tor. write to the bailiff of Ghent xn the part of the • buigefs whom he detains in prifon, for him to fend hiflr to us ; for, in truth, the powers of .his office do not extend fo far as to confine one of our bup-gefics in the prifons of the earl.' They a5led accordingly, and wrote to the bailiff for the byrgefs who was prifoner at Erclo. The bailiff, Roger d'Auterme, \was advifed to fend the following ai)fwer; c Ha, what a noife.is this about a mariner ? Were my prifoner ten times as rich as the one I have, I would never let him out of my prifon without orders from the earl. I have powers to arreft, but none to fet free.* This fpeech was carriecj back, which gave much flifpleafipre ; they faid, he had proudly anfwered. By fuch, replies, and fuch unlucky accidents as the pioneers from Bruges wanting to dig on the lands of Ghent, and the encroachments on the privileges of Ghent, were that curfed crew called White Hoods introduced, and they became by de-grees more feared and renowned. It behoveth fuch a fet to have among them madmen and fire-brands, to work upon the pore peaceable. This ftory of the burgefs of Ghent being de* tained in the earl's prifon at Erclo, and of the bailiff having refufed to give hhji his liberty, was foon fpread through the town of Ghent. Many began to murmur, and to fay it ought not to be fuffered j and that, from being too quiet about it, all the franchifes of Ghent, which were fo noble, would be loft. ^ * John Lyon, who - only aimed at the embroiling the.