Trimouille, who had laft fummer reided at Sluys, with a confiderable force, refolved to open a ne-gotiation with his coufia, fir William de Namur* to obtain that town by exchange for. other lands 9 to add it to the country of Flanders, which lands were equally profitable as to revenue. Sir- William de Namur was much difpleafed when he firft heard this propofal for an exchange -y for the town of Sluys, with its dependencies and fea-rights, was a noble and profitable inheritance: it had alfo devolved to him from his anceftors, which made him like it the more. Notwithftand-ing this, fince the duke of Burgundy was defirous of it, he found it neceflary to comply. It was, the intention of the duke, when in poifeffion of it, to erect there ahandfome and ftrong caille, like to Calais and other places, which (hould command the harbour of Sluys, and garrifon it with men at artns and archers, fo that none could approach his territories without danger from them, _ He laid, he would build it high enough to fee from-it twenty leagues at fea. • r In lhort, fir William was fo hard prefiedby the duke and his council, that he confented to the exchange of Sluys for the whole territory of Be-thune which is one of the faireft inheritances of the whole country. It was given to him and to his heirs. Immediately afterwards, the dukefet Workmen on the caftle he intended to build at Sluys. We will now return to the fiege of Dam* . me, and fay how it profpered. D4. CHAE 39