Jan Yoens, who was intent on one thing only, which was to entangle the town of
Ghent in such trouble with its lord that it could not be disentangled without causing great harm, was not at all dismayed by these events but rather wished that every day a further thirty such might arise. He spread rumours and went surreptitiously about the town, saying,
"Once offices have been sold in a town, authority can plainly never be maintained."
He aimed these words at
Gilbert Mayhuus, meaning to say that he had done even better than buying the office governing the rivers and shipping, for he had run up a new debt for the navy which was very much contrary to the franchise of
Ghent and its ancient privileges, because every year the
count received three or four thousand francs beyond what ancient custom dictated, about which the merchants and shippers complained bitterly and those of
Valenciennes,
Douai,
Lille,
Béthune and
Tournai were already fearful of travelling to
Ghent. This was seen by the people of
Ghent as something by which the town could be lost, because little by little their privileges would be taken away, yet nobody dared to speak out against it.
Gilbert Mayhuus and the dean of the minor trades, who was allied to him, heard such things with their own ears every day and realised that they came from
Jan Yoens, but they could not and dared not remedy it because
Jan Yoens had already distributed
White Hoods throughout the town and given them to such bold and intrepid companions that none dared attack them.
Jan Yoens never went out alone, for when he left his house he had at least two or three hundred
White Hoods surrounding him. He also never went about the town if there was no great need, and had himself greatly entreated to impart his knowledge of the events and occurrences happening in
Ghent and outside which adversely affected the town's privileges. And whenever he was in council or offered a general word to the people, he spoke with such fine rhetoric and with so much art that those who heard him rejoiced in his language, and of everything he said exclaimed collectively with one voice,
"He speaks the truth!"
With great wisdom
Jan Yoens said, "I am not suggesting that we should weaken or diminish the inheritance of my
lord of Flanders because, even if we wished to do it, we could not, for reason and justice would not allow such a thing. Nor should we seek out or devise any circumstance which would displease or offend him, for one ought always to be on good terms with one's lord. My
lord of Flanders is our good lord and a grand prince, dreaded and renowned, who has always kept us at peace and in great prosperity. We must acknowledge these things, and endure the more in consequence, as we are bound to do, rather than behave as though he had made war on us, and harried and harassed us, and thought to take our property.
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