m Robert, return and fave yourfelf, if yon can, for the Ghent nien have taken the town/ The knight returned as fpeedily as he could to the earl, whom he met coming out of his palace on horfeback, with a number of torches. t The knight told him what he had heard ; but, not-withstanding this, the earl, anxious to defend the town, advanced toward the market-place, and as he was entering it with a number of torches, shouting out, * Flanders for the Lyon ! Flanders for the Earl !' thofe near his horfe and about his perftm feeing the place full of Ghent men, (aid,—'"My lord, return ; for if you advance further you will be flain, or at the best made prifoner by your enemies, as they are drawn up in the fquare and are waiting for you/ They told him truth ; for the Ghent men, fee-ing the great blaze of torches in the street, faid, c Here comes my lord, here comes the earl ; how he falls into our hands !' Philip von Artaveld had given orders to his men, ' that if the earl fliould come, every care was to be taken to pre-ferve him from harm, in order that he might be carried alive and in good health to Ghent, when they fliould be able to obtain what peace they chofe. . • _ . • The earl had entered the fquare, near to where the Ghent men were drawn up, when feveraj people came to him and faid,—'My lord, do not come further; for the Ghent men are matters of the marketplace and of the town, and if you advance, you will run a, rifk of being taken. : 'l tl2 Numbers