"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.

MEN OF FLANDERS.

PHILIP VAN ARTEVELDE, Regent of Flanders.
VAUCLAIRE, Officers of his in command at Yprès.

VAN RYK,

VAN MUCK, Officers in his camp before Oudenarde.

FATHER JOHN OF HEDA.

A PAGE of Van Artevelde's.

A FRIAR.

VAN STOCKENSTROM,

VAN WHELK,

}

Citizens of Ypres.

THE BURGOMASTER AND DIVERS BURGESSES OF YPRES, OFFICERS, MESSENGERS, &c.

MEN OF FRANCE.

KING CHARLES THE SIXTH.

THE DUKES OF BURGUNDY and BOURBON, his Uncles. SIR FLEUREANT OF HEURLÉE, a Follower of the Duke of Bourbon.

SIR OLIVER OF CLISSON, Constable of France.

SIR JOHN DE VIEN, Admiral of France.

THE LORDS OF SAIMPI, SANXERE, AND ST. JUST; SIR RAOUL OF RANEVAL; THE LORD OF COUCY, AND MANY OTHER LORDS AND KNIGHTS BELONGING то THE FRENCH KING'S COUNCIL.

TRISTRAM OF LESTOVET, Clerk of the Council.

WOMEN.

ELENA DELLA TORRE, an Italian Lady.

CECILE, her Attendant.

DAME VOORST, a Woman of Ypres.

The SCENE is laid sometimes in FLANDERS and sometimes in FRANCE.

a

PHILIP VAN ARTEVELDE.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

AN

ANTE-ROOM

TO THE STATE

APARTMENTS

OF THE GRAND JUSTICIARY IN THE ROYAL PALACE AT SENLIS, IN FRANCE.

Several groups of suitors holding petitions in their hands. In front a yeoman of Tournesis, and near him SIR FLEUREANT OF HEURLÉE.

SIR FLEUREANT.

If I may be so bold, friend, whence art thou?
The times are stirring, and come whence thou may'st
Thou must bring news.

YEOMAN.

So please your worship's grace I come from this side Tournay; I am French, And though I say it, Sir, an honest yeoman.

SIR FLEUREANT.

And, honest yeoman, what's thine errand here?

YEOMAN.

I have a suit, Sir, to my noble lord

The Duke of Burgundy.

SIR FLEUREANT.

Why, what? what suit?

YEOMAN.

'Tis but for justice, Sir; I crave but justice.

SIR FLEUREANT.

Hast thou the price of justice in thy pocket?

To bring thee up in such a poor estate,

And yet to lack such dainties! Say wherein

Would'st thou be justified? Who is 't hath wronged thee?

YEOMAN.

Last Wednesday, Sir, a troop of Flemings, led
By fierce Frans Ackerman, the frontier passed
And burned my homestead, ravaged all my fields,
And did sore havoc in the realm of France.

SIR FLEUREANT.

What say'st thou ? is it so? Go to

This is high matter.

Thou 'lt be heard on this.