Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-09-01
A LEAF FROM HISTORY.

ders had more than once laid siege to the
city of Client, end been obliged to raise
it, without bringing the stubborn citizens
to the abject terms which he exacted
but in the spring of 1882, he rejoiced in
the fact that at last he had them humbled
in the dust. with his iron heel upon
their nccks. BY conquering the neigh.
boring cities and cutting off their sup
plies, he had at last brought them to the
vege of starvation, so that they were
compelled to sue for peace; and Liege,
Brabant and Hainault each agreed to
send deputation to Tournay, the place
appointed by the earl for conference,
to unite their prayers with the deputa-
tion from Ghent for such terms and con.
ditions rs a brave but conquered people
might bear.
The deputation from Ghent, headed
by Philip Won Artaveld, governor of the
town, and its most redoubted military
chief, was instructed to offer complete
submission to the will of their lord, the
earl of Flanders, and accede to all terms
and conditions that shonld not involve
the life of any of the inhabitants. Had
the earl been disposed to the clemency
of noble soul, he might have saved
himself much future trouble, and secured
himself great number of willing and
loving subjects. But he was at heart a
vain, naughty tyraut, and was now de-
termined to wreak cruel revenge upon
the men who had 80 long denied his
power. Though promising to meet the
deputations at Tournay, he remained at
his palace in Bruges; and when, after
several days of anxious suspense, they
sent messengers to inquire if their lord
would deign to honor them with his
presence, he returned for answer that
he would not come himself, but would
send his council with his ultimate.
Another week of fearful suspense
passed by before the deputation from
Ghent received these ultin,ata of the
naughty earl, which were the most cruel
and degrading that conqueror could
offer to the conquered.
"The inhabitants of Ghent, said the
council sent by the earl of Flanders,
"are not to expect peace from him, un-
less all male persons, from the age Of
fifteen to sixty, shall come out of the
city bare-headed, bare-footod, and with
halters around their necks, and take
their places on the road between Ghent
and Bruges, where the earl will wait for
them, and either grant them pardon or
put them to death according to his
pleasure"
OF course such degrading terms as
these could not be accepted by the depu-
tation from Ghent, and it is almost GER
tain the earl himself never expected
they would be-his object evidently be-
ing to provoke the citizens to further
resistance that he might slaughter them
en- n,asse and give their city up to
pillage.
On returning to Ghent, Philip Won
Artaveld held consultation with an
other redoubted captain, Peter du Bois,
and it was agreed that the former should
make such a report to the inhabitants
as would render them desperate and
excite them to offensive action. This
he did the nextday in the market-place,
rccounting all the insults the citizens
had received, and telling them they had
but one course of three to pursue
either to close the gates of the city and
die of famine, or go forth with halters
around their necks for the earl to wreak
his vengeance on, or to select five or six
thousand of the most brave and de-
termined of their number and instantly
march to attack the earl in Bruges.
With one accord the people chose the
most valiant course, and the next day
two thousand brave men, with Philip
Won Artaveld at their head. marched out
of Client and took their way to Bruges,
carrying with them two hundred carts
laden with cannon and artillery, and
only seven with provisions, the latter
being all that could possibly be spared
from the furnishing town.
On arriving before the city of Bruges,
Philip Won Artaveld drew up his whole
army around small hill, on which he
stationed himself, and harangusd them
in a most eloquent manner, showing
them that everything was staked on
the coming battle-the safety of them
selves, their wives and children-that If
even honor would permit them to re-
treat, there was no place Of refuge for
them, for their own city was in the last
stages of famine, and the gates of every
other were closed aosinsf thann-and