in what manner the outbreak commenced.
meantime, all the conspirators had come forth from the crypt, and were gathered together in the court, considering what should be done under the circumstances. the sudden and violent ringing of the alarm-bell seemed to leave them no alternative but flight.
“we must separate and beat a retreat,” cried stafford. “the meeting must not take place as appointed to-morrow at smithfield, but must be deferred to some other opportunity. that cursed spanish friar has overheard our plans, and will reveal them. you will all best consult your safety by keeping out of the way for the present. the great enterprise has been thwarted for the moment, but it will not be abandoned.”
“assuredly not,” cried dudley. “would there were some means of silencing that infernal clatter.”
“if it goes on it will rouse up half the town,” cried sir anthony kingston.
“why should it not serve as the signal for the rising?” cried osbert, who felt the necessity of immediate action. “why should we not commence the great enterprise now? to-morrow we shall all be proscribed, and a price set upon our heads. let us act to-night. that bell will spread alarm through all this quarter of the town, and the people will soon come flocking hither to learn its import. let us tell 317them that a rising takes place this night against the spanish domination.”
“agreed!” exclaimed several voices.
“i approve of the plan,” said de noailles, who was evidently much alarmed; “but i cannot be seen in the matter. you know where to find me, gentlemen. success attend you!”
and he hastily retired with freitville.
meanwhile, the alarm-bell continued to ring violently, and it was evident, from the shouts and noises heard without, that the people were roused, and were flocking towards the spot.
“i hear them. they are coming now,” cried stafford. “let us forth to meet them. ring that bell as loudly as thou canst, thou pestilent friar! it shall bring those together who shall aid us to dethrone thy master.”
and, as if in compliance with the request, the alarm-bell was rung more violently than ever.
the conspirators then marched, sword in hand, into the dean’s-yard, where some of that dignitary’s servants were collected, but on seeing them these persons immediately retreated. but the next moment there burst through the gateway a troop of citizens, hastily and imperfectly attired, and armed with various weapons, swords, pikes, and arquebuses.
“what ho, my masters!” shouted the foremost of these. “why rings the alarm-bell?”
“it rings to call you to arms,” replied osbert, “in defence of your liberties and religion. a rising is about to take place to depose philip and mary, place the princess elizabeth on the throne, and restore the reformed religion, as established by king edward vi., of blessed memory.”
“hear you that, my masters?” cried the man. “the mass is to be put down, and the protestant faith restored.”
it so chanced that the whole of the persons addressed were protestants, so they cheered lustily, and shouted, “down with the mass!”
meanwhile, the bell never for a moment ceased its clamour, and numbers of other persons, armed like those who had first appeared, answered the summons. many of these joined in the cries against popery, but others being 318romanists, retorted furiously, and struggles immediately began to take place between the opposing sects. as the crowd was continually on the increase, the hubbub and disturbance grew louder and louder, and a general engagement was threatened.
just then, a party of twenty-five or thirty men, armed with pikes and carrying lanterns, came up, shouting, “down with the mass! down with antichrist!” thus reinforced, the protestants laid about them stoutly, and soon drove off their opponents.
this victory gained, they began to shout lustily, and called out for a leader, whereupon osbert clinton leaped upon a stone bench, and waving his sword above his head, cried out in a loud voice, so as to be heard by all, “i am ready to lead you, and if you will stand firmly by me and my associates, we will deliver you from spanish tyranny and oppression, and re-establish your religion. no more inquisitorial practices—no more ecclesiastical commissions—no more burnings at smithfield. we will release all those imprisoned for heresy.”
“we will release our preachers and pastors,” cried stafford, leaping upon the bench, “and punish their judges. we will hang gardiner and bonner.”
shouts and terrific yells responded to this proposition.
“here come the arquebusiers!” shouted several voices, as the trampling of horses and the clanking of arms were heard.
“close up, and stand firm!” cried osbert, springing from the bench and making his way towards the head of the crowd, which now, in obedience to his commands, had formed itself into a compact mass.
the next moment a troop of arquebusiers galloped up, with their swords drawn, and drew up in front of the mob.
after commanding a halt, their captain rode up to the front ranks of the crowd, and called out, “in the queen’s name, as good and loyal subjects of her majesty, i command you to disperse, and go peaceably to your homes.”
a general refusal was the response.
“you had best not be obstinate,” retorted the captain of the guard. “mark what i say. you have got amongst you 319several traitors, who are conspiring against their majesties and against the safety of the realm.”
“we are all traitors and conspirators,” cried several voices. “we have thrown off our allegiance to the queen and the pope. we will have no spaniard for king.”
“hear me,” shouted the officer. “if you do not instantly deliver to us sir henry dudley, sir anthony kingston, thomas stafford, osbert clinton, and other traitors and conspirators whom ye have among you, we will cut you to pieces, and take them.”
“make good your threat, sir,” rejoined osbert. “i am one of those you have named. advance and take me if you can.”
the officer instantly pushed forward his horse, but at that moment a bullet from an arquebuse, fired behind osbert, crashed into his brain, and he fell heavily to the ground.
on seeing their leader fall, the arquebusiers instantly charged the mob, cutting at them with their swords and hewing down a considerable number. still, as the sturdy citizens, encouraged by their leaders, stood firm, and received their assailants on their pikes, less mischief was done them than might have been expected.
a dreadful mêlée now took place, which endured for nearly a quarter of an hour; and while it was going on fresh parties, both of protestants and romanists, arrived at the scene of strife, and at once engaged in the conflict.
at first, it seemed as if the insurgents must be speedily routed; but though the arquebusiers did great damage in the early part of the fray, they were completely discomfited in the end, most of their horses being killed under them.
during the fight, all the leaders of the outbreak distinguished themselves by their bravery. osbert clinton threw himself into the thickest of the fight, encouraged his followers by word and deed, struck down three of the horsemen, and mainly contributed to the victory eventually gained by the insurgents. in little more than a quarter of an hour after the commencement of the conflict, the arquebusiers were dismounted and discomfited, and the romanists driven off.
the alarm-bell, which had ceased during the raging of the conflict, began to ring again more violently than ever.
320a brief consultation was then held among the leaders of the outbreak as to the course that should next be pursued, when it was agreed that they should march on past charing cross and along the strand, and if they received sufficient accession to their forces, should break down temple bar, enter the city, liberate the prisoners for religion from newgate and the marshalsea, and march on to the tower.
“i will lead on this party,” said stafford.
“i will set free the prisoners from the gate house here at westminster,” said sir henry dudley.
“i will crave to be allowed to pass over to lambeth palace,” said osbert, “and set free constance tyrrell and derrick carver. this done, i will cross london-bridge and join you. let me have fifty men for the enterprise.”
“take double that number,” said stafford. “we shall find plenty of others as we march along. harkye, my masters!” he called out to the crowd. “i want a hundred men to go to lambeth palace.”
“what to do?” demanded a burly citizen. “not to harm cardinal pole. he is a just man, and against persecution. we will hang bonner and gardiner, and the rest of the romish prelates, but we won’t hurt a hair of the good cardinal’s head.”
“right, master rufford, we won’t hurt cardinal pole,” cried a man near him.
“i would not have him harmed,” replied osbert. “my sole object is to liberate two protestant prisoners—constance tyrrell and derrick carver.”
“derrick carver is confined in the lollard’s tower,” said rufford; “it was he who spoke to me of the cardinal’s goodness. if it be merely to free him and constance tyrrell, we are with you.”
“ay, any of us will go with you on that errand,” cried several voices.
“i also will go with you,” said udal.
a hundred men were then told quickly off, all of whom were armed with pikes and other weapons.
“how are we to get across the river?” demanded rufford.
“we will make the best of our way to the horseferry, where we shall find boats enow,” replied osbert.
321“ay, to the horseferry! to the horseferry!” cried several voices.
“we shall meet again ere daybreak, if all go well,” said osbert to stafford and the others.
then, putting himself at the head of his party, he led them at a quick pace round the south-west precincts of the abbey, and quickly gaining the banks of the river, proceeded to the horseferry.
up to this time they had been unopposed. the occupants of the scattered habitations on the road opened their windows to watch them pass, but none came forth to join them. as osbert expected, they found the large ferry-boat, two barges, and sufficient smaller craft to transport them across the river, and the whole party having embarked in these boats, they pushed off and began to row towards lambeth.
scarcely, however, had they got a bow-shot from the shore, when a band of mounted archers rode up to the ferry station, and finding they were too late, and that all the boats had been taken away by the insurgents, they fired a volley at them, but without doing them any injury. without trying the effect of a second volley, the horsemen rode back to westminster, probably to find boats to enable them to cross the river.
