Peter Deconinck continued at considerable length to address his fellows, the better to encourage them to the defense of their rights. It was far from being his desire, however, that they should do anything tumultuously; and he strictly enjoined them to confine themselves to refusing payment of the eight groats, until he should call them to arms.
All the members now left the hall, and made the best of their way homeward. Deconinck proceeded alone and in deep thought along the old Sack street, intending to have a conference with his friend Breydel. He foresaw how great would be the efforts of the nobles to reestablish their power over the people, and he was meditating on the means of preserving his brethren from falling again under the yoke. The moment he was on the point of turning into the Butcher street he found himself surrounded by some ten armed soldiers, while the high-constable of the town coming up to him required him, in the name of the magistracy, to surrender without resistance. His hands were bound behind his back, as if he had been a common criminal; to which, however, he submitted without complaint, well knowing that resistance was in vain. In this way he walked quietly on through four or five streets between the halberds of the sergeants, without seeming to pay any attention to the exclamations of wonder which everywhere greeted the procession; and was at last conducted into an upper chamber of the Prince's Court, in which the city magistrates were already assembled, and along with them the other chiefs of the Lilyards—John van Gistel, chief receiver of the taxes, and the warmest friend of France in all Flanders, being at their head. The latter no sooner saw Deconinck before him than with an angry voice he exclaimed:
"So, insolent citizen, you defy the authority of the magistrates! We have heard of your rebellious doings, and it shall not be long before you pay for your disobedience on the gallows."
To this insulting speech Deconinck calmly answered :
"The liberty of my people is dearer to me than my life. In such a death there is no shame, and for me there is no fear, for the people die not. There will still be men enough whose necks will never bend under the yoke."
"A dream, a vain dream," replied Van Gistel; "the people's reign is over. Under the rule of our gracious sovereign King Philip a subject must obey his lord. Your privileges, extorted by you from weak princes, must needs be reviewed and curtailed; for you have grown into insolence upon the favor shown you, and now rise up against us, as disobedient subjects, worthy not only of punishment, but of contempt."
Deconinck's eye flashed with indignation: "God knows," he exclaimed, "whether it is the people who better deserve contempt, or the Lilyards, those bastard sons of Flanders, who forget alike their country and their honor, basely to fawn upon a foreign master! Submissively you kneel before this prince, who has sworn the downfall of your country; and to what end? that you may bring back into your hands your old despotic sway over the people; and that for greed of gold! But you shall not succeed ; they who have once tasted of the fruits of the tree of freedom turn with disgust from the baits you offer. Are you not the slaves of the foreigner? And think you that the men of Bruges are sunk low enough to be the slaves of slaves? Sirs, you forget yourselves strangely! Our country has grown into greatness, the people have felt their own dignity, and your iron sceptre is gone from you forever."
"Be silent, rebel!" cried Van Gistel; "what have such as you to do with freedom? you were never made for it."
"Our freedom," answered Deconinck, "we have bought and paid for with the sweat of our brows and the blood of our veins; and shall we, then, permit such as you to wrest it from us?"
Van Gistel replied with a scornful smile:
"Idle words, Master Dean; your threats are mere smoke. We have now the French forces at our disposal, and shall soon show you that we can clip the wings of the many-headed monster. The insolence of the commons has long passed all bounds, and they must now be ruled by other laws. Our plans, be assured, are so well laid that Bruges shall humbly bow the neck; and as for yourself, you shall not behold to-morrow's dawn."
"Tyrant!" cried the Dean; "shame of Flanders! Are not the graves of your fathers dug in her soil? Do not their sacred ashes rest within the earth that you, unnatural that you are, would basely sell for the gold of the foreigner? Posterity shall judge you for your cowardice; and your own children, when they chronicle the deeds of these days, shall curse and renounce you!"
"It is time to make an end of these foolish and insolent declamations," exclaimed Van Gistel. "Here, sergeants, to the dungeon with him until the gallows is prepared!"
Upon this Deconinck was led away, down several flights of stairs, into an underground vault. He was heavily ironed; a chain round his waist made him fast to the wall, while by another his right hand was linked to his left foot. An allowance of bread and water was set before him, the massive door was closed and locked, and the captive was left alone in his solitary dungeon. He now saw clearly from the words of Van Gistel how seriously the freedom of his native town was threatened. In his
