There's no man lives within the walls of Ghent
But Artevelde will look to him and his,

And suffer none to plunder or molest him.

Haste, Van den Bosch! by Heav'n they run like lizards!

Take they not heart the sooner, by St. Paul

They'll fly the city, and that cripples us.
Haste with thy company to the west wards
And see thou that no violence be done
Amongst the weavers and the fullers-stay-
And any that betake themselves to pillage
Hang without stint-and hark-begone-yet stay;
Shut the west gate, postern and wicket too,
And catch my Lord of Occo where you can.
Stay on thy life let no man's house be plunder'd.
Van den Bosch. That is not to my mind; but what
of that?

Thou'st play'd the game right boldly, and for me,
My oath of homage binds me to thee.

Artevelde.

Well,
Thou to thy errand, then, and I myself

Will go from street to street through all the town,
To reassure the citizens; that done

I'll meet thee here again. Form, White-Hoods, form:
Range ten abreast; I'm coming down amongst you.
You Floris, Leefdale, Spanghen, mount ye here,
And bear me down these bodies. Now, set forth.

[The White-Hoods, by whose shouts of 'Artevelde for Ghent'
the latter part of the scene has been frequently inter-
rupted, now join in a cry of triumph, and carry him
off on their shoulders.

ACT III.

SCENE I.-Night. A Wood near Bruges.

The LORD OF Occo and Followers.

Occo. No more than half a league to Bruges? then halt,

And let the men of arms be drawn together

Where the ground's open. Berckel, ride thou on
And hail the warders on the walls; make known
That for the love which we have shown the Earl
We're driven forth of Ghent, and humbly crave
His hospitality.

[TO VAN AESWYN, who enters.

Where is the lady?

Aeswyn. They've dropp'd behind some furlong with the litter.

Occo. Keep thou beside her, lest she should prevail To make the varlets speak. Let none approach After we pass the gates but men of mine,

Nor ever let the litter be unclosed.

Now, if we're all in order, march we on.

SCENE II.-A Banquetting Hall in the Stadt-house at Bruges. -Tables are spread, and the EARL OF FLANDERS, the HASE of Flanders, with several Lords, Knights, and followers of the EARL, are entertained by the Mayor of Bruges and the Åldermen.

Earl. Sir Mayor, we thank you; 'tis a royal feast. Mayor. My gracious lord, the supper is but poor; Very exceeding poor the supper is;

And yet the most we can; your humble hosts,
Being but meagre citizens God wot,

Can but purvey your highness what they have,

A very sorry supper.

Alderman.

True indeed.

Yet if your highness please to cast it up,

A thousand florins

Mayor.

Hold thy peace, Van Holst;

In good time.

The minstrels twang their cat-gut.
Earl (aside to the Hase).

If aught could make me cast my supper up,

"Twere to taste further of their courtesies.

Soho, sir minstrel! what hast got to sing!

Van Holst. That matter has been cared for, please your highness;

We knew your highness had a skilful ear,

And 'twas not every poesy would please you.
This is a ditty craftily conceited,

Trump'd up as 'twere extempore for the nonce;
He was no tavern cantabank that made it,
But a squire minstrel of your highness' court.
So-sing, sir minstrel-there you have it—ah!
Fal-lal-the very thing-the tune's Green Sleeves.'

THE MINSTREL SINGS.

The little bird sat on the greenwood tree,
And the sun was as bright as bright could be;
The leaf was broad, the shade was deep,
The Lion of Flanders lay fast asleep.

་

The little bird sang, 'Sir Lion, arise,

For I hear with my ears and I see with my eyes,
And I know what I know, and I tell thee this,
That the men of Ghent have done something amiss.'

From his lair the Lion of Flanders rose,

And he shook his mane and toss'd up his nose;

'Ere a leaf be fallen or summer be spent,'

Quoth he, if God spare me, I'll go to Ghent.'

'For a little bird sang and I dream❜d beside
That the people of Ghent were puff'd up with pride;
And I had been far over hill and dale

And was fast asleep, and they trod on my tail.'

Ere a leaf was fallen the lion he went,
And growl'd a growl at the gates of Ghent :
But they bended low when they saw him awake,
Aud said that they trod on his tail by mistake.

The little bird sat on the bush so bare,
And the leaf fell brown on the lion's lair;
The little bird pick'd a berry so red,
And dropp'd it down on the lion's head.

Sir Lion, awake, and put out your claws,
And lift your chin from your tawny paws;
My ears are smaller than yours, but more
I hear than you, and worse than before.'

The lion stirr'd and awoke with a snort,
And swell'd with rage till his breath came short;
Ere the brown leaf meet with the flake of snow
On the roundabout stair, to Ghent I'll go.

'For a little bird sang, and I dream'd as well,
That the people of Ghent were as false as hell;
Coming by stealth when nought I fear'd,
They trod on my corns and pull'd my beard.'

Ere a snow-flake fell the lion he went,
And roar'd a roar at the gates of Ghent;

The gates they shook though they were fast barr'd,
And the warders heard it at Oudenarde.

At the first roar ten thousand men

Fell sick to death-he roar'd again,

And the blood of twenty thousand flow'd

On the bridge of Roone, as broad as the road.

Woe worth thee, Ghent! if, having heard
The first and second, thou bidest the third!
Flat stones and awry, grass, potsherd, and shard,
Thy place shall be like an old churchyard.

Earl.

A singular good song, and daintily accompanied with the music. Give him three florins, and a denier for the lad withal.

Van Holst. Your highness is too bountiful. He made it not himself. 'Twas your highness's serjeant-minstrel that made it. The making and mending of it together was seven days and nights, bating twelve hours for sleeping, and four hours for eating, and five minutes for

saying his prayers. Drinking never stopped him, for still the more he drank, the more he made of it. And he ranted and sang, an' it like your highness, that it would have pleased you to hear him; for being that the song was made in honour of your highness, he said he could sing it a thousand times over and think better of it every time.

Earl. It is good poesy-marry and good prophecy too. Hark ye, master mayor; I have some whit repented me that I was wrought upon by those old Knights of Ghent to proffer terms of such easy acquit

tance.

Mayor. When your highness is graciously pleased to give away your advantages, it is not for such as I to say you do wrong; but every man in Bruges that is well affected to your highness, said that three hundred heads was too little.

Earl. By my faith they said true; and Gilbert Matthew told me no less; but I was persuaded by the old Knights; I was too easy with them. Where is Gilbert Matthew?

Gilbert. Here, my lord.

Earl. Come hither, Gilbert. I have bethought me, Gilbert,

I almost sinn'd against true chivalry

To let yon rabble off.

Gilbert.

Your highness says it.

Earl. Thou'dst tell me 'twas not by thy counsel,— well.

Gilbert. As many heads of each insurgent craft Would not have been denied. A hundred nail'd Like weasels to the gates of each wall'd town Thorough the States of Flanders-that had been A warning wholesome and significant

To the good towns.

Earl.

A salutary caution.

I would the bargain were to make again.

Why, so now! who comes here? the good Sir Walter.