Northampton or Derby, but he found that he had attached himself to the royal army.
Ralph of course followed Walter's fortunes, and was now brilliant in the appointments of the Prince of Wales' chosen body-guard of men-at-arms.
The councils of all the great towns of Flanders assembled at Sluys, and for several days great festivities were held. Then a great assembly was held, and Van Artevelde rose and addressed his countrymen. He set forth to them the virtues of the Prince of Wales, whose courtesy and bearing had so captivated them; he pointed out the obligations which Flanders was under toward King Edward, and the advantages which would arise from a nearer connection with England. With this he contrasted the weakness of their count, the many ills which his adherence to France had brought upon the country, and the danger which menaced them should his power be ever renewed. He then boldly proposed to them that they should at once cast off their allegiance to the count and bestow the vacant coronet upon the Prince of Wales, who, as Duke of Flanders, would undertake the defense and government of the country with the aid of a Flemish council.
This wholly unexpected proposition took the Flemish burghers by surprise. Artevelde had calculated upon his eloquence and influence carrying them away, but his power had diminished, and many of his hearers had already been gained to the cause of France. The burgher councils had for a long time had absolute power in their own towns, and the prospect of a powerful prince at their head foredoomed a curtailment of those powers. When Artevelde ceased, therefore, instead of the enthusiastic shouts with which he hoped his oration would be greeted, a confused murmur arose. At last several got up and said that, greatly attached as they were to the king, much as they admired the noble young prince proposed for their acceptance, they felt themselves unable to give an answer upon an affair of such moment without consulting their fellow-countrymen and learning their opinions. They therefore promised that they would return on a certain day and give a decided answer.
The Flemish burghers then took their leave. Van Artevelde, after a consultation with the king, started at once to use his influence among the various towns.
After leaving the king he bade adieu to the Prince of Wales. 'Would you like,' the young prince said, 'that one of my esquires should ride with you? His presence might show the people how entirely I am with you; and should you have tidings to send me he could ride hither with them. I have one with me who is prudent and wise, and who possesses all the confidence of that wise and valiant knight, Sir Walter de Manny.'
'I will gladly take him, your royal highness,' Van Artevelde said, 'and hope to dispatch him to you very shortly with the news that the great towns of Flanders all gladly receive you as their lord.'
In a few minutes Walter had mounted his horse, accompanied by Ralph, and, joining Van Artevelde, rode to Bruges. Here and at Ypres Van Artevelde's efforts were crowned with success. His eloquence carried away the people with him, and both these cities agreed to accept the Prince of Wales as their lord; but the hardest task yet remained. Ghent was the largest and most powerful of the Flemish towns, and here his enemies were in the ascendant. Gerard Denis and the weavers had been stirring up the people against him. All kinds of accusations had been spread, and he was accused of robbing and selling his country. The news of the hostile feeling of the population reached Van Artevelde, and he dispatched Walter with the request to the king for a force of five hundred English soldiers as a guard against his enemies.
Had Artevelde asked for a large force Edward would have disembarked his army and marched at their head into Ghent. As the rest of the country was already won there can be little doubt that this step would at once have silenced all opposition, and would have annexed Flanders to the British crown. Van Artevelde, however, believed himself to be stronger than he really was, and thought with a small party of soldiers he could seize his principal opponents, and that the people would then rally round him.
Upon the arrival of the five hundred men he started for Ghent; but as he feared that the gates would be shut if he presented himself with an armed force, he left the soldiers in concealment a short distance from the town and entered it, accompanied only by his usual suit. At his invitation, however, Walter, followed of course by Ralph, rode beside him. No sooner was he within the gates than Van Artevelde saw how strong was the popular feeling against him. He had been accustomed to be received with bows of reverence; now men turned aside as he approached, or scowled at him from their doors.
'Methinks, sir,' Walter said, 'that it would be wiser did we ride back, and, joining the soldiers, enter at their head, or as that number would be scarce sufficient should so large a town rise in tumult, to send to King Edward for a larger force and await their coming. Even should they shut the gates we can reduce the town, and as all the rest of Flanders is with you, surely a short delay will not matter.'
'You know not these Flemings as well as I do,' Van Artevelde replied; 'they are surly dogs, but they always listen to my voice, and are ready enough to do my bidding. When I once speak to them you will see how they will smooth their backs and do as I ask them.'
Walter said no more, but as he saw everywhere lowering brows from window and doorway as they rode through the streets, he had doubts whether the power of Van Artevelde's eloquence would have the magical potency he had expected from it.
When the party arrived at the splendid dwelling of the great demagogue, messengers were instantly sent out to all his friends and retainers. A hundred and forty persons soon assembled, and while Van Artevelde was debating with them as to the best steps to be taken, Walter opened the casement and looked out into the street. It was already crowded with the people, whose silent and quiet demeanor seemed to bode no good. Arms were freely displayed among them, and Walter saw men passing to and fro evidently giving instructions.
'I am sorry to disturb you, Master Artevelde,' he said, returning to the room where the council was being held, 'but methinks that it would be wise to bar the doors and windows, and to put yourself in a posture of defense, for a great crowd is gathering without, for the most part armed, and as it seems to me with evil intentions.'
A glance from the windows confirmed Walter's statements, and the doors and windows were speedily barricaded. Before many minutes had elapsed the tolling of bells in all parts of the town was heard, and down the different streets leading toward the building large bodies of armed men were seen making their way.
'I had rather have to do with a whole French army, Master Walter,' Ralph said, as he stood beside him at an upper window looking down upon the crowd, 'than with these citizens of Ghent. Look at those men with bloody axes and stained clothes. Doubtless those are the skinners and butchers. Didst ever see such a ferocious band of savages? Listen to their shouts. Death to Van Artevelde! Down with the English alliance! I thought our case was a bad one when the French poured over the walls into Vannes, but methinks it is a hundred times worse now.'
'We got out of that scrape, Ralph, and I hope we shall get out of this, but as you say the prospect is black enough. See, the butchers are hammering at the door with their pole-axes. Let us go down and aid in the defense.'
'I am ready,' Ralph said, 'but I shall fight with a lighter heart if you could fix upon some plan for us to adopt when the rabble break in. That they will do so I regard as certain, seeing that the house is not built for purposes of defense, but has numerous broad windows on the ground-floor by which assuredly they will burst their way in.'
'Wait a moment then, Ralph; let us run up to the top story and see if there be any means of escape along the roofs.'
The house stood detached from the others, but on one side was separated from that next to it only by a narrow lane, and as the upper stories projected beyond those below, the windows were but six feet distant from those on the opposite side of the way.
'See,' Walter said, 'there is a casement in the room to our left there which is open; let us see if it is tenanted.'
Going into the next room they went to the window and opened it. It exactly faced the casement opposite, and so far as they could see the room was unoccupied.
'It were easy to put a plank across,' Ralph said.
'We must not do that,' Walter answered. 'The mob are thick in the lane below—what a roar comes up from their voices!—and a plank would be surely seen, and we should be killed there as well as here. No, we must get on to the sill and spring across; the distance is not great, and the jump would be nothing were it not that the casements are so low. It must be done as lightly and quickly as possible, and we may not then be seen from below. Now leave the door open that we may make no mistake as to the room, and come along, for by the sound the fight is hot below.'
Running down the stairs Walter and Ralph joined in the defense. Those in the house knew that they would meet with no mercy from the infuriated crowd, and each fought with the bravery of despair. Although there were many windows to be defended, and at each the mob attacked desperately, the assaults were all repulsed. Many
