If he is presently misinformed or ill-advised against us and the privileges of the town of
Ghent, and there are those who are higher in his graces than we are, or so it would appear from the sappers who came to devastate our inheritance and take away our river, while the count was residing at
Bruges, whereby our town of
Ghent would be destroyed and lost, and if as rumour has it he wishes to have a castle built against us at
Deinze to endanger and weaken us, and if the people of
Bruges are promising him, as they have promised in the past, as we well know, that if they had the benefit of the
river Leie, they would give him ten or twelve thousand francs annually, then my advice and counsel is that the town of
Ghent send to him learnèd and eloquent men who will dispute all of these matters boldly and judiciously; from the burgher of
Ghent who is in his prison at
Eeklo and whom his
bailiff will not release, to other occurrences with which the town of
Ghent is less than content and other matters which may arise from one day to the next. And once these things have been aired, let him be informed that neither he nor his council should think that we are so bloodless, but that, if need be, we are able and willing to resist! Once his answer has been heard, the good town of
Ghent will take steps to punish the misdeeds of those found to be at fault towards him."
When
Jan Yoens had delivered this speech in the square where the Friday Market
8 is held, each of them said,
"He speaks well!"
Then they all retired to their own homes.
Gilbert Mayhuus was not witness to
Jan Yoens' address for he was already fearful of the
White Hoods. His brother
Étienne, however, was present, who was always foretelling the times to come. When he returned he said,
"I told you truly and always have, by God, that
Jan Yoens will destroy us all. Cursed be the hour when you did not leave me to my own devices, for if I had killed him then I could have done it with ease. Now it is not within our power to attempt or dare to harm him. He has more authority in the town than even the
count."
Gilbert responded and said,
"Hold your tongue, fool. Whenever it pleases me, with the might of my lord, each and every one of the
White Hoods will be annihilated, and those who wear them now will soon have no use for a hood."
SHF 2-107 syncSeveral wise and distinguished men of the town of
Ghent were charged and instructed to go to the
count as ambassadors, and it would seem to me that
Gilbert Mayhuus, the dean of shippers, was one of those elected to go since he was in favour with the
count.
Jan Yoens plotted to bestow this pleasure upon him so that, should they bring back tidings contrary to the interests of
Ghent, then he would be held more responsible than the others. They departed and found the
count at
Male. I do not know how he received them, gladly or grudgingly, but ultimately they managed the affair so well that the
count granted them all they requested, from returning the citizen who was being held at
Eeklo to the
Ghenters, to maintaining the privileges of
Ghent without violating any of them, and forbidding the
Brugeois from ever daring to dig on the territories of
Ghent again.
pb 15 v