THE TROUBLES IN FLANDERS
On re-entering the city gates they first went to an armourer's, where
they purchased and buckled on some gilded spurs.
"Truly, Albert, I can scarce believe our good fortune," Edgar said, as
they left the shop. "It seems marvellous that though we have not served
as esquires, we should yet at seventeen be dubbed knights by the king."
"You have well deserved it, Edgar; as for me, I have but done my best
to second you."
"And a very good best it was, Albert," Edgar laughed. "'Tis true that
in the skirmish outside Aldersgate I might have managed by myself, but
in the Fleming's affair and in the Tower I should have fared hardly
indeed had it not been for your help. I fancy that we have the Fleming
to thank for this good fortune. You see he had already told the king
that we were to accompany him, and perhaps he may have pointed out to
him that it might be to the advantage of his mission that we should be
made knights. He has great influence with the Court, seeing that he has
frequently supplied the royal needs with money. First let us visit our
good friend Sir Robert Gaiton."
The knight received them most warmly. "I heard from Van Voorden that
you were going to Flanders with him. You are like to see stirring
events, for Ghent has long been in insurrection against the Count of
Flanders, and things are likely to come to a head erelong. Ah, and what
do I see--gold spurs! Then the king has knighted you. That is well,
indeed, and I congratulate you most heartily. I tell you that I felt
some shame that I, who had not even drawn a sword, should have been
knighted, while you two, who had fought like paladins, had not yet your
spurs, and I was glad that I had an opportunity, down in Kent, of
showing that I was not a mere carpet knight."
"'Tis for that affair that the king said he knighted us, Sir Robert,"
Edgar said. "The other matters were private ventures, though against
the king's enemies; but that was a battle in the field, and the success
put an end to rioting down there."
"I shall not forget my promise about the knightly armour," the merchant
said, "but methinks that it were best to wait for a while. The armour
the Fleming bought you is as good as could be made, but doubtless you
will outgrow it, so it would be best for me to delay for two or three
years. It is not likely that you will have much to do with courtly
ceremonies before then, and when you get to twenty, by which time you
will have your full height, if not your full width, I will furnish you
with suits with which you could ride with Richard when surrounded by
his proudest nobles and best knights."
"We thank you, indeed, Sir Robert, and it would be much better so. The
first shine is not off our armour at present, and it would be cumbrous
to carry a second suit with us, therefore we would much rather that you
postponed your gift."
He now went with them into the ladies' room. "Dame and daughter," he
said, "I have to present to you Sir Edgar Ormskirk and Sir Albert De
Courcy, whom his Majesty has been pleased this morning to raise to the
honour of knighthood, which has been well won by their own merits and
bravery."
The dame gave an exclamation of pleasure and her daughter clapped her
hands.
"'Tis well deserved, indeed," the former exclaimed, "and I wish them
all good fortune with their new dignity. How much we owe them, Robert."
"That do we," the merchant said, heartily.
"I am pleased," the girl said, coming forward and frankly shaking hands
with both.
"I can scarce credit our good fortune, Mistress Ursula," Albert said.
"'Tis but a few months since I deemed that I was unfit for martial
exercise, and that there was naught for me but to enter the Church, and
now, thanks entirely to Edgar and to good luck, I am already a knight;
'tis well-nigh past belief. That meeting with you and your father was
the beginning of our great fortune."
"That was a terrible night," the girl said, with a little shudder at
the recollection. "Heaven surely sent you to our aid."
While they were talking, Sir Robert said a word apart to his wife, and
left the room. He presently returned with a small coffer, which he
handed to her.
"It seems to me, young knights," she said, "that your equipment is
incomplete without a knightly chain. My husband, I know, is going to
give you armour for war; it is for us to give you an ornament for
Court. These are the work of Genoese goldsmiths, and I now, in the name
of my daughter and myself, and as a small token of the gratitude that
we owe you, bestow these upon you."
So saying she placed round their necks two heavy gold chains of the
finest workmanship. Both expressed their thanks in suitable terms.
"When do you sail?" the merchant asked Edgar.
"To-morrow morning," he replied, "and the ship will unmoor at noon. We
will come to say farewell to you in the morning."
Mynheer Van Voorden and his family were no less delighted than Sir
Robert Gaiton at the honour that had befallen them.
"Methinks, Mynheer," Edgar said, "that 'tis to you that we in part owe
the honour the king has bestowed on us, for he said that as you had a
mission from him it would be well that we should have the rank of
knighthood."
"I may have said as much to the king," Van Voorden admitted, "but it
was not until Richard had himself said that he intended at the first
opportunity to knight you both. On that I spoke, and pointed out that
the presence of two English knights with me would add weight to my
words. On which he gladly assented, saying that it had before been his
intention to do so ere you left London, had not Sir Ralph said it would
be better for you to earn it in the field; but as, since that time, you
had fought in a stiff battle, and done good service to the realm by
putting down the insurgents in Kent, who had been the foremost in the
troubles here, he would do so at once.
"I think now that it were well you should each take a man-at-arms with
you--a knight should not ride unattended. When we get across there I
will hire two Flemings, who speak English, to ride with your men. You
will need them to interpret for you, and they can aid your men to look
after your horses and armour. If the two fellows here start at once for
your homes, the others can be back in the morning."
"One of them is the man I should take with me," Edgar said. "I promised
him that he should ride behind me as soon as occasion offered. He has
no horse, but I doubt not that I shall be able to purchase one out
there."
"I will see to that," Van Voorden said, "and to his armour. Do not
trouble yourself about it in any way. And now about your man, Sir
Albert?"
"I will ask my father to choose a good fellow for me, and one who has
armour and a horse."
"Then it were best to lose no time. There is pen and parchment on that
table. Doubtless you will both wish to write to tell your fathers of
the honour that the king has bestowed upon you."
Both at once sat down and wrote a short letter. Edgar, after telling
his father that he had been knighted, said:
"_Mynheer Van Voorden says it will be as well if we each take a
man-at-arms with us, so I shall, with your permission, take Hal Carter,
as I had arranged with you to do so when I went to the wars. He is a
stout fellow, and will, I am sure, be a faithful one. I hope that you
will find no difficulty in replacing him._"
Sir Ralph himself arrived at the house the next morning. "I could not
let you go without coming to congratulate you both on the honour that
has befallen you. It might have been well that it should have come a
little later, but doubtless it will be of advantage to you in Flanders,
and should there be fighting between Ghent and the earl you will be
more free to choose your own place in battle, and to perform such
journeys and adventures as may seem good to you as knights, than you
would be as private gentlemen, or esquires, following no leader, and
having no rank or standing save that of gentlemen who have come over as
friends of Mynheer Van Voorden.
"Your mother is greatly pleased, and as for Aline, she would fain have
ridden hither with me, but as I intend to return this afternoon, and as
she saw you both but two days since, I thought it best that she should
stay at home. I have brought up with me John Lance. I thought that he
was the one who would suit you best. In some respects the other is the
more experienced and might be of more value were you going on a
campaign, but he is somewhat given to the ale-jug, so I thought it best
to bring Lance, who is a stout fellow, and can wield his sword well. He
is civil and well-spoken, and as I have told him he is to obey your
orders just the same as if they were mine, I believe that you will have
little trouble with him. His arms and armour are in good condition, and
he has been furnished with a fresh suit out of the chest.
"I saw your father, Edgar, late yesterday evening. I myself took over
your letter to him. He said that whatever a man's calling may be, it is
well that he should go into it with all his heart, and that since you
have taken to arms, it is well indeed that you should so soon have
distinguished yourself as to be deemed worthy of knighthood. He said
that he would get another to take the place of the man you keep with
you, and he wishes you God-speed in Flanders."
At eleven o'clock, Van Voorden, his wife and daughter, mounted,
together with Edgar, Albert, and their two men-at-arms; both the latter
were in body armour, with steel caps; the Fleming had secured a strong
and serviceable horse for Hal. His own servants had gone on an hour
before with three carts carrying the baggage; Sir Ralph accompanied
them across London Bridge to Rotherhithe, where the barque was lying
alongside a wharf. The horses were first taken on board, and placed in
stalls on deck. These Van Voorden had had erected so that the horses
should suffer no injury in case they encountered rough weather. As soon
as the animals were secured in their places, Sir Ralph said good-bye to
them all, the hawsers were thrown off, and the vessel dropped out into
the tide, the baggage having been lowered into the hold before they
came down.
There were no other passengers, the Fleming having secured all the
accommodation for his party. There were two small cabins in the stern,
one of which was set apart for the merchant's wife and daughter, the
other for their two maids. The cabin where they sat and took their
meals was used by the merchant and the two young knights as a
sleeping-place. The Fleming's four men-servants and the two men-at-arms
slept in a portion of the hold under the stern cabins. The wind was
favourable, and although speed was not the strong point of the ship,
she made a quick passage, and forty-eight hours after starting they
entered the port of Sluys.
"Will you tell us, Mynheer," Edgar said, as they sailed quietly down
the Thames, "how it comes about that Ghent is at war with the Earl of
Flanders, for it is well that we should have some knowledge of the
matter before we get into the midst of it."
"'Tis well, indeed, that it should be so, Edgar. The matter began in a
quarrel between two men, John Lyon and Gilbert Mahew. Lyon was a crafty
and politic man, and was held in great favour by the earl. There was a
citizen who had seriously displeased Louis, and at his request John
Lyon made a quarrel with him and killed him. The matter caused great
anger among the burgesses, and Lyon had to leave the city, and went and
dwelt at Douay, living in great state there for three years, at the
earl's expense. At the end of that time the earl used all the influence
he possessed at Ghent, and obtained a pardon for Lyon, and the
restoration of his property, that had been forfeited for his crime,
and, moreover, made him chief ruler of all the ships and mariners.
"This caused great displeasure to many, not only in Ghent but in all
Flanders. Mahew, who, with his seven brothers, was the leading man
among the mariners, and between whose family and that of Lyon there was
a long-standing feud, went presently to the earl and told him that if
things were properly managed and certain taxes put on the shipping, the
earl would derive a large annual sum from it, and the earl directed
Lyon to carry this out. But owing to the general opposition among the
mariners, which was craftily managed by Mahew's brothers, Lyon was
unable to carry the earl's orders into effect. Gilbert Mahew then went
to the earl and said that if he were appointed in Lyon's place he would
carry the thing out. This was done, and Mahew, from his influence with
the mariners, and by giving many presents to persons at the earl's
Court, gained high favour, and used his power to injure Lyon.
"The latter, however, kept quiet, and bided his time. This came when
the people of Bruges, who had long desired to make a canal--which would
take away most of the water of the river Lys for their benefit--but who
had never been able to do so, owing to the opposition offered by Ghent,
now set a great number of men upon this work. This caused a great
agitation in Ghent, especially among mariners, who feared that if the
river Lys were lowered their shipping trade would be much injured. Then
people began to say that if Lyon had remained their governor in Ghent
the people of Bruges would never have ventured on such action. Many of
them went secretly to Lyon to sound him on the matter. He advised them
that they had best revive the old custom of wearing white hoods, and
that they should then choose a governor whom they would obey.
"In a few days a great number of white hoods appeared in the streets,
and a popular meeting was held. John Lyon was elected leader, and with
two hundred companies marched from Ghent to attack the pioneers digging
the channel. These, on hearing that a great force from Ghent was
marching against them, hastily retired. John Lyon and his force
returned home, and the former again resumed his position as a quiet
trader. The White Hoods, however, dominated the town. In a short time
some of them demanded that a mariner, who was a burgess of Ghent, and
who was confined in the earl's prison at Eccloo, should be liberated,
as, according to the franchise of the city, no burgess could be tried
save by its Courts.
"This trouble Lyon carefully fostered, and as the new and heavy dues
injured the trade of Ghent, his party increased rapidly. In public,
however, he always spoke moderately, remaining quietly in his house,
and never going out except with an escort of two or three hundred of
the White Hoods. An embassy was sent to the earl to ask that the rights
of the city should be respected. The earl answered them mildly, ordered
the prisoner to be given up to them, and promised to respect the
franchise of the city, but at the same time asked that the wearing of
white hoods should be discontinued. Lyon, however, persuaded the White
Hoods not to accede to this request, saying that it was the White Hoods
that had wrung those concessions from the earl, and that if they
disappeared from the streets, the franchise would be speedily abolished.
"In this Lyon was right, and he at once set to work to organize the
White Hoods, dividing them into companies, and appointing a captain to
each hundred men; a lieutenant to fifty; and a sub-officer to ten. In a
short time the Bailie of Ghent, with two hundred horse, rode into the
city, the earl having agreed with Gilbert Mahew that John Lyon and
several other leaders should be carried off and beheaded. As soon as
the bailie arrived at the market-place he was joined by the Mahews and
their adherents. The White Hoods at once gathered at John Lyon's house,
and he set out for the market-house with four hundred men. These were
joined by many others as they went. As soon as they appeared, the
Mahews, with their party, fled. Then the White Hoods rushed upon the
bailie, unhorsed and slew him, and tore the earl's banner to pieces.
His men-at-arms, seeing how strong and furious were the townsmen, at
once turned their horses and rode away.
"A search was then made for the Mahews, but they had fled from the town
and ridden away to join the earl. Their houses were all sacked and
destroyed. The White Hoods were now undisturbed masters of the place;
most of the rich burgesses, however, were much grieved at what had
taken place. A great council was held, and twelve of their number went
to the earl to beg for pardon for the town. The earl received them
sternly, but at their humble prayer promised to spare the city and to
punish only the chief offenders. While they were away, however, Lyon
called an assembly of the citizens in a field outside the town. Ten
thousand armed men gathered there, and they at once sacked and burnt
the palace of Andrehon, which was the earl's favourite residence, and a
very stately pile.
"The earl, on hearing the news, called the burgesses, who were still
with him, and sent them back to Ghent with a message to the town that
they should have neither peace nor treaty until he had struck off the
heads of all those whom he chose. John Lyon began the war by marching
to Bruges, which, being wholly unprepared, was forced to admit him and
his men, and to agree to an alliance with Ghent. He then marched to
Damme, where he was taken ill, and died, not without strong suspicion
of having been poisoned. The people of Ghent sent a strong force to
Ypres. The knights and men-at-arms of the garrison refused to admit
them, but the craftsmen of the town rose in favour of Ghent, slew five
of the knights, and opened the gates. The men of the allied cities then
tried to attack Tormonde, where the earl was, but were unable to take
it; they afterwards besieged Oudenarde. The Duke of Burgundy, however,
interposed, and peace was agreed upon, on condition that the earl
should pardon all and come to live in Ghent. The earl kept his promise
so far as to go there, but he only stayed four days and then left the
town.
"The peace was of very short continuance, for some relations of the
bailie and some other knights took forty ships on the river, put out
the eyes of the sailors, and sent them into Ghent, in return for which
a strong body marched out from Ghent, surprised Oudenarde, and stayed
there a month, during which time they hewed down the gates and made a
breach in the walls by destroying two towers. After the men of Ghent
had left Oudenarde the earl went there and repaired the damage they had
done, and then marched to Ypres and beheaded many of those who had
risen against him, and had slain his knights. In the meantime Ghent
prepared for the war by sacking and destroying all the houses of the
gentry in the country round the city.
"Several battles were fought, and in these the White Hoods had the
worst of it, for although they fought stoutly they were greatly
outnumbered. Bruges and Damme opened their gates to the earl, and Ghent
was left without an ally. Then Peter De Bois, who was now the chief of
the White Hoods, seeing that many of the townsmen were sorely
discouraged by their want of success, went to Philip Van Artevelde (the
son of Jacob Van Artevelde, who was murdered by the townsfolk for
making an alliance with England) and persuaded him to come forward as
the leader of the people. On his doing so Philip was at once accepted
by the White Hoods. Two of the leaders of the party of peace were at
once murdered. As his father had been a great man and an excellent
ruler, Philip was joyfully accepted by the whole population, and was
given almost arbitrary power.
"Since that time," went on Van Voorden, "Ghent has been straitly
besieged, and had it not been that they sent out a strong force, who
bought large supplies at Brussels and at Liege, and managed to convey
them back to the city, most of the inhabitants would have died from
hunger.
"So matters stand at present. The mission with which I am charged at
present is to see Van Artevelde, and to find out whether he, like his
father Jacob, is well disposed towards the English, and if so, to
promise that some aid shall be sent to him."
"And what are your own thoughts on the matter, Mynheer?"
"As to Ghent, I say nothing," the merchant replied. "The population
have ever been rough and turbulent, swayed by agitators, and tyrannized
over by the craftsmen; but I can well see that it is for the interest
of England that Ghent should be upheld, for these troubles in Flanders
greatly disturb both the Duke of Burgundy and the King of France, whose
interests never run together. Again, I see that the independence of
Ghent, Bruges, and other large towns is for the good of Flanders, since
were it not for that, the country would be but an appanage of Burgundy
or France. Heavy imposts would be laid upon the people, their
franchises abolished, and the trade greatly injured; and it would
therefore be a sore misfortune for the country were the Earl of
Flanders to crush Ghent, for did he do so he could work his will in all
the other towns.
"These, you see, are something like your city of London; they exist and
flourish owing to the rights they have gained. They curbed the power of
the nobles, and have built up great wealth and power for themselves.
Their merchants have the revenues of princes, and carry on a great
trade with all countries. You see how readily the earl fell in with
Mahew's suggestion, and laid heavy taxes on the shipping of Ghent. In
the same way, were he supreme master, he and his lords could similarly
tax the trade of other towns of Flanders, to the great benefit of the
merchants of foreign countries. Thus, you see, as a Fleming I should
wish to see Ghent--although I love not the turbulent town--preserved
from the destruction that would surely fall upon it were the earl to
capture it. Why, at Ypres, not only did he kill many thousands of the
citizens in an ambush, but when he entered the town, he beheaded
well-nigh six hundred of the citizens. If he did that at Ypres, which
had offended comparatively little, what would he do to Ghent, which has
killed his bailie, sacked and burned his palace, defied his authority,
and holds out against all his force?"
"Thank you very much, Mynheer; I knew but little of the matter before,
and I am glad to be so thoroughly informed in it. I see it is the same
there as it was in London when the rioters came thither; the better
class were overborne by the baser. Had it not been for the death of Wat
the Tyler, and the dispersal of his rabble, it is likely that every
trader's house in London would have been pillaged and all the better
class murdered, as were the Flemings."
As soon as the vessel drew alongside the wharf at Sluys, a Flemish
trader came on board. He was a correspondent of Van Voorden's, and to
him the merchant had written, asking him to secure lodgings for him and
his party for a day or two. Van Voorden was well known to him, for the
merchant had occasion to cross to Flanders three or four times every
year, and his correspondent often came over to London. After greeting
the merchant, his wife and daughter, he said:
"I was in much fear for you, Van Voorden, when I heard the reports of
the wild doings of the rabble in London, and how they specially
directed their fury against our people, and killed very many worthy
merchants. You have said in your letters to me that you had been in
some danger, but that, as you would see me shortly, you would not write
at length."
"I will tell you of it anon, Rochter. First, how about the lodging?"
"As to that, there is no difficulty. It would be strange indeed were
you to go elsewhere than to my house, which you have always used
hitherto when you passed through."
"Yes: when I was alone. Now I have my wife and daughter, and these two
young English knights, to say nothing of the maids and the men-at-arms."
"We can take them all without difficulty. As you know, the house is a
large one, and there are but my wife and myself and my daughter Marie.
There is the room you always occupy for yourself and madame, a bed has
been put up in Marie's room for your daughter, the large room over it
will be allotted to these gentlemen, your maids can sleep with ours,
and there is a large room in the attic for your servants and the
knights' men."
"So be it," Van Voorden said, "and it will be far more pleasant to be
with you and your good wife than in a strange place. How about the
horses, of which we have six?"
"The accommodation I have for them is small, but I have arranged with a
friend for the disposal of the horses in his stables, which are
commodious, and of which he makes but little use."
The house of Mynheer Rochter surprised the young knights by its size.
It was massively and strongly built, and apparently there was no
pressure for room, as was the case in the busy streets of London. The
hall was of great size, panelled with a dark wood, and with a flooring
so smooth and polished that both knights narrowly escaped falling, on
stepping on it for the first time. A great staircase led to the family
apartments upstairs. The main room would have held four of either those
of Van Voorden or Sir Robert Gaiton in London, and the rest of the
house was on the same scale. All was dark, massive, and rich, with an
air of great comfort. The furniture and floors were polished until they
reflected the light from the casements, and heavy rugs and carpets were
stretched in front of the fire-places and windows, and at other points
where the family were accustomed to sit.
There were heavy curtains to the windows, and others before the doors,
so that all draught should be cut off. Although not so handsome as the
rooms of the two merchants in London, everything was so substantial,
well kept, and comfortable, that the two friends were greatly struck by
it. It was now October, and great wood fires blazed in the hall below
and in all the upstairs rooms, and these quite dispelled any air of
gloom that might otherwise have been caused by the darkness of the
furniture.
"Truly, Edgar," Albert said, in a low tone, while the ladies were
talking together, "I think that I shall change my vocation once again,
abandon the cutting of throats, and establish myself as a Flemish
merchant."
"It would be years before you could acquire the necessary knowledge,"
Edgar laughed, "to say nothing of the capital required for the
business; but truly the comfort of this house is wonderful, and it is
clear to me that, although we Englishmen have learned to fight, we are
mightily behind others in the art of making our lives comfortable."
Before the meal was served the friends went upstairs to their room,
took off the rough clothes in which they had travelled, and apparelled
themselves in the plainest of their two suits. When dinner was
announced they went into a room leading from that in which they had
before been. As the numbers were equal, the four gentlemen each offered
his hand to a lady, and led her to the table. It was almost dark now,
and the room was lighted with many wax candles, which were novelties to
the young knights. Tallow candles had indeed come into partial use at
the beginning of the century, but they had never seen wax used, save on
occasions of great ceremony in the churches. It was now for the first
time that Frau Rochter obtained a fair view of the faces of her guests.
"You are young indeed, gentlemen, are you not, to have attained the
rank of knighthood?" she said; "but I believe that in England 'tis a
title that goes with the land."
"It is so," Van Voorden said, before either of the young knights could
reply; "but in this case it has been won by distinguished bravery, for
which King Richard himself bestowed knighthood upon them. No one can
testify to their bravery more strongly than ourselves, for it was
thanks alone to them that my life certainly, and probably those of my
wife and daughter, were preserved on that evil day in London," and as
the meal proceeded he gave a full narrative of the manner in which they
had defended his house while his wife was removed from her sick-bed and
carried down to the hiding-place below. "It was not only for this
single act of bravery that they received knighthood. Young though they
are, they saved the life of a worshipful London citizen--who has since
himself become a knight--when he had fallen into the hands of a party
of robbers. When the Tower was in the hands of the rioters, they,
without assistance, killed seven men who had entered the ladies'
chamber; and, lastly, they rode, with two knights and fifty
men-at-arms, at a mob consisting of some two thousand of the worst of
the rebels, and entirely defeated them with the loss of five hundred,
and it was for this last act that they were knighted."
"Mynheer Van Voorden omits to say," Edgar added, "that it was largely
to his own good offices that we owe the honour."
"I said nothing to the king but what was true and just," the merchant
replied; "and he told me that he had already determined to promote you
on the first opportunity; indeed, even had I not spoken I believe that
he would have done so before we left London."
"I am sure that they deserved it if it had only been for what they did
for us," his daughter said, warmly. "Several times, while you were
getting mother down the stairs, I ran out to the landing and looked
down at the fight. It was terrible to see all the fierce faces, and the
blows that were struck with pole-axe and halbert, and a marvel that two
young men should so firmly hold their ground against such odds."
"We all owe them our lives assuredly," Madame Van Voorden said. "Had it
not been for them, undoubtedly I should have died that day. I was very
near to death as it was, and had I seen my husband slaughtered before
my eyes, it would have needed no blow of knife to have finished me."