and immediately threw themfelves on the mercy of the earl, who pardoned them, to their great joy ; for his power was daily increafing^ and the inhabit-ants of die Franconatc have been always more at-tached to their earl than all the reft of Flanders. The earl, feeing himfelf matter of Bruges and of the Franc, and that he had at his orders knights and fquires from Hainault and Artois, thought he had now a good opportunity to recover his country and to punifh the rebels : he therefore declared he would firft pay a vifit to Ypres. He hated them much for having fo eafily opened their gates to thofe of Ghent, and faid that thofe who by treaty had admitted his enemies within the town, and (lain his knights, fhould pay dearly for it, if he fhould gain the upper hand of them. He then iflued his fumtrtons to the Franc and Bruges, for he was refolved to march to Ypres. News was carried to Ypres, that the earl was preparing to attack them : they determined, in con-fluence, to fend to Ghent to afk affiftance ; for they were not in fuMcient ftrength to hold out without fuccours from that party, who had always promifed to help them in their need. They fent fecretly letters and mefTages to the captains in Ghent, to inform them of the fituation of the earl, and his menaces of coming to attack theta. The men of Ghent confidered themfelves as bound by their faith and oaths ' to grant their re-«jueft, and having called two captains, John Boule and Arnoul le Clerc, faid to them,— You will take'three thoufand of our men, and march in hafte to 285