The King of France saw at length that it was impossible to subjugate Flanders by force of arms, and sent Amadeus of Savoy to Philip with proposals of peace. The children of the captive Count were eager for the liberation of their father and brother, and inclined gladly to peace; they therefore smoothed all difficulties, and a truce was proclaimed, which was to last until a treaty of peace should be signed by both parties. This was framed at the French court, and contained many articles much to the disadvantage of the Flemings; but Philip the Fair hoped to obtain its acceptance by cunning. He liberated the old Count of Flanders, and allowed him to depart, on his word of honor that he would return to his prison in the following May, if he did not obtain the recognition of the treaty in all its articles.
Count Guy was received in Flanders with the utmost rejoicing, and returned to Wynandael. But when he read the treaty to the assembled states, it was rejected; and the old Count saw himself obliged to return, like another Regulus, to France in the following April. During the truce, Philip the Fair had made every exertion to collect a mighty army. Mercenaries were everywhere enlisted, and heavy taxes imposed to meet the expenses of the war. The king himself marched with the army to the Flemish frontier toward the end of June. Besides the land forces, a large fleet, commanded by Renier Grimaldi of Genoa, sailed along the coast of Flanders, to attack the young Guy and John van Renesse in Zeeland.
Philip of Flanders had meanwhile sent forth his proclamation through the land, and gathered a valiant army around his standard; and with these he marched to give battle to the enemy. On the first day there was a partial engagement, in which one of the French generals was slain, with many of his men. The next day the Flemings stood drawn up eager for the fight, and prepared for an impetous attack; but the French were again panicstricken, and fled to Utrecht, leaving their camp a prey to the Flemings. Then Philip a second time stormed Basse, and burnt the suburbs of the city of Lens.
The king next resolved to attack Flanders on the side of Henegauw, and marched toward Doornyk; but the very first day the Flemings had overtaken him. He was the less willing to accept battle, that he had received no tidings of his fleet; and in order to avoid an engagement, he broke up his camp in the night, and fled from place to place, closely pursued by the Flemings.
The action between the two fleets was fought on the loth of August, 1304; it lasted two whole days from morning to night. The first day the Flemings had the advantage, and would certainly have gained a total victory, had not some of their ships been driven on a sand-bank in the night. This gave the French a great superiority of force, so that they gained the battle with little difficulty, burnt all the ships, and even took the young Guy prisoner. John van Renesse, the valiant Zeelander, who was in garrison at Utrecht, wishing to leave the city, attempted to cross the river in a small barge. The barge was unhappily over laden; it sank in the middle of the stream, and the noble warrior was drowned.
When the news of the happy issue of the seafight reached the French camp, it was posted near Lille, on the Peuvelberg. Advantageous as the position was, Philip quitted it; and it was immediately taken possession of by the Flemings. The latter would no longer delay the action; the generals found it impossible to restrain their ardor, and so they drew them up in order for an attack. Philip the Fair no sooner saw this, than he sent a herald with conditions of peace; but the Flemings would not hear of peace, and struck the herald dead. They then fell with wild shouts, on the French army, which fled in astonishment and terror. The Flemings fought with even more intense bitterness of hatred than at Courtrai, and their commanding position helped them much. Philip of Flanders and William van Gulick pierced through the enemies' ranks, and reached the king himself, who was for a moment in extreme peril. His bodyguards were struck down at his side; and he would certainly have been taken, had not those who stood by removed his mantle and other insignia of royalty. He was thus enabled to escape unnoticed, with only a slight wound inflicted by an arrow.
The Flemings gained a complete victory; the oriflamme itself was seized and torn in pieces. This battle was fought on the 15th of August, 1304.
William van Gulick the priest lost his life in this action. The Flemings were busy until evening pillaging the king's tent, and amassing incredible spoil. They then returned to the Peuvelberg to refresh themselves; and finding nothing there, marched on to Lille. The day after they resumed their march homeward.
Fourteen days after this, Philip the Fair came again with a large army, and laid siege to Lille. The citizens closed their shops, and seized their weapons; and Philip of Flanders collected the men of Courtrai, and marched them to Lille in a few days. When the king saw their numbers, he exclaimed:
"Methinks Flanders must spawn or rain soldiers."
He risked no further
