him!" said the king; for the king himself was now beginning to
lose his patience.

The mayor, encouraged by these words, and being already in a state of
boiling indignation and rage, immediately struck a tremendous blow
upon Walter's head with a cimeter which he had in his hand. The blow
stunned him, and he fell heavily from his horse to the ground. One of
the horsemen who had come up with the mayor--a man named John
Standwich--immediately dismounted, and thrust the body of Walter
through with his sword, killing him on the spot.

In the mean time, the crowd of the insurgents had remained where
Walter had left them, watching the proceedings. They had received
orders not to move from their position until Walter should make the
signal; but when they saw Walter struck down from his horse, and
stabbed as he lay on the ground, they cried out, "They have killed our
captain. Form the lines! form the lines! We will go and kill every one
of them."

So they hastily formed in array, and got their weapons ready, prepared
to charge upon the king's party; but Richard, who in all these
transactions evinced a degree of bravery and coolness very remarkable
for a young man of sixteen, rode forward alone, and boldly, to meet
them.

"Gentlemen," said he, "you have no leader but me. I am your king.
Remain quiet and peaceable."

The insurgents seemed not to know what to do on hearing these words.
Some began to move away, but the more violent and determined kept
their ground, and seemed still bent on mischief. The king went back to
his party, and asked them what they should do next. Some advised that
they should make for the open fields, and try to escape; but the mayor
of London advised that they should remain quietly where they were.

"It will be of no use," said he, "for us to try to make our escape,
but if we remain here we shall soon have help."

The mayor had already sent horsemen into London to summon help. These
messengers spread the cry in the city, "TO SMITHFIELD! TO SMITHFIELD!
THEY ARE KILLING THE KING!" This cry produced universal excitement and
alarm. The bands of armed men quartered in London were immediately
turned out, and great numbers of volunteers too, seizing such weapons
as they could find, made haste to march to Smithfield; and thus, in a
short time, the king found himself supported by a body of seven or
eight thousand men.

Some of his advisers then urged that the whole of this force should
fall at once upon