to Ypres, to fuccour our good friends/ • Soon after this order was given, the detachment marched from Ghent, and three thoufand men arrived at Yprcs, to the great joy of the inhabitants. The earl of Flanders fet out from Bruges with a Jarge force, and came to Thorout : on the morrow to Poperingue, where they halted for three days, until his whole army was come up, which amounted to twenty thoufand men. The men of Ghent being informed of all thefe preparations, and that the earl was to march agaînft Ypres with a powerful army, refolved to afïèmble their whole force, and take the road by Courtray to Ypres, when, by uniting with thofe of the laft town, they might engage the earl's army; and, if they fhould once completely defeat him, he would never be able to recover the blow. In confequencc of this determination, the following captains march-ed from Ghent : RafTe de Harzelle, Peter du Bois, Peter la Nuitée, John de Launoy^ with others, who were captains of hundreds or of fifties in the dif-ferent pari flies ; and, when drawn out in the plain^ they amounted to upwards of nine thoufand men. They marched for Courtray, where they were re-ceived with greatjoy, for John de Launoy was go-vernor. The earl of Flanders, whofe quarters were at Poperingue, heard how thofe of Ghent intended marching to Ypres, and that they were already at Courtray. Upon this, he called a council, and kept his army in a compaft body. The Ghent men who had come to Courtray marched from thence to RoUflelaer, where they halted, and fent to inform thofe «86' .