t expect that he would ground any right of
sovereignty upon their voluntary acquiescence in his character of
arbitrator and ally; and the news of his despotic claim filled them with
despair and indignation. The great bell, which had formerly been the
emblem of their citizenship, now tolled for the last time. They assembled
in the market-place in tumultuous crowds, and summoning the treacherous
or imprudent envoy before them, they tried him by a clamorous and summary
process, and, before the sentence was completed, tore him limb from limb.
Believing that some of the nobles were accessory to the surrender of
their freedom, they fell upon those they suspected, and murdered them in
the streets, thus hastening, and confirming by their intemperance, the
final alienation of the wealthy classes from their cause; and having by
these acts of unbridled desperation given the last demonstrations of
their independence, they once more threw themselves into the arms of
Lithuania, which were open to receive them.

But Ivan was prepared for this demonstration of passion. His measures
were too deeply taken to suffer surprise by any course which the
Novgorodians, in their righteous hatred of oppression, might think fit
to adopt. When he learned the reception they gave to his mandate, he
affected the most painful astonishment. He declared that he alone was the
party aggrieved, that he alone was deceived; that they had laid snares
for his counsel and countenance; and that even when, yielding to their
universal requisition, he had consented to take upon him the toils of
government, they had the audacity to confront him with an imposition in
the face of Russia, to shed the blood of their fellow-men, and to insult
heaven and the empire by calling into the sacred limits the soldiers of
an adverse religion and a foreign power. These ingenious remonstrances
were addressed to the priests, the nobles, and the people, and had the
desired effect. The bishops embarked zealously in the crusade, and the
people entered willingly into the delusion. The dependent republic of
Pskof and the principality of Twer, paralyzed in the convulsion, appeared
to waver; but Ivan, resolved to deprive Novgorod of any help they might
ultimately be tempted to offer, drew out their military strength, under
the form of a contingency, and left them powerless. Yet, although
strongly reenforced on all sides, he still avoided a contest. With
a mingled exhibition of revenge and att