Salisbury and Warwick."

Through the anxious town, along the crowded walls and housetops, into
the hall of an old mansion (that then adjoined the church), where the
king, in complete armour, stood at bay, with stubborn and disaffected
officers, rolled the thunder cry, "A Warwick! a Warwick! all saved! a
Warwick!"

Sharply, as he heard the clamour, the king turned upon his startled
council. "Lords and captains!" said he, with that inexpressible
majesty which he could command in his happier hours, "God and our
Patron Saint have sent us at least one man who has the heart to fight
fifty times the odds of yon miscreant rabble, by his king's side, and
for the honour of loyalty and knighthood!"

"And who says, sire," answered Raoul de Fulke, "that we, your lords
and captains, would not risk blood and life for our king and our
knighthood in a just cause? But we will not butcher our countrymen
for echoing our own complaint, and praying your Grace that a grasping
and ambitious family which you have raised to power may no longer
degrade your nobles and oppress your commons. We shall see if the
Earl of Warwick blame us or approve."

"And I answer," said Edward, loftily, "that whether Warwick approve or
blame, come as friend or foe, I will sooner ride alone through yonder
archway, and carve out a soldier's grave amongst the ranks of
rebellious war, than be the puppet of my subjects, and serve their
will by compulsion. Free am I--free ever will I be, while the crown
of the Plantagenet is mine, to raise those whom I love, to defy the
threats of those sworn to obey me. And were I but Earl of March,