As for my life, it is but short,
When I shall be no more;
To part with life I am content,
As any heretofore.60
Therefore, good people all, take heed,
This warning take by me,
According to the lives you lead,
Rewarded you shall be.
BOOK VIII.
THE FLEMISH INSURRECTION.
The Flemings, having abandoned their legitimate sovereign and attached themselves to Philip the Fair, found at last cause to repent. In 1301, two citizens of Bruges, Peter de Koning, a draper, and John Breydel, a butcher, stirred up their townsmen to revolt, and drove out the French garrison. The next year, the Count d'Artois, with a superb army, was defeated by the insurgents at the battle of Courtrai.
This ballad is found in MS. Harl. No. 2253, "of the reign of Edw. II." and has been printed in Ritson's Ancient Songs (i. 51), and in Wright's Political Songs, p. 187. We have adopted the text of the latter.
Lustneth, lordinges, bothe yonge ant olde,
Of the Freynsshe men that were so proude ant bolde,
Hou the Flemmysshe men bohten hem ant solde,
Upon a Wednesday.
Betere hem were at home in huere londe,5
Then for te seche Flemmysshe by the see stronde,
Whare thourh moni Frenshe wyf wryngeth hire honde,
Ant singeth weylaway.
The Kyng of Fraunce made statuz newe,
In the lond of Flaundres among false ant trewe,10
That the commun of Bruges ful sore con arewe,
Ant seiden amonges hem,
"Gedere we us togedere hardilyche at ene,
Take we the bailifs bi tuenty ant by tene,
Clappe we of the hevedes [anonen] o the grene,15
Ant caste we y the fen."