New-York tribune., 1906-06-24

The name Belgium" whereas the very words
'Hrabant'' and Flanders conjure UP countless
sscenes Of tragedy. of romance. Of splendor and
Drapine The author of this book has not used /
his rich material with much dramatic effect,
hut he has told the story of Brussels carefully,
traverdng much ground and many centuries in |
the process. Nobody knows he reminds us,
when BTTE SCl, the manor in the marsh, was
tuilt- but il got its name, no doubt, from the /
Mortimer who followed the Roman conquerers.
IN the tenth century il nothing more than
a castle and cluster Of huts, a little island
lying between two branches of the River Senne; !
in the next century it gave its name to a rich !
domain which became the nucleus of the Duchy /
of Brahant hundred years after that it be-
gan 20 he important a trading and manu-
facturing centre, TO which the convenient water
ways, the fine sheep pastures and small farms
of the surrounding country contributed food /
~ wealth The medieval traders were not all
- low desree-rnany OF them were knights who /
dropped war for commerce and took an ener- |
retic part in organizing the great merchant |
guilds that presently arose in the Low Coun-
trE- There is a quaint story told Of Saint Guy, |
The earliest private inhabitant Of Brussels /
whose name we know good man whose bones |
sin rest in the Oldest church in the town. Guy, |
Who in his youth poor farm laborer, once |
=e.iously thought OF enbarkn~ in trade:
satan. in the guise Of rich Brussels merchant. |
no T4sken 10 e-ter into partnership with him cum
qfG forfd9e and and tis & @ Be tR % FetteT % aG to
he poor and Guy fsh INTO the e JT4P ,pai DGt Il
soul in s. haZardous a calling ana hardy had /
raft grounded on a sani'ank in midstTeam'
20 notviti-standn ng al the efforts the the 2 bqa7
saint himsalf vainly sa'zed the barge pole. it
.-.lasp them untl had made a solemn vow to
-.rly eschew commerce.
AS time went on the members of the trade
e.npanios Of Brussels began TO suffer grievously
under corrupt applications of the laws by ne |
--iciaus and they sought equal share with
-.. uatrician clans in the government of the
..-. There was an insurrection of butchers
.-G Weavers in 1870 which was ended by the
.ll= expedent Of setting fire to the homes of
rioters while they were in another quarter
The city hammerng at the Steenporte or
---on Rushing back 10 their burning houses, /
-.ay met the mounted patricians in narrow
s.-eat-and, then and there, ended the insur-
-..,I Ion and with it the lives Of the rioters. The
--Iadrririst ration Of law went and the seeth-
..- rage Of the people kept pace. The author
-- Of the patricians that, haunted by plots
md rumors of plots. they were never sure, when
-t..y went to bed night, that their throats
would not be cut before morning, and, half blind
vith terror. they struck wildly on all sides
and often the guilty escaped and host OF
harmless citizens experienced the taste of their
lssb A few Of their number. who had per
ets-eutly urged conciltatIon and the reform or
7,iust laws after some years gained their point
A commission of four guild representatives, ana
folr patricians was named TO inquire into the
evils arising especially from the bad adminstra-
tt1u of the coercion laws, and thus began new
and prosperous life for Brussels. Burghers OF
The middle class were admitted TO the govern
,u-rt service and though the College Of Alder
men was composed Of men who each represented
or4 Of the seven patrician clans Of the city, the
system Of election Of the magistracy was made
x once more equitable and more stringent.
Here is the binding oath which each voter Of
the clans was obliged 10 take:
-s'af am in no way bound pledged TO man,
md that no man is bound or pledged TO me, d.
l...tly or indirectly. nor have j purchaSe1 any 7
,..rfs vote. either my own behalf or on behat
d.. .rv OF ny friends. ] swear, on my Soul, 10
.-.., my sufIrages 10 thu best man, the Tlsest
--l-r devoted 10 Holy Church, TO the Duke and
J4rfees OF Trabant, the city OF Brussels, and The
r~foIau order consulting only my conscience .
nd acting according to conscience swear, Z
Dr fuy soul to let any personal interest or t
-,...ste friendship me. nor 10 suffer myself b
=. - carried away by hatred anger, or by fear I
~ loss OF hope Of gain, 50 help me God and his
Saints
severe rules were adopted insuring an honest
eleotfon and the result Of the better system in
tie choice Of magistrates and q reformed ad-
t.iristration Of law was 70 be seen in the years