“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. “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. [Illustration] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration] CHAPTER VIII. HOW THE INSURGENTS PROCEEDED TO LAMBETH PALACE. Meantime, Osbert and his party were more than half across the Thames.