'110 ^ • falls out; and as the proverb fays, c On him to whom misfortune happens, every one'turns his back/ The town of Louvain, in particular, shewed great joy at the victory of Ghent, and the mif-fortunes of the earl ; for they were quarrelling with the duke of Brabant, their lord, who was inclined to make war on them, and pull down their gates; but they thought he would do better to remain quiet. They publicly faid in the town pf Louvain, that if Ghent were as near to them as BrufTels, they would be clofely united. All thefe fpeeches were carried to the duke and duchefs of Brabant ; but it behoved them to {hut their eyes and ears, for it was not the moment to notice them. ' The Ghent men, during their refidence at Bruges, made many innovations. They refolved to level two gates and the wall?, and to fill up the ditches with them, that the inhabitants might be disabled from rebelling. They alfo determined, when they marched away, to take with them five hundred, of the principal citizens to Ghent, to keep the town in greater fear and fubjection. Whilft the leaders were thus employed in des-troying the gates and walls, and filling the ditches, they fent detachments to Ypres, Courtray, Ber-r ' gues, Caffel, Poperingue, Bourbourg, and to all, the towns and caftles, in Flanders, on the fea-cpaft, and dependant on Bruges, to place them Under their obedience, and to bring pr fend the keys.of the caftles and towns, as a token of their futmiffion. All obeyed; for none dared to op-