John de Voz and his companions, on their arrival in Ghent, remonstrated sharply with the leaders in the town, how greatly they had deceived those in Gaveren, and how weakly they had acted; for they never would again have so favourable an opportunity of combating the duke, since he had not now with him more than four thousand fighting men, the rest having disbanded from want of pay; and he concluded by exhorting them strongly to sally forth and offer the duke battle.
In the mean time, sir John de Hout, an Englishman, who had surrendered himself to sir Anthony the bastard, as I have mentioned, had a secret communication with the duke, on the means of enticing the ghent men out of their town, for he was extremely anxious to meet their whole force in the field. Soon afterward, John de Hout returned to Ghent, under pretence of repenting of his having left them, and told them that the duke's army was daily wasting away from default of payment. The men of Ghent, however, doubting his fidelity, ordered him to prison, lest he should betray them: he was there confined until John de Voz had pressed them so earnestly to attack the duke, with their whole force, when they released him and made him one of their captains. They commanded all the gates to be kept closed, that no one might carry to the duke information of their intentions, and gave orders that every person capable of bearing arms should provide himself, and appear properly armed and accoutred, under pain of death. It was necessary for all to obey this order, or suffer the consequences; but many did obey very much against their will.
They mustered upward of four-and-twenty thousand men under arms, and appointed as leaders the said English and their companions, who amounted to full two hundred on horseback. When they saw their numbers, and that all was ready, they issued out of Ghent to combat their lord.
Three days before this event, the good duke expecting daily an attack from Ghent, and desirous that his son the count de Charolois might not be present at the battle, on account of the dangers that are incident to such affairs, gave him to understand that the duchess was dangerously ill at Lille, and that he would do well to go thither and see how she was. The count, like a good son, hastened to Lille, but found the duchess recovered, and in good health. He then knew that the reason why the duke had sent him on this errand was to prevent him from being present at the battle. He told his attendants that it was absolutely necessary he should be present to aid his father, for that he was fighting to preserve his inheritance,—and, said he, 'I vow to God that I will be there, if possible.' When the duchess heard of this vow, she tried all she could to detain him, but in vain, for he instantly set off and joined the duke before Gaveren.
FOOTNOTES:
[147] Gavere,—Gaveren, a town on the Scheld, seven miles from Ghent.
[148] Lalain,—a village in Flanders, near Bouchain.
CHAP. XLVI.
THE BATTLE OF GAVEREN, WHERE THE GHENT MEN ARE COMPLETELY DEFEATED, WITH THE LOSS OF UPWARD OF TWENTY THOUSAND MEN SLAIN AND DROWNED.
On the same day the castle of Gaveren was yielded up, and when all the garrison were not yet hanged, news was brought to the duke while sitting at dinner, that the ghent men were in full march to offer him battle. The duke ordered the trumpets to sound to horse, and the army was drawn up in three battalions as before. When it was done, the duke rode from one battalion to another to show himself, and to encourage his men, telling them, that if it pleased God, they should all that day be made rich.