves as best as they could from their merciless pursuers. "The day is lost," said the brave stranger. "I fear it is," replied Fitz-Osbert. "We must seek some place to make a stand," continued the stranger. "It is top late," muttered the citizen lawyer between his clenched teeth, at the same moment warding a blow from the mace of one of the soldiers who now pressed them closely. The stranger drew back, raised himself in his stirrups, and swinging his long and heavy sword in the air, dashed at the foremost soldier and smote higi.«to the earth. Another and another feL before his powerful arm and desperate energy, and for a brief moment the confusion was spread through the advancing ranks. Taking advantage of this, the stranger and Fitz-Os-bert turned their horses' heads and galloped away, hotly pursued by the soldiers. Some of their more active and faithful partisans

followed them on foot. They hurried along Cheapside and did not pause, until they arrived at Fitz-Osbert's house. There was no time for consultation, not :i moment for hesitation, and the stranger seemed to anticipate Fitz Osbert's thought when he reached the door of his house. "Leave her to me," he exclaimed. "To the church! to the churchl I will bring her there." Fitz-Osbert had good reason to be confident in the prowess of his gallant ally, and rushed at once into the portals of Bow Church, followed by about half-a-dozen rioters, who were resolved to die rather than desert their leader. Fitzalwynne's party were hurrying forward to finish their day's victory, and raised a loud shout of triumph when they beheld the miserable remnant of rioters retreat into the church. At the same instant the stahvart knight who had fought so well by Fitz-Osbert's side, was seen to run from ihe citizen lawyer's house, healing a woman in his arms. There was a hurried movement to intercept him, but he sprang towards the church and disappeared within the shadow of the doorway with a speed that appeared almost supernatural. A yell of rage arose from the soldiers as they beheld the knight reappear at the entrance of the church and close the massive doors in the face of his pursuers. The scene inside the sacred edifice when the last bolt had b p en driven in its place, and the great iron bars si j cure ! y fastened across the oaken doors was strangely impressive. Fitz-Osbert retreated to the altar, and at his feet they placed the apparently lifeless form of Nelly. His friends gathered round him and awaited in silence to hear the will of their leader. ;• The chivalrous stranger stood at some distance, leaning on his blood-stained sword. "Good neighbors," said Fitz-Osbert, it is the will of God that the good purpose for which we have taken up .arms shall not be accomplished by our devotion. We have seen our faithful friends faU-sitround us today — martyrs in the sacr*ertcause of liberty. It may be our lot tp. join? them soon in that eternal kingdom where the selfish tyranny and the cruel malice of the world cannot enter, It may be thajft by the desperate course which we have this day chosen, we shall have gained a liberty far more lasting than any the world can establish. It may be that we shall ere long assemble where there reigns a sweeter peace than any we could hope for here. The wan ton wretches who are thirsting for our blood will not hesitate to desecrate this holy building to satiate their cruel vengeance." Hark ! they are battering at the doors ! They are resolved to break in. lam content to end my life, sword in hand fighting with my last breath in the sacred cause of freedom. If there be any here who are willing to do the same let them step up by my side, and let those who deem the few remaining years of life worth bartering for, seek some refuge whence they may go forth and claim the mercy of our enemies ." There was a pause. Slowly and solemnly, with faces pale and determined, the little group of stahvart men ascended the steps of the altar and placed themselves silently by the side of Fitz-Osbert. The tall, and stately stranger did not move. The light streaming through one of the narrow windows flashed on his bright armour, but it was impossible to recognise his features, covered as they w<-re by the steel bars of his visor.; „ Fitz-Osb-prt looked at the knight as if awaiting some explanation ; but noke was offered. "To whom, Sir Knight," he said at last, " have we to offer our humble gratitude for the valorous assistance we have so unexpectedly received at your hands this day ?" " To your daughter," replied the Knight. " My daughter !" " Aye, your daughter," replied the stranger. " When thoughtless vengeauce, such as now thunders at yonder trembling doors, would have robbed me of life, your daughter came like some good, gentle angel, and rescued me from the cruel hands of my enemy. For her sake I am here today, and for her sake I will stand by you to the last." Fitz Osbert started as he recognized the voice of Sir Hugh de Danedred. "You are too brave and noble," said Fitz-Osbert, advancing to Sir Hugh, "to be sacrificed in such a cause as this. You have done good service to-day. Further help is useless. Is there no means by which you may escape ?" " None," replied Sir Hugh calmly, " I have cast my lot with yours, and we will fight our way from hence, or perish together. See the door is giving way ! Let us retire to the tower, they dare not follow us there " The great beams of oak were at that moment rent asunder amid the yells of the crowd without. Sir Hugh seized Nelly in his arms and led the way up a narrow ladder into the bell tower. Titz-Qsbert and his friends quickly followed. To he continued,