They rode slowly now until they saw the steeple of
Torhut, and then turned off the road, and in half
an hour came to a farm-house. The Fleming had
ridden on a short distance ahead.
“My uncle will take them in,” he said.
“He has a loft in the top of his house, and
can bestow them there safely, for none would be likely
to suspect its existence, even if they searched the
house. My uncle is a true Fleming, and would
have taken them in without payment, but I say not that
he will refuse what my master may be willing to pay.”
Ten minutes later, Edgar and Albert continued their
way, followed now by Hal Carter alone. The latter
had washed the blood from his face and armour, and
had thrown a short cloak over his shoulders, so that
they could pass without its being suspected that they
had taken part in a desperate fray. After riding
for some hours they stopped at a wayside inn, and,
avoiding Bruges, rode the next day into Sluys, where
they found a vessel sailing that evening for England.
No rumour of the disastrous battle of Rosebeque had,
as yet, reached Sluys; but the two young knights,
calling upon the merchant who had entertained them
at their first landing, informed him of what had happened.
“’Tis well that it is so,” he said,
“for, in truth, the domination of the craftsmen
of Ghent and the other great cities would have been
far harder to bear than that of the earl, or of France,
or of Burgundy. Already the taxes and imposts
are four times as heavy as those laid upon us by the
earl, and had they gained a victory these people would
soon have come to exercise a tyranny altogether beyond
bearing. ’Tis ever thus when the lower
class gain dominion over the upper.”
A WAR OF THE CHURCH
“You have been but a short time absent this
voyage,” Sir Ralph said as his son and Edgar
rode up to the castle.
“Truly we have been but a short time, father,”
Albert said, “but we have seen much. Of
course the news has not yet reached you, but the army
of Flanders has been utterly broken by the French.
Whether Van Artevelde was killed we know not, but
of the fifty thousand men who marched to battle, we
doubt whether half ever returned to their homes.”
“That was indeed a terrible defeat. And
how bore you yourselves in the battle?”
“It was rough work, though short, father.
Five other English knights were with us; four of these
were killed, and one we left behind at a farm, grievously
wounded. Each of us had two men-at-arms, and of
the fourteen two were left behind wounded sorely,
one remained in charge of his master and them, and
Edgar’s man here is the only one who rode to
Sluys with us; the rest are dead. So, too, might
we have been but for the strength and temper of our
armour.”
“Did not the Flemings fight sturdily, then?”
“They fought sturdily for a time, but altogether
without leader or order. They took up a strong
position, but impatient of an hour’s delay, marched
from it to give battle, and being attacked on both
flanks, as well as in front, were driven into a close
mass, so that few could use their arms, and, were
it only to find breathing space, they had to fly.”
