Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-16
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Westminster Hall.

A surging. Seething crowd heads upon
heads In a dense. compact mass: a double
row of men. women. boys and girls held
back with difficulty by the sergeant-at
arms and his men, armed with halberds
and .tipstayes.
A crowd come to cape and grin. some
TO sympathize-but only very few of
these All come to see how the proudest
in a felons dock.
The dull gray light of an early Novem-
Der day came in ghostly streaks through
, the huge window OF the hall. throwing
into bold relief the scarlet-clad figures of
the twenty-four noble lords who were to
be the dukes triers. the gorgeous robes
of the judges, and the dull black gowns
of the attorneys and the minor digni-
taries.
Quick excited whispers passed from
| mouth to mouth now and then a ia
miliar face detached itself from the
crowd of ali these awesome personages
and was recognized by the people.
That's my Lord Huntingdon said an
elderly merchant. pointing to gray
bearded lord who had just taken his seat.
II mind him vel! when first he bought a
pair of spurs in my fathers shop
Aye, and there's Lord Northampton.
full he should be not to be standing at the
bar himself for high treason
That's Mr.. Gilbert Gerard. the attorney
general" auoth one who knew.
Ssh. sh. sh." came In excited whispers
all around here comes the lord high
steward himself and all the Judges
+ The procession awed the pOpulace. for
every newcomer-gorgeously appareled
though he WaS-wore a grave face and 4
saddened mien. The crowd who had come
fnr 10 Mt rOf Vi. mot fJr1lt yn
the happy doings at East Molesey fair.
felt suddenly silenced and oppressed.
Some of the women shivered beneath
their thin kerchiefs the devOut ones made
a quick sign of the cross. as II prayers
were about to begin.
II was all so solemn and 50 grand. in
! this dim winters light, wherein the shad-
oWs seemed to hover all around. hiding
the remote corners of the hall and dwell
ing mysteriously on that tall scaffold
wherein one by one these reverend per
sOnages took their allotted seats.
The queens sergeant carried the white
rod and escorted my lord high steward to
the great chair, covered with a gorgeous
| cloth. which dominated the entire hall.
To the right and left Of him sat the
twenty-four peers with their ermine-
decked cioaks over their shoulders.
/ Below them sat the lord chief justice
of England. the lord chief justice OF COM
mon pleas and the lord chief baron OF the
eXchequer. and also the rest OF the minor
judges. The clerk of the crown, in black
gown and yellow hose. had been busy
some time conversing with his secondary
Next to the judges sat several gentlemen
of the queens household. their siken
doublets of rich though sombsr l.ues add
ing crisp note of contrasting color to
the harmoHies in scarlet and dull oak
which filed in the background Of the pic
ture.
Sir Walter Mildmay. chancellor of the
eNchequer sat close by with six of the
queens privy councillors, Alison on their
| left the master of requests and other per
sons of note. Immediately facing tie bar
was the queens sergeant. the attorney
general. the solicitor general and the at
torney general OF the court OF wards The
recorder OF London had been given q spe-
cfal> seat. also Mr.. Thomas Norton the
| queens printer. who wrote out the his
| torical account OF the trial which has
| been preserved among the state papers.
Then my lord high steward stood up
bareheaded, holding the white rod in
! his hand and the sergeant-at-arms
| stepped forward into the iramediat e
center of the hall facing the crowd and
| read out the proclamati ton follows:
My lords grace. the queens mai
/ estys commissioner high steward of
! England commanded every man 10 keen
i silence on pain OF imprisonment and
! to hear the queens commission read"
| This was followed by the reading of
| the queens commission by the clerk
Of the crown, after which-still stand