contemporaneous and not unconnected with what was going on in Flanders.

I have related by way of introduction, the origin of the war,—not that the incidents in which it originated are immediately connected with those of my play, which opens at a later period, after the death of John Lyon; but because I have wished (as much as in so small a compass may be) to give those of my readers who may require it, a notion of the temper of mind which prevailed in Flanders towards the end of the fourteenth century.

PHILIP VAN ARTEVELDE.

PART THE FIRST.

"No arts, no letters, no society,--and, which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death, and the life of Man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."

LEVIATHAN, Part I. c. 18.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

MEN OF GHENT.

PHILIP VAN ARTEVELDE.
PETER VAN DEN BOSCH,

SIR GUY, LORD OF Occo,

PETER VAN NUITRE,

FRANS ACKERMAN,

Leaders of the White-Hoods.

VAN AESWYN, Squire to Sir Guy of Occo.

HENRY VAN DRONGELEN, Page to Van Artevelde.

FATHER JOHN OF HEDA, a Monk, formerly Preceptor to Van

CLARA VAN ARTEVELDE, Sister of Philip Van Artevelde.

The SCENE is laid sometimes at GHENT, sometimes at BRUGES, or in its neighbourhood.

PHILIP VAN ARTEVELDE.

PART THE FIRST.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-A Street in the Suburbs of Ghent.

The LORD OF Occo, meeting SIR SIMON BETTE and SIR GUISEBERT GRUTT.

Occo. SIR Guisebert Grutt, and, by my faith, I think Sir Simon Bette too! Pray you pardon me ;

I thought that you were sped upon your mission
To treat for peace at Bruges?

Sir Simon.
Sir, in good time.
We'd have a word with you before we go.
You are a noble born, my Lord of Occo;
And let me tell you, many marvel much
To find a gentleman of so great worth
A flatterer of the Commons.

Sir Guisebert.

Yea, my lord:

It looks not well when nobles fall

away

One from another. That the small-crafts here
Should lift their hands against their natural lord
Is but the plague and sorrow of the time,
Which we, that are of credit, must abide:
But ne'er till now a gentleman of name
Was found amongst their leaders.

Оссо.

Oh, dear sirs,

I could remind you how your sometime selves
Bore less goodwill towards the Earl's affairs
Than spurs your errand now; and if to you
Pardon be promised, I would fain be told
Why not to me as well.

Sir Guisebert.

Truly, why not?

To whoso' merits it 'twill freely fall;

So give us leave to make a good report

Of how you stand affected. 'Twere your wisdom.
Occo. Kind sirs, I thank you; you shall say, so please you,
That I am not of them that evermore

Cry out for war, and having not a hope
Of the Earl's mercy, act as desperate men;
For were I sure the multitude met pity,

It would not then behove me to stand out
For my particular ransom,-though, to say truth,
The Earl should do himself but little service

Were he to deal too hardly with us all.

Sir Simon. 'Tis fairly spoken, sir. When we come back,

Bringing conditions with us as we trust,

We'll look for aid from you amongst the Commons.
For truly there are here a sort of crafts

So factious still for war and obstinate,
That we shall be endanger'd.

Suing for peace
Well,

Is ever treason to the White-Hoods.
We'll look for your support.

Оссо.

God speed you, sirs.

To fair conditions you shall find me friendly.

[Exeunt SIR SIMON BETTE and SIR GUISEBERT GRUTT. VAN AESWYN comes forward.

Eeswyn. My lord, were those that parted from you here The worshipful negociators?

Оссо.

Ay!

Would they had pass'd the windmills

crawl!

- how they

And met no babbling burghers on their way.
Aeswyn. What! you have made an overture?
Оссо.

Not so: