cts, the Chartist revealed to him the mysteries
of the Charter, and persuaded him not only that the Five Points would
cure everything, but that he was the only man who could carry the Five
Points. The Bishop had nothing to do; he was making a lock merely for
amusement; he required action; he embraced the Charter, without having
a definite idea what it meant, but he embraced it fervently, and he
determined to march into the country at the head of the population of
Wodgate, and establish the faith. Since the conversion of Constantine,
a more important adoption had never occurred. The whole of the north
of England, and a great part of the midland counties were in a state of
disaffection; the entire country was suffering; hope had deserted the
labouring classes; they had no confidence in any future of the existing
system. Their organisation, independent of the political system of the
Chartists, was complete. Every trade had its union, and every union its
lodge in every town, and its central committee in every district. All
that was required was the first move, and the Chartist emissary had long
fixed upon Wodgate as the spring of the explosion, when the news of the
strike in Lancashire determined him to precipitate the event.

The march of Bishop Hatton at the head of the Hell-cats into the mining
districts was perhaps the most striking popular movement since the
Pilgrimage of Grace. Mounted on a white mule, wall-eyed and of hideous
form, the Bishop brandished a huge hammer with which he had announced he
would destroy the enemies of the people: all butties, doggies, dealers
in truck and tommy, middle masters and main masters. Some thousand
Hell-cats followed him brandishing bludgeons, or armed with bars of
iron, pickhandles, and hammers. On each side of the Bishop, on a donkey,
was one of his little sons, as demure and earnest as if he were handling
his file. A flowing standard of silk inscribed with the Charter, and
which had been presented to him by the delegate, was borne before him
like the oriflamme. Never was such a gaunt, grim crew. As they advanced
their numbers continually increased, for they arrested all labour in
their progress. Every engine was stopped, the plug was driven out of
every boiler, every fire was extinguished, every man was turned out. The
decree went forth that labour was to cease until the Charter was the law
of the land: the mine and the mill, the foundry and the loom-shop were
until that consummat