A March on London: Being a Story of Wat Tyler's InsurrectionHenty, G. A. (George Alfred)
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A March on London: Being a Story of Wat Tyler's Insurrection
Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
Tyler's Insurrection, 1381 -- Juvenile fiction
"Go on with them," Edgar said to his friend; "I will follow in a
moment. This is the room where we left our disguises."
Running in he gathered the clothes, made them into a rough bundle, and
then followed. He overtook his friends as they were mounting a
staircase which led to a room in one of the turrets. As they reached
the chamber, and the door closed behind them, Dame Agatha burst into
tears.
"I have been in such anxiety about you both!" she exclaimed.
"We have fared well, mother," Albert said; "but do you lose no moment
of time. We have disguises here. I pray you put on the commonest
garment that you have, you and Aline. If you can pass as servants of
the palace, we can conduct you safely out of the crowd."
Edgar ran up a narrow flight of stone stairs, at the top of which was a
trap-door. He forced back the bolts and lifted it.
"Bring up the clothes, Albert," he called down. "We will put them on
while the ladies are changing, and we can watch from this platform what
is doing without."
They soon slipped on the countrymen's clothes over their own, and then
looked out at the scene below. Every space between the buildings was
crowded by the mob shouting and yelling. The garrison still stood
immovable on the outer walls.
"You must be right, Albert. Even if there be some traitors among them
there must also be some true men, and never would they stand thus
impassive had not the strictest orders been laid upon them before the
king's departure."
In a minute or two they saw a number of men pour out, hauling along the
Archbishop of Canterbury, Sir Robert Hales, the king's confessor, and
four other gentlemen. Then with exulting shouts they dragged their
prisoners to Tower Hill, and then forced them to kneel.
"They cannot be going to murder them!" Albert exclaimed with horror.
"That is surely their intent," Edgar said, sternly. "Would that we were
there with but a hundred men-at-arms. Assuredly there would be a stout
fight before they had their way."
"I cannot look on!" Albert exclaimed, hurrying to the other side of the
platform as a man armed with a heavy sword faced the prisoners.
Edgar did not move, but stood gazing with scowling brow and clenched
hand. Presently he turned.
"There is naught more to see, Albert. All are murdered! God assoil
their souls."
At this moment Dame Agatha called out from below that they were ready,
and they ran down at once into the chamber. Dame Agatha and her
daughter were both dressed in rough garments with hoods pulled over
their faces, and might well have passed unnoticed as being the wife and
daughter of some small trader, or superior domestics of the palace.
Just as they were about to start they heard an uproar on the stairs
below. The door had been already fastened.
"Best to open it," Edgar said; "they would but break it in."
Seven rough fellows, whose flushed faces showed that they had already
been drinking, rushed into the room.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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