The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-09-04

lOWu IOuoot ouOhA NA~SA "~N~ ~I-f
In the balcony. -,
He related to the assembled citizens
the success Of his errand, and the terms
which the Earl required them to submit
TO. The distress OF the people, at this
announcement of their hard fate, was
deep and universal. and vented itself IN
loud and heart.reDding cries.
When the first burst OF this emouon
had subsidized, Artaveld, having procured
silence, again addressed them
Nothing remains for us, then, my iel'
low oitizsns, but 10 adopt prompt. reso
luton. You know that our provlalor 3
are exhausted, and that we are 80 OOO
souls. who for the last & teen days have
not tasted morsel of bread. There are
three courses, and three only, which we
can follow. The first is to shut ourselves
nm in our town, 10 confess our sins, to
throw ourselves on our knees In our
churches, and there to await death IKE
martyrs, to whom all human pity has
been denied. God will surely have pity
on our souls. and even our foes will say
that we died the death OF brave people.
The second is for all Of us 10 go, men,
women. and children, bare footed, and
with ropes about our necks, on the road
To Bnrges. there to implore the mercy
of the Earl of Flanders. His heart Can
not be 80 hard but that, when ne secs
his people in that state, he must take
pitv on them. will be the first TO offer
him my head to appease his rage. And
the last thing is for us to choose i've or
six thousand of the bravest, best armed
men our city holds. and to hasten to at
tack the Earl of Burgess" +"
Some of the populace who were near
est to Artaved. asked, What would you
advise us to dor" The cry soon became
general. 1--WE will follow the advice of
our tried friend"
"Siuce it is so, them" said Artaveld,
with increasing earnestness, and his voice
growing louder with the excitement,
"this is the ad vice give. and am ready
TO do nv utmost to carry it into effect /:
Let us 90 with arms in our hands to find
the Count, aud teach him that we are not
the tame and worthless slaves he would
make Of us"
A loud and unanimous shout was the
reply which the people made to this
speech,
Return, then to your homes, prepare
all things to effect this design, and we
will proceed to make selection of such
of YOU as are fittest to help do it,"
The crowd dispersed at his bidding
and every one bestlrred himself in get
ling ready for the attack. The greater
part of the inhabitants followed the
troops to the gates to bid them farewell
and the soldiers, bidding them implore
the assistance and protection of Heaven
set off upon the expedition.
On the following morning they halted
within league of Burgess, and Artaveld
disposed the baggage in such Il manner
as to protect his troops from any sudden
astack. This man, in the course of the
extraordinary events Of which the L'w
| Countries were then, aud had for long
| time been the theater, had gained a
thorough knowledge of the people wi b
whom he had to deal. Without any oi
the advantages of eircation: for he had
been originally fisherman on the
Scheldt, Artaveld possessed u ready and
striking el, fence, which be knew how
to adapt perfectly to the capacities OF /
hearers. He had taken care to provide
friars to attend his army, and he now
set them TO preach to the sOlde ers. Their
sermons we're of course directed to the
ensuing combat, and by drawing parallels
between the people of Ghent and the Is
raeli-ee, sssimilating the persecutions OF
the Earl of Flanders to those which the
ancient Jews suffered under Pharaoh
they succeeded in rousing the indigna-
ton of their hearers to the highest pltch
The holy sacrament was then adminis.
tered, and the whole army joined in
prayer. =
Artaveld then addressed them and af
ter pituating, in forclble manner,
the wrongs and expressions they had sui
fered. under the E4rls of Flanders, he
pointed to the carts. "Yonder" he said,
is all that we possess to feed 5 600 hun
gry men; that consumed, if you want
more, you must win it with your swords.
Let us, however, share it now in peace
and brothery affection" Rations were
then distributed, and the outposts form
ed for the outpost brought news that
the Earl and his forces we're at hand.
When the Earl learned that this army
from Ghent was coming against him, he
believed that it was an act of mere des'
peration, and sCornfully ordered all his
forces to the attack. The people of Bur-
ges,who took part in this feeling, and who
we're not sorry of an opportunity to
wreak their old animosity against their
neighbors of Client, prepared to win
this, as they thought, easy victory. The
more experienced military men would
have dissuaded the Earl from beginning
an tack at so late an hour and, not
withstauding that he was convinced OF
the expedienCy of this advice, he suf-
fered himself to be Influenced by the
eagerness of the B lrges towns.folk, AL
though the morrow would have deliv.
cred his enemies into his hands, his
rashness and pride prevented him from
availing himself of this certain advan
tage, and he gave orders for the attack.
Artaveld then unmarked his artillery
which was behind the wag ms, and fired
three successive times. At the same mo
ment, by a iudicioHs a1d unexpected
maueuver, Artaveld attacked tie main
body of the Earl's forces, 80 as to get tie
sun, which was now sinking, but very
bright, at the back of his own troops,
and consequently in the faces OF his en-.
emies. An almost instant disorder tn
sued in their ranks, while the assailan b,
keeping 10 close order and shouting their
battle cry, "Ghent," fell on them with
resistless fury, The people of Burgess
soon took to fight, and throwing down
their arms, saved themselves as well as
they could. Never was 80 disgraceful a
rout of people who had before displayed
go much presumption. The knights and
gentlemen attempted in vain to rally
them; panic OF fear had seized them I;
they heard not the voices of their lead
ers the ties of friendship and kindred
were forgotten, and every man was bu
sled in providing for his own safety. In
tha confision which anaupd tho Earl