ftantly deprived of every thiitg he had îft the city of Ghent, and banifhed from it for four years, The earl managed fo as to make up the matter and recover for him the freedom he had loft, of Ghent, which was a circumftance not before heard of, and feveral in Ghent and Flanders were much aftonifhed at it, but fo it happened. In addition to thisj the earl, that he might enrich himfeif ând^ live well, made him deacon of the pilots : this office might b# worth to him a thoufand francs a-year, doing honeftly his duty. Thus was John Lyon fo much in the good graces of the earl that no one was equal to him. At this time, there Was a family in Ghent Called the Matthews : they were feven brothers, and the mod confiderable of all the pilots. Among thefe feven brothers Was one named Gilbert Matthew, who was rich, wife, fubde, and more enterprizing than any of his family. This Gilbert bore in feerçt a great hatred to John Lyon, becaufe he faw him fo much in favour with the earl ; and he occupied his thoughts, day and night, how he could fup-. plant him. He fometimes inclined to have him Iain by his brothers, but gave it up for fear of the earl. He thought fo much on this fubjed that at laft he hit upon a plan to accomplifh it : however, I will firft tell you the real caufe why they hated each other, that you may the more fully ' under-Hand it. There exifted formerly, in the town of Deynfe, a mortal hatred between two pilots and their fami-lies : one was called Peter Guillon, and the other VOL. V- H John « §7