m: and the main body to follow to reinforce them, if there fhould be occafion. Thefe orders were exe-cuted, and they came before Y pres., The commonalty of Ypres and the fmall handi-crafts, hearing of the arrival of the army from . Ghent, inftandy armed themfelves, and drew up in • the market-place, to the amount of full five thou-fand. The rich inhabitants had not any power in -the town. The knights placed.there in garrifon by the earl advanced, in handfome order, to the gate leading to ThoroUt, where the Ghent men had halted withoutfide the bajriers, requefting they would allow them to enter. Thé knights and their men were drawn up bc^ » fore the gate, and fhewed fuch an appearance that the men of Ghent could never have gained admit- -tance but by force. However, the ancient trades of the town were fefolved they fhould enter, in fpite of the knights ; they left, therefore,, the mar-, ket-place, and came to the gate which the knights were guarding, and faid ; c Open the gate to our good friends and neighbours from Ghent ; we will * have them enter our town/ The knights replied, c they would do no fuch thing; for,they had been ordered thither by the earl of Flanders to defend the town, which they would do to the utmoft of their power ; and it waa-not poffible for the force of thofe of Ghent to enter otherwife than by treafon.* Words multiplied fo faft between the gentlemen and the,deacons,of fmall handicrafts, that the laft fkouted out, c Kill thçm, kill them ! they fhall not • be"