in ôaiks flour and baked bread from Holland and .Zealand, which were of great afliftance ; for, had they iiot been thus fuccoured by thofe countries, they would have been much fooner defeated. The. duke of Brabant had forbidden any of his fubjects to carry provifions to the inhabitants of Ghent, under pain of death,; but, if they would run the rifk of coming to feek them, they might fell or give. When Lent came, they were in the greateft diftrefs ; for they had not any provifion fuitable to that time ; infomuch that a body of foldiers and other perfons, to the amount of twelve thoufand, driven defperate by famine, left the town and went to BrufTels. On their arrival, the gates were clofed, for they were doubtful of their intentions, not knowing what to think of them. When they were near to Bruffelsy they fent a party unarmed to the gates, in fearch of provifion, hogging, for the love of God, they would have pity on them, and let them have • victuals for their money, as they ' were dying of hunger, and would not do any harm to the country. The good people of Bruf- " fels had compaflion on them, and carried them foodfufficient to fatisfy their hunger. They re-mained there to recruit themfelves about three weeks, but did not enter any of the principal towns : they advanced as far as Lou vain-, the peo-ple of which place alfo took pity on them', and" gave them many things. The leader and con-ductor of thefe men of Ghent was Francis Atre-men, who advifed them how to acf, and alfo* F 4 " made 71 .