A March on London: Being a Story of Wat Tyler's Insurrection

by G. A. Henty

  CHAPTER XV

  A CRUSHING DEFEAT

  The two young knights were both pleased to hear Sir Ralph's counsel,for they themselves had several times talked the matter over together,and agreed that there was little prospect of aught being done for manymonths. They felt that they were but wasting their time remainingbefore Oudenarde, where they were frequently offended by theoverbearing manner of the Ghentois, who, on the strength of theirdefeat of the people of Bruges, considered themselves to be invincible.They had, during the four months that they had been in Flanders,learned enough of the language to make themselves easily understood.They had paid visits to Brussels and other places of importance, andwere likely to learn nothing from the events of the siege, which, theycould already see, was not going to be attended with success.

  It was their first absence from home, and in the lack of all adventureand excitement, they would be glad to be back again. Therefore, afterremaining three days, which only confirmed Sir Ralph in his view, theytook leave of Van Artevelde, saying that they hoped to rejoin him assoon as there was any prospect of active service, and, riding to Sluys,took ship with their followers. At Sir Ralph's suggestion they retainedin their train the two Flemings, whom they had found stout and usefulfellows.

  "Are you glad to go home again, Hal?" Sir Edgar said.

  "Well, master, I should not be glad were there aught doing here, thoughnow that they have granted a pardon to all concerned in Wat the Tyler'sbusiness, I can show my face without fear. But it has been a dull time.Except just for a score of blows in that business with the Brugespeople there has been naught to do since we came over, except to groomthe horses and polish the armour. One might as well have been driving acart at St. Alwyth as moping about this camp."

  "Perhaps there will be more stirring times when we come back again,Hal. Burgundy is arming, and it is like enough that France may joinhim, and in that case there will be fighting enough even to satisfyyou; but we may have a few months at home before that is likely to takeplace."

  The knights were landed at Gravesend, and their road lay together asfar as St. Alwyth. It was late in the afternoon, and Sir Ralph andAlbert rode straight home, telling Edgar that they should expect to seehim in the morning. Edgar found his father going on just as usual. Hereceived his son with pleasure, but without surprise, as Sir Ralph hadcalled before he left, and had said that if he found that naught wasdoing at Oudenarde, he would recommend his own son and Edgar to returnhome for a while.

  "Well, sir knight," Mr. Ormskirk said, smiling, "I have not yetcongratulated you on your honour, but, believe me, I was right gladwhen I heard the news. You have had but little fighting, I hear."

  "None at all, father, for the affair near Bruges could scarcely becalled fighting. It was as naught to the fight we had down here beforewe went away; save for that, I have not drawn sword. I have returnedhome somewhat richer, for Van Artevelde gave Albert and myself richpresents as our share of the spoil taken there."

  "You have grown nigh two inches," Mr. Ormskirk said, as Edgar laidaside his armour.

  "I have done little else but eat and sleep, ride for an hour or twoevery day, and practise arms other two hours with Albert, for indeedthere were few among the Flemings who knew aught of the matter save tostrike a downright blow. They are sturdy fellows and strong, and candoubtless fight well side by side in a pitched battle, but they canscarce be called men-at-arms, seeing that they but take down theirweapons when these are required, and hang them up again until there isfresh occasion for their use. So that I have doubtless grown a bit,having nothing else to do."

  "And for how long are you home, Edgar?"

  "That I know not, father. Sir Ralph will go up with us to London nextweek. He says that it will be well we should present ourselves atCourt, but after that we shall do nothing until affairs change inFlanders, or till a force goes from here to their aid."

  Edgar rode over to the De Courcys' place the next morning, and receiveda warm welcome.

  Four days later they rode to town with Sir Ralph. The king receivedthem with much favour.

  "Philip Van Artevelde sent me by Master Van Voorden a most favourablereport of you," he said, "and told me that he was mightily beholden toyou for his victory over the men of Bruges, for that had it not beenfor your collecting supplies for his men, they would have been toofamished to have given battle, and that you led the charge into themidst of their ranks. I was pleased to find that my knights had bornethemselves so well. And how goes on the siege of Oudenarde?"

  "It can scarcely be called a siege, your Majesty," Edgar said; "thereare a few skirmishes, but beyond that naught is done. If your Majestywould but send them out a good knight with skill in such matters theymight take Oudenarde in ten days. As it is, 'tis like to extend to thelength of the siege of Troy, unless the Burgundians come to its relief."

  "I could send them a good knight, for I have plenty of them, but wouldthey obey him?"

  "Methinks not, sire," Edgar replied, frankly. "Just at present they areso content with themselves that they would assuredly accept no foreignleader, and have indeed but small respect for their own."

  The king laughed. "What thought you of them, Sir Ralph?"

  "'Tis what might be looked for, your Majesty. It is an army ofbourgeois and craftsmen, stout fellows who could doubtless defend theirwalls against an attack, or might fight stoutly shoulder to shoulder,but they have an over-weening conceit in themselves, and deem that allthat is necessary in war is to carry a pike or a pole-axe and use itstoutly. A party of children would do as well, or better, were they setto besiege a town. Leadership there is none. Parties go out to skirmishwith the garrison; a few lives are lost, and then they return, wellcontent with themselves. 'Tis a mockery of war!"

  The king asked them many questions about the state of things inFlanders, to which they replied frankly that Flanders was united atpresent, and that they thought that--with five thousand English archersand as many men-at-arms under a commander of such station as would givehim authority not only over his own troops but over the Flemings--theymight be able to resist the attacks of Burgundy, or even of Burgundyallied with France; but that by themselves, without military leaders,they feared that matters would go ill with the Flemings.

  The king bade the two friends come to the Court that evening; and whenthey did so he presented them to the young queen, speaking of them invery high terms.

  "They were," he said, "the only men who did their duty on that day whenthe rioters invaded the Tower during our absence, killing with theirown hands seven men who invaded the apartment of Lady De Courcy, andcarrying her and her daughter safely through the crowd. Had all donetheir duty but a tenth part as well, the disgrace this rabble broughtupon us would never have occurred, and the lives of my trustycouncillors would have been saved."

  "The king has already told me of your exploit here, and of other deedsas notable done by you; and Mynheer Van Voorden also spoke to me of theservice you rendered him," the queen said, graciously, "but I hadscarcely looked to see the heroes of these stories such young knights."

  She spoke to them for some time, while the king's favourites looked on,somewhat ill-pleased at such graciousness being shown to thenew-comers. The haughty De Vere, who had just been created Duke ofDublin, and who was about to start to undertake the governorship ofIreland, spoke in a sneering tone to a young noble standing next tohim. Sir Ralph happened to overhear him, and touched him on theshoulder.

  "My lord duke," he said, "methinks you need not grudge the honour thathas fallen to those two young knights; you yourself have achieved fargreater honour, and that without, so far as I know, ever having drawnyour sword. But it were best that, if you have aught to say againstthem, you should say it in their hearing, when, I warrant me, either ofthem would gladly give you an opportunity of proving your valour. Yourskill, indeed, would be needed, since I would wager either of them tospit you like a fly within five minutes; or should you consider themtoo young for so great a noble to cross swords with, I myself wouldgl
adly take up their quarrel."

  The favourite flushed hotly, and for a moment hesitated. "I have noquarrel with them, Sir Ralph De Courcy," he said, after a shorthesitation. "My words were addressed to a friend here."

  "You spoke loud enough for me to hear, my lord duke, and should knowthat such words so spoken are an insult."

  "They were not meant as such, Sir Ralph."

  "Then, sir, I will give you my advice to hold your tongue more undergovernment. Those young knights have earned royal favour not by softwords or mincing ways, but by their swords; and it were best in futurethat any remarks you may wish to make concerning them, should be eitherin strict privacy or openly and in their hearing."

  So saying, he turned his back on the disconcerted young courtier, whoshortly afterwards left the royal presence overcome by chagrin andconfusion, for the knight's words had been heard by several standinground, and more than one malicious smile had been exchanged among hisrivals for Court favour.

  De Vere had a fair share of bravery, but the reports of the singularfeats of swordsmanship by the young knights convinced him that he wouldhave but small chance with either of them in a duel. Even if he camewell out of it there would be but small credit indeed to him inovercoming a young knight who had not yet reached manhood, while, ifworsted, it would be a fatal blow to his reputation. That evening hehad a private interview with the king, and requested leave to start thenext day to take up his new governorship. Sir Ralph related theincident to the lads as they returned to the hostelry where they hadtaken up their lodging.

  "It was a heavy blow for his pride," he said. "I think not that he is acoward. The De Veres come of a good stock, but he saw that such a duelwould do him great harm. The king himself, if he learned its cause, ashe must have done, would have been greatly displeased, and the queenequally so, and there would have been no credit to him had he woundedyou; while if he had been wounded, it would have been deemed a disgracethat he, the Duke of Dublin and Governor of Ireland, should have beenworsted by so young a knight; therefore, I blame him not for refusingto accept the challenge I offered him, and it will make him soberer andmore careful of his speech in future. It was a lesson he needlygreatly, for I have often heard him among his companions using insolentremarks concerning men who were in every respect his superiors, savethat they stood not so high in the favour of the king."

  They remained a week in London, attending the Court regularly andimproving their acquaintance with many whom they had met there in thetroubled times. There was scarce a day that they did not spend sometime at the house of Sir Robert Gaiton, Albert especially being alwaysready with some pretext for a visit there. Van Voorden had left London,sailing thence on the very day before they had arrived at Gravesend.

  The summer passed quietly. Oudenarde still held out, and indeed noserious attack had been made upon it. Van Artevelde had sent amessenger to the King of France, begging him to mediate between theFlemings and the Duke of Burgundy, but the king had thrown themessenger into prison without returning answer, and in the autumn hadsummoned his levies to aid the duke in the invasion of Flanders. Seeingthat fighting in earnest was likely to commence shortly, the knightstook ship with their followers early in October, and after a fairvoyage landed at Sluys and rode to Oudenarde. A formal alliance had bythis time been made between the two countries, but no steps had beentaken towards gathering an army in England. The two knights were,however, very cordially received by Van Artevelde.

  "You have arrived just in time to ride with me to-morrow," he said. "Iam going to see that all has been done to prevent the French fromcrossing the river. All the bridges have been broken save those atComines and Warneton, and Peter De Bois is appointed to hold the one,and Peter De Winter the other."

  The following morning some twenty horsemen started with Van Arteveldeand rode to Ghent, and thence followed the bank of the Lys. Most of thebridges had been completely destroyed, and those at Comines andWarneton had both been so broken up that a handful of men at eithercould keep it against an army.

  "We may feel safe, I think, sir knights," Van Artevelde said to hisfriends when they brought their tour of inspection to an end on thesecond day after starting.

  "Assuredly we are safe against the French crossing by the bridges,"Edgar said, "but should they find boats they may cross where theyplease."

  "I have ordered every boat to be brought over to this side of theriver, Sir Edgar, and a number of men have, by my orders, been engagedin doing so."

  "Doubtless, sir. I have kept a look-out the whole distance and have notseen one boat on the other side of the stream; but there are numerouschannels and canals by which the country folk bring down their produce;and however sharp the search may be, some boats may have escapednotice. Even a sunken one, that might seem wholly useless, could beraised and roughly repaired, and in a few trips could bring a number ofmen across under shadow of night. So far as I have read, it is rarelythat an army has failed to find means of some kind for crossing ariver."

  But Philip Van Artevelde was not now, as he had been a year before,ready to take hints from others, and he simply replied, carelessly, "Ihave no doubt that my orders have been strictly carried out, sirknight," and rode forward again.

  "I don't think things will go well with us, Albert," Edgar said. "Witha general who knows nothing whatever of warfare, an army withoutofficers, and tradesmen against men-at-arms, the look-out is not good.Van Artevelde ought to have had horsemen scattered over on the otherside of the river, who would have brought us exact news as to the pointagainst which the main body of the French is marching. They ought tohave a man posted every two hundred yards along the river bank forfifteen miles above and below that point, then I should have fourbodies of five thousand men each posted at equal distances three milesbehind the river, so that one of these could march with all haste tothe spot where they learned that the French were attempting to cross,and could arrive there long before enough of the enemy had made apassage, to withstand their onslaught.

  "I will wager that the Lys will not arrest the passage of the Frenchfor twenty-four hours. Were Peter De Bois a reasonable man, I would askleave of Van Artevelde to ride and take up our post with him, but he isan arrogant and ignorant fellow with whom I should quarrel before I hadbeen in his camp an hour."

  Two days passed quietly at Oudenarde, then the news came that the enemyhad passed the Lys at Comines. Seeing that the bridge could not becrossed, the French army had halted. Some of the knights went down tothe river, and after a search discovered some boats, in which theypassed over with four hundred men-at-arms before nightfall, unperceivedby the Flemings. They then marched towards Comines, hoping that theFlemings would leave their strong position near the head of the bridgeto give battle, in which case they doubted not that the constable wouldfind means so far to repair the bridge that the passage could begin.

  Peter De Bois, however, was not to be tempted to leave his position,and the French had to remain all night on the marshy ground withoutfood for themselves or their horses. In the morning, however, theFleming, fearing that others might cross and reinforce the party,marched out against them. The knights and men-at-arms met them sostoutly that in a very short time the Flemings took to flight. TheFrench at once set to work to repair the bridge, and by nightfall agreat portion of the army had crossed. The weather was very wet andstormy, and the French army had suffered much.

  There were besides Edgar and Albert some other English knights in thecamp, and these gathered together as soon as the news came, and talkedover what in their opinion had best be done.

  "I think," said Sir James Pinder, a knight who had seen much service onmany stricken fields, "it would be best to remain where we are, and tothrow up fortifications behind which we can fight to better advantage,while the French cavalry would be able to do but little against us. TheFrench troops must be worn out with marching, and with the terribleweather; they will find it difficult to procure food, and might evenabstain altogether from coming against us, while, from what I see ofthis ra
bble, they may fight bravely, but they will never be able towithstand the shock of the French knights and men-at-arms. 'Tis likethe French will be three or four days before they come hither, and bythat time, with fifty thousand men to work at them, we should haveworks so strong and high that we could fearlessly meet them. Moreover,the threescore English archers who still remain would be able to gallthem as they pressed forward, whereas in a pitched battle they wouldnot be numerous enough to avail anything."

  The other six knights all agreed with Sir James, who then said, "I hearthat Van Artevelde has summoned his leaders to consult them as to thebest course. I will go across and tell them what in our opinion hadbetter be done."

  He returned in half an hour. "'Tis hopeless," he said, shrugging hisshoulders. "These Flemings are as obstinate as they are ignorant; notone of those present agreed with my proposal. Many, indeed, broke intorude laughter, and so I left them."

  After crossing the Lys the French came to Ypres, and on the same daythe Flemings broke up their camp before Oudenarde and marched, fiftythousand strong, to Courtray. On the following day they moved forwardto ground which Van Artevelde and his counsellors deemed good forfighting. Behind them was a hill, a dyke was on one wing, and a groveof wood was on the other. The French were camped at Rosbecque, somefour miles away. That evening Van Artevelde invited all the principalmen and officers to sup with him, and gave them instructions for themorrow. He said that he was not sorry that no large force of Englishmenhad come to their aid, for had they done so they would assuredly havehad the credit of the victory. He also gave orders that no prisonersshould be taken save the king himself, whom they would bring to Ghentand instruct in the Flemish language.

  A false alarm roused the camp at midnight, and although it proved to beill-founded, the Flemings were so uneasy at the thought that they mightbe attacked unawares, that great fires were lighted and meat cooked andwine drunk until an hour before daylight, when they arranged themselvesin order of battle and also occupied a heath beyond the wood. A largedyke ran across in front of them, and behind them the ground wascovered by small bushes. Philip Van Artevelde was in the centre with9,000 picked men of Ghent, whom he always kept near his person, as hehad but little faith in the goodwill of those from other towns.

  Beyond these were the contingents of Alost and Grammont, of Courtrayand Bruges, Damme and Sluys. All were armed with maces, steel caps,breast-pieces, and gauntlets of steel. Each carried a staff tipped withiron; each company and craft had its own livery, and colours andstandards with the arms of their town. The morning was misty, and nosign could be seen of the French. After a time the Flemings becameimpatient, and determined to sally out to meet the enemy.

  "It is just madness," Sir James said to the English knights, who, withtheir followers, had gathered round him. "I had great hopes that, withthe dyke in their front to check the onrush of the French, they mightwithstand all attacks and come out victors; now they are throwing awaytheir advantage, and going like sheep to the shearers. By my faith,friends, 'tis well that our horses have rested of late, for we shallneed all their speed if we are to make our escape from this business."

  As they moved forward in the mist they caught sight of some Frenchknights, who moved backwards and forwards along their front and thenrode away, doubtless to inform their countrymen that the Flemings wereadvancing against them. In the French army were all the best knightsand leaders of France, and as soon as they heard that the Flemings wereadvancing they divided into three bodies, the one carrying the royalbanner, which was to attack the Flemings in front; the two others wereto move on either side and fall upon their flanks. This arranged, theymoved forward with full confidence of victory.

  The central division fell first upon the Flemings, but it was receivedso roughly that it recoiled a little, and several good knights fell. Ina few minutes, however, the other two divisions attacked the Flemings'flanks. The English knights, who were stationed on the right, seeingwhat was coming, had in vain tried to get the companies on this side toface round so as to oppose a front to the attack. The consequence wasthat the weight of the attack fell entirely upon the extreme end of theline, doubling it up and driving it in upon the centre, while the sametook place on the right. Thus in a very few minutes the Flemings weredriven into a helpless mass, inclosed on three sides, and so pressedin, that those in front could scarce use their arms, many fallingstifled without having struck a blow.

  The centre fought well, but their rough armour could not resist thebetter tempered swords of the French knights, which cleft through theiron caps as if they had been but leather, while the steel points ofthe lances pierced breast-and back-piece. But chiefly the knightsfought with axes and heavy maces, beating the Flemings to the ground,while their own armour protected them effectually from any blows inreturn. The noise was tremendous. The shouts of the leaders wereunheard in the din of the blows of sword and mace on helm and steelcap. Specially fierce was the French assault against the point whereVan Artevelde's banner flew. He himself had dismounted, and wasfighting in the front rank, and in the terrible _melee_ was, erelong,struck down and trampled to death; and indeed to every man that fell bythe French weapons many were suffocated by the press, and on the Frenchside many valiant knights, after fighting their way into the thick ofthe battle, met with a similar fate.

  When the French division bore down on the right flank the seven Englishknights with their men-at-arms had fallen back. Single-handed it wouldhave been madness had they attempted to charge against the solid lineof the French.

  "Keep well back!" Sir James Pinder cried, "If we get mixed up with thefoot-men we shall be powerless. Let us bide our time, and deliver astroke where we see an opportunity."

  They continued, therefore, to rein back, as the Flemings were doubledup, powerless to give any aid, or to press forward towards the frontline.

  "Didst ever see so fearful a sight?" Sir James said. "Sure never beforewas so dense a mass. 'Tis like a sea raging round the edge of a blackrock, and eating it away piecemeal. Were there but five thousandFlemings, they might do better; for now their very numbers prevent themfrom using their arms. Ah, here is a party with whom we may deal," andhe pointed to a small body of French knights who were about to fall onthe rear of the Flemings. "Now, gentlemen, _St. George, St. George!_"

  Putting spurs to their horses, the seven knights and their followersdashed at the French. The latter were also mounted, unlike the majorityof their companions, who before attacking had dismounted, and handedtheir horses to their pages. The party were fully double the strengthof the English, but the impetus of the charge broke their line, and ina moment a fierce _melee_ began. Edgar and Albert fought side by side.The former, as no missiles were flying, had thrown up his vizor, thebetter to be able to see what was passing round him. He was fightingwith a battle-axe, for a sword was a comparatively poor weapon againstknightly armour. His three first opponents fell headlong, their helmetscrushed in under the tremendous blows he dealt them. Then warding off ablow dealt at him, he turned swiftly and drove his horse at a Frenchknight who was on the point of striking at Albert with a mace while thelatter was engaged with another opponent.

  The sudden shock rolled rider and horse over. He heard Hal Cartershout, "Look out, Sir Edgar!" and forcing his horse to leap aside, hestruck off the head of a lance that would have caught him in thegorget, and an instant later swept a French knight from his saddle. Helooked round. Three of his companions were already down, and althoughmany more of the French had fallen, the position was well-nighdesperate.

  "We must cut our way through," he shouted, "or we shall be lost. Letall keep close together--forward!" and he and Albert, spurring theirhorses, fell furiously upon the French opposed to them.

  Their splendid armour now proved invaluable; sword blows fell harmlesson it, and lances glanced from its polished face. As he put spurs tohis horse Edgar had dropped his vizor down again, for he wanted tostrike now, and not to have to defend himself. With crushing blows hehewed his way through his opponents. The othe
r two English knights keptclose, and the men-at-arms fought as stoutly as their masters, untilthe party emerged from among their assailants. As they did so theknight next to Edgar reeled in his saddle. Edgar threw his arm roundhim, and supported him until they had ridden a short distance. Then, asthey halted, he sprung from his horse and lowered him to the ground.

  "Thanks," the knight murmured, as he opened his vizor. "But I am hurtto death. Leave me here to die quietly, and look to yourselves. All islost."

  Edgar saw that indeed his case was hopeless. A lance had pierced hisbody, and had broken short off; a minute later he had breathed hislast. Edgar sprung upon his horse again, and looked round. Of the wholeof their retainers but four remained, and all of these were wounded.

  "Art hurt, Albert?" he asked.

  "Naught to speak of, but I am sorely bruised, and my head rings withthe blows I have had on my helmet."

  "And you, Sir Eustace? I fear that you have fared less well."

  "Wounded sorely," the English knight said. "But I can sit my horse, andmethinks that it were best to ride off at once, seeing the Flemings areflying. We can assuredly do no good by remaining."

  Edgar agreed. "Methinks that we had best ride for Sluys, and get therebefore the news of the defeat."

  As they rode off they looked back. Behind them were a host of flyingmen, and many of them were throwing away their steel caps and armour torun the more quickly. The battle had lasted only half an hour, but bythat time nine thousand Flemings had fallen, of whom more than half hadbeen suffocated by the press. The flight, however, was far more fatalthan the battle, for the French, as soon as the fight was won, mountedtheir horses, and chased the Flemings so hotly that twenty-fivethousand were killed. The body of Van Artevelde was found after thebattle. It was without a wound, but was so trampled on as to be almostunrecognizable. His body was taken and hung on a tree.

  As they galloped off Edgar reined back to Hal Carter, who was one ofthe survivors.

  "I see that you are badly hurt, Hal. As soon as we get fairly away wewill halt, and I will bandage your wounds."

  "They are of no great account, Sir Edgar. It was worth coming over fromEngland to take part in such a fray; the worst part of it was that itdid not last long enough."

  "It lasted too long for many of us, Hal. You saved my life by thatwarning shout you gave, for, most assuredly, I must have been bornefrom my saddle had the blow struck me, unawares."

  "It was a cowardly trick to charge a man when he was otherwiseengaged," Hal said. "But you paid him well for it, master; you fairlycrushed his helmet in."

  Three miles on they halted in a wood to give the horses breathing time,when those unhurt bandaged the wounds of the others. It was found thatSir Eustace was so severely wounded that he could not go much farther,and that two of the men-at-arms were in as bad a case; the third was aFleming.

  "It were best to leave us here," Sir Eustace said. "We cannot ride muchfarther."

  "That we will not do," Edgar said. "Torhut is but four miles away. Wecan ride at an easy pace, for the Flemings will make for Courtray andGhent, and the French will pursue in that direction. 'Tis not likelythat any will ride so far south as this."

  "I have friends in Torhut," the Fleming said. "I come from thatneighbourhood, and I can bestow Sir Eustace, my master, in a place ofsafety, and will look after him and these two who can go no farther."

  "That will be well, indeed. Is it in the town itself?" Edgar asked.

  "I have friends there, but an uncle of mine resides in a farm-housethree quarters of a mile from the town. We can get help and shelterthere."

  "That would be safer, good fellow," Sir Eustace said. "I should notcare to enter a town now, for some who saw us come in might be willingto gain favour with the French by saying where we were hidden.Moreover, we should be detained and questioned as to the battle. I havemoney wherewith to pay your uncle well for the pains to which he willbe put. Well, let us forward; the sooner we are in shelter the better."

  They rode slowly now until they saw the steeple of Torhut, and thenturned off the road, and in half an hour came to a farm-house. TheFleming had ridden on a short distance ahead.

  "My uncle will take them in," he said. "He has a loft in the top of hishouse, and can bestow them there safely, for none would be likely tosuspect its existence, even if they searched the house. My uncle is atrue Fleming, and would have taken them in without payment, but I saynot that he will refuse what my master may be willing to pay."

  Ten minutes later, Edgar and Albert continued their way, followed nowby Hal Carter alone. The latter had washed the blood from his face andarmour, and had thrown a short cloak over his shoulders, so that theycould pass without its being suspected that they had taken part in adesperate fray. After riding for some hours they stopped at a waysideinn, and, avoiding Bruges, rode the next day into Sluys, where theyfound a vessel sailing that evening for England. No rumour of thedisastrous battle of Rosebeque had, as yet, reached Sluys; but the twoyoung knights, calling upon the merchant who had entertained them attheir first landing, informed him of what had happened.

  "'Tis well that it is so," he said, "for, in truth, the domination ofthe craftsmen of Ghent and the other great cities would have been farharder to bear than that of the earl, or of France, or of Burgundy.Already the taxes and imposts are four times as heavy as those laidupon us by the earl, and had they gained a victory these people wouldsoon have come to exercise a tyranny altogether beyond bearing. 'Tisever thus when the lower class gain dominion over the upper."