The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-02-14

And thus these two people who low cd one another more than life. honor. and happiness. were face to face now with that terrible misunderstanding between them--still further apart from each other than they had ever been. both suffering acutely in heart and mind for the supposed cowardice and wantonness of the other. and the while my Lord High Steward and the other noble lords were concluding the cere- monies of that strange, eventful trial !. 2 My lords." said Lord Chandop, once more rising from his seat. you have heard the evidence of this lady, and Robert, Duke of Wessex. having put himself upon the trial of God and you his peers. charge you to consider II 1t appeareth that he is guilty of this murder or whether he had Justification and thereupon say your minds upon your honor and condolences"
 We have Mir. Thomas Norton's au. thority for stating that my lords. ths triers. never left their seats. nor did they deliberate; hardly were the words out of my Lord High Stewards lips than with one accord four and twenty voices were raised. saying:
 Not guiltxr"
 Then" adds Mr. Norton. there was raised cheer from the people inside the Hall which was quite deafcnine to the ears. Sundry spectators tossed their caps into the afr. and many of the women began to cry. My Lord High Steward could not make himself heard for long while, at which he be- came very wrathful. and calling to the Sergeant -at-A Arms he bade him clear the court of all these noise-makers."
 There seems to have been consider able difficulty in doing this. for Mir. Thomas Norton continuously refers to "riotous conduct and even to con tempt of the Queens Commissioner. Cheers of God save Wessex" alternat- ed with the loyal cry of God save the Queen!' The men-at-arms had to use their halberds, and did so very ef- fectually, one or two of the more sx- cited noise -makers" getting wounded about the face and hands. Finally the suggestion came from Mir. Barharn, the Queens Sergeant. that Hts Grace of Wessex should be concealed from the view of the populace. and acting upon this advice, the Lieutenant of the Tow CT ordered his guard to close around for His Grace. The object of this mad enthusiasm being thus placed out of sight, the people became gradually more calm. and the noise subsided suf- ficiently for the Queens Sergeant to give forth his final dictum.
 My Lords Grace. the Queens Com missioner, High Steward of England, chargeth all persons to depart in Gods peace and the Queens. and hath dissolved this Commission"
 "f4od save the QueenH was shouted Justify. and then the great door was opened and the people began quietly to file out
 The pale November sun had strug- gled out of it's misty coverings, and touched the pinnacles and towers of the old Abbey with delicate gleams of golden grey. Slowly the crowd moved on, some of the more venturesone or more enthusiastic townsfolk, the pren- tices, and younger men. lingering round the precincts to see the great personages come out and to give final cheer for His Grace of Wessex
 The Hall itself seemed lonely now that the people had gone. The Lord High Steward once more called on the prisoner. who had already risen as soon as hIs noisy partisans had departed.
 As he had been impassive through out the terrible ordeal of this trial for his life, so he remained now that on every face before him he read the in- evitable acquittaL He had watched Ur- suIa sGIynde's graceful figure as, ac- con1panfed by the Cardinal de Moreno, she had \ finally made an obeisance hes fore the judges. then had retired through the doors of the Lord Chan eeIIor's Court. sBs
 A great and awful disgust filled his whole heart. It was he now who was conscious of the loathsome web which had enveIoped him more completely than he had ever anticipated!
 He saw his acquittal lowering on the lips of his peers. Lord Chandos kind ly face was beaming with delight, Sir Robert Catllne and Mir. Gilbert Gerard were conversing quite excitedly his own friends, Sir Henry Bedingfield and Lord Mordaunt, Lord Huntingdon and Sir John williams were openly expressing their intense satisfaction.
 But for him. what did 1t all mean An acquittal based on lie, and that lie told by a woman to save himi
 But a lie, for all that, and one which he could not refute, without telling the whole truth to his judges and branding her publicly as murderess and worseI
 He who had ever held his own honor. his pride, the cleanness of his whole existence, as a fetich to be, worshipped, now saw himself forced to barter all that which he held so sacred and gain his own life in exchange. How much gladly would he have heard his death sentence pronounced now by ms friends kind lips. Death--however ig- nominious--would have purified and ex- alted honor.