will thank you. You will write us word what are your intentions, and may the Lord keep you* Written at Tournay the fixteentli day of the month of OctoW (1SJ82.) When thefe three letters, which contained the fame words, were written and fealed, they gave them to three men, to carry to Ghent, to Bruges and to Ypres, and to bring back the anfwers. They replied, they would bririg back an anfwer, if they could get one, and then de-parted, each following the road to the town he was fent to. By accident, Philip happened to be at Ghent the day the meflenger arrived with his letter ; for otherwife thofe of Ghent would not have opened it in his abfence. When he had read it, he did nothing but laugh, and fet out foon after from Ghent, on his return to Oudenarde, car-tying the letter with him ; but the meflenger remained in prifon at Ghent. . * When arrived at Oudenarde, he called to him the lord de HarzeUes and others of his compa-nions : having read to them the letter from the commiffioners, he faid,—*c I think thefe French people wish to make a mockery of me and the country of Flanders. • I told the citizens' of Tournay* when they were here the day before yefterday, that I would not liften to any pro-pofals from France, nor enter into any treaty which they • might offer, until Oudenarde and ïeodremonde were furrendered to us.' At thefe words, news came from the governors of Bruges and Ypres, that they had alfo received letters, L2 and 147