"That as it may be,--but first for justice to the people; it is the
people's rising that I will head, and not a faction's. Neither White
Rose nor Red shall be on my banner; but our standard shall be the gory
head of the first oppressor we can place upon a pole."

"What is it the people, as you word it, would demand?"

"I scarce know what we demand as yet,--that must depend upon how we
prosper," returned Hilyard, with a bitter laugh; "but the rising will
have some good, if it shows only to you lords and Normans that a Saxon
people does exist, and will turn when the iron heel is upon its neck.
We are taxed, ground, pillaged, plundered,--sheep, maintained to be
sheared for your peace or butchered for your war. And now will we
have a petition and a charter of our own, Lord Montagu. I speak
frankly. I am in thy power; thou canst arrest me, thou canst strike
off the head of this revolt. Thou art the king's friend,--wilt thou
do so? No, thou and thy House have wrongs as well as we, the people.
And a part at least of our demands and our purpose is your own."

"What part, bold man?"

"This: we shall make our first complaint the baneful domination of the
queen's family; and demand the banishment of the Woodvilles, root and
stem."

"Hem!" said Montagu, involuntarily glancing over the archbishop's
letter,--"hem, but without outrage to the king's state and person?"

"Oh, trust me, my lord, the franklin's head contains as much north-
country cunning as the noble's. They who would speed well must feel