the laity. Dean Milman suspects that he was much moved herein by the
condition of his own Chapter.

In 1191, whilst King Richard I. was in Palestine, his brother John
summoned a council to St. Paul's to denounce William de Longchamp,
Bishop of Ely, to whom Richard had entrusted the affairs of
government, of high crimes and misdemeanours. The result was that
Longchamp had to escape across sea. At length the King returned, but
the Londoners were deeply disaffected. William FitzOsbert, popularly
known as "Longbeard," poured forth impassioned harangues from Paul's
Cross against the oppression of the poor, and the cathedral was
invaded by rioters. Fifty-two thousand persons bound themselves to
follow him, but Hubert, Archbishop of Canterbury, met the citizens in
the cathedral, and by his mild and persuasive eloquence persuaded them
to preserve the peace. FitzOsbert, finding himself deserted, clove the
head of the man sent to arrest him, and shut himself up in the church
of St. Mary-le-Bow. His followers kept aloof, and a three-days' siege
was ended by the church being set on fire. On his attempt to escape he
was severely wounded by the son of the man he had killed, was dragged
away, and burned alive. But his memory was long cherished by the poor.
Paul's Cross was silent for many years from that time.

In 1213, a great meeting of bishops, abbots, and barons met at St.
Paul's to consider the misgovernment and illegal acts of King John.
Archbishop Langton laid before the assembly the charter of Henry I.,
and commented on its provisions. The result was an oath, taken with
acclamation, that they would, if necessary, die for their liberties.
And this led up to Magna Charta. But it was a scene as ignominious as
the first surrender before Pandulf, when Pope Innocent accepted the
homage of King John as the price of supporting him against his barons,