“Great tidings,” said the horseman. “On the advice of M. de Châtillon who is in the land of France the admiral of the sea, the prince of freedom hath given commissions to equip ships of war, beyond those that are already armed at Emden and in East Frisia. The valiant men who have received these commissions are Adrien de Berghes, Sieur de Dolhain; his brother Louis of Hainaut; the Baron of Montfaucon; the Sieur Louis de Brederode; Albert d’Egmont the son of the beheaded count and no traitor like his brother; Berthel Enthens of Mentheda, the Frisian; Adrien Menningh; Hembuyse the hot and proud man of Ghent; and Jan Brock.
“The prince hath given all his having, more than fifty thousand florins.”
“I have five hundred for him,” said Ulenspiegel.
“Take them to the sea,” said the horseman.
And he went off at a gallop.
“He gives all his having,” said Ulenspiegel. “We others, we give nothing but our skins.”
“Is that nothing then,” said Lamme, “and shall we never have aught talked of but sack and massacre? The orange is on the ground.”
“Aye,” said Ulenspiegel, “on the ground, like the oak; but with the oak they build the ships of freedom!”
“For his profit,” said Lamme. “But since there is no danger now, let us buy asses again. I like to march sitting, for my part, and without having a chime of blister-bells on the soles of my feet.”
“Let us buy asses,” said Ulenspiegel; “these are beasts it is easy to sell again.”