The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-08-28

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I II Thou canst not enser. tarry or bide.
u hThou gavest but dollar a day.''sG
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IA LEAF FROM HISTORY
The proud and naughty Earl 9
Flanders had more than. once lal
siege to the. city of Ghent, and bee
: obliged to raise it, without bringin
: the stubborn citizens to the abjec
terms which he exacted; but in th
Spring of 1882, he rejoiced in the fac
that at last he had them humbled il
the dust, with his iron heel upon thei
necks. By conquering the neighbor
Ing cities and cutting off their supple
/ he had at. last {, brought them to tn
verge of starvation. so that they wer,
compelled to sue for peace aud Liege
Crabans and Hainault each agreed t,
send a deputation TO Tourney, th'
place appointed by the Earl for . con
ference, to unite their prayers will
1.-THE deputation from Ghent for sucl
terms and conditions as brave bu
conquered people might bear.
The deputati0n from Ghent, headed
by Philip Won Artaveld, Governor OF
the town, aud its most redenbted mil.
itary chief, was instructed to offel
complete submission to the will oi
4 their Lord, the Earl of Flanders, and
sccede to all terms and conditions that
should not involve the life of any OF
the Inhabitants. Had the Earl been
disp osed to the clemepcy of q noble
soul, he might have saved himself
much. trouble, and secured himselfa
great number of willing and loving
subjects, but be was at heaet tyrant,
and was determined to wreak a cruel
revenge upon the men. who had SO
long denied his power, Though prom.
ising to meet the deputstion at Toup-
nay, ghe remained at his palace in
Bruges and when, after several days
Of anxious, suspense, they cent mes
sengers to inquire II their Lord would
deign to honor them With his. pres
ence, he returned for answer that he
would not come himself but would
send his council with his altimata.
= Another week of fearful suspense
passed. by before the deputation from
Ghent received these xltimata Of the
naughty Earl, which were the most
cruel and degrading that . conquerer
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,
unless all male persons from the age
Of Is to 60. shall come ont of the city
barefooted. and with halters around
their necks, and take their places on
the road between Ghent and Bruges,
where the Earl would wait for them,
and either grant them pardon or put
them to death, according to his pleas.
ure.s nfsVo,3 sgif bre Esd -
c OF cource such degrading terms as |
these could not be accepted by the
deputation from Ghent, and it 10 al
most certain that the Earl himself |
never expected they would be-his
object evidently being to provoke the
citizens to further resistance that he
might slaughter them en- masse and
give their city up to ,pillage. i
On returning to. Ghent, Philip von
held . consultation with an.
other redoubted Captain, Peter du
Bois, and it was agreed that the for
mer should make such . report TO the
as. would render them |
desperate aud excite them to offensive
action. This he did the next day in
The market place, recounting all the
insults the citizens had received, and
telling them they had but one course
3f three to pursue-either to close the
gates of the city and die of famine, orf
20 forth with halters around their.
,ecks for the Earl to wreak his ven
yeance on, or to select five or 9six
of the most braye and de-
ermined Of their number and Instant
y march to attack the Earl in Bruges.
With one accord the people chose
he most valiant course, and the next
lay 5000 brave men, with Philip Won
Arteveld at their head, marched out of
5hent and took their way to Bruges,
with them 200 carts. laden
with cannon and artillery, and only /
'even with provisions, the latter being
III that could possibly be spared from |
he famishing town. 1-s.. REG ss - < Il
On arriving before the city Of Bru-
ses,. Philip yon Arteveld drew up his
whole army around q. small hill, on
which he stationed himself and har.
lngued them in q most eloquent man.
,er, showing them that everything
vas staked on the coming battle-the
'afety of themselves, their wives and
If even honor would
permit them to retreat, there was no
1lsseAtrepge fortngm, 4pr th@lr own
:ity 1kaik&ha hst 4ag6 aof Gmine,
md the gates of every other were
closed against them-and, finally. that
,nly. provisions enough for one meal
and, except ss conquerors
hey could meyer hope to eat again.
Meantime. the, Earl Of Flanders, st
,is gorgeous pslsce in Bruges, SUR
by his knig hts,snd retainers,
heard Of the approach OF this little
,rsn o ~ hs1f.afarvad man nth q asmila