The weavers in their woollens fight, The iron-clad Frenchmen take to flight. A.D . 1302. Those other sons of Israel, the burgesses of the city of Bruges, in Flanders, being either unable or unwilling any longer to endure the stings of the scorpion, the exactions of taxes, the orders of clay and brick, with which the ministers of the king of France, the new Pharaoh, had oppressed them, having plucked up some spirit again, and taken counsel, unanimously arose against their oppressors, slaying them all together. At this, the king of France was greatly moved,' as formerly the king of Babylon was ; and so, as he, in order that he might be called the only God upon the earth, sent Holofernee, so this king, in order that he might be the only sovereign to reign over all nations, sent his Holofernes, the captain of his army, namely, the count of Artois, the most celebrated warrior in Christendom, with his dukes, earls, barons, magistrates, and other powerful personages, with an innumerable host of warriors mounted on horses, armed with breastplates well-appointed for battle, the flower of the armies of Christendom, as it was supposed to the extermination of the city of Bruges. And they, covering, as it were, the surface of the earth with their horses and chariots, caused a great fear, since none of the cities to which they came dared to resist them. Moreover, the people of Bruges being considered people without a head, appointed a leader and general for themselves, by name Peter de Coning, who was to command them in battle as Moses had commanded the Jews. Therefore, leaving their own city, they marched forth to encounter the French. And when there, incalculable numbers were seen, they were amazed, and commending their souls to God, they said, " Thine, Ο Lord, is the battle, and it is in thy power to save by many or by few." And choosing rather to die in defence of the laws of their country than to live long in shame and slavery, they marched on, to encounter danger. So the battle began, and there fell the count of Artois, the count of Albemarle, the count of Eu, the count of Drew, the count of Boulogne, the count of Saint Pol, Radulph de Neil, constable of France, Guy de Neil, marshal of France, Peter de Flore, counsellor ef the king of France, like a second Achitophel, the son of the count of Haimonie, and forty baronets, with an infinite number