there came good news, which fo much delighted them, they hardly knew what they were about. I mention this ; for had the lord de Harzelles, who had remained in Ghent, marched that Sun-day, or the Monday morning, with three or four thoufamd men to Oudenarde, he would instantly have conquered it: they were in fuch consterna-tion at the fuccefs of the Ghent men, that they were on the point of quitting the town, to fave themfelves in Hainault, or elfewhere, and bad made preparations for fo doing, But when they perceived the Ghent people did not come, nor had any intelligence refpecting them, they re-covered their courage. The knights who were there, fuch as fir John Bernage, fir Thierry du Ban, and fir Fleuriant de Heurtée, guarded and comforted them, until the arrival of fir Damos de Haluin, who was fent thither by the earl, as I shall relate when I come to that period. No people ever behaved themfelves/ better to-wards their enemies than the men of Ghent did to thofe of Bruges, nor conducted themfelyas more gràcioufly to a conquered town : they did no harm to any of the fmall tradefmen unlefs there were very strong accufations against them. . When Philip von Artaveld, Peter du Bois and the other captains faw they were completely masters of the place, they iffued out a proclama-tion in their name for all • perfons to retire to their houfes, and that no one should break open or pillage any houfe, nor beany way instrumen-tal in raffing or^riots, under pain-of death. They then inquired what had become of the earl: ' ' 105