The
Flemish made such headway that they arrived on Thursday evening at a village a short league away from
Dendermonde on the
river Dender where they lodged. The
Flemish had provided many ships and had had them sent down the river so that they could board them to attack by water and land. Shortly after midnight they arose, armed themselves and prepared in every possible way to enable them to go into combat as soon as they arrived and to surprise the knights in their beds, and then they set out on the path. Some of the country people, who knew of this scheme, went to
Dendermonde by night and informed the guards of the matter, saying to them,
"Be on your guard, for a great many
Ghenters are lying in wait by night very close by, and we do not know what their intentions might be."
The guards at the gates related all of this to the knight of the watch, a knight from
Holland named
Sir Thierri de Brederode. Once he had been informed, he was on his guard and had the castle alerted and all of the quarters in the town where the knights were lodging.
Precisely at daybreak the
Flemish approached by land and by water on their boats, and they had prepared the operation so well as to enable an immediate assault.
When those within the town and the castle became aware of their approach, they began to sound their trumpets, rousing everyone, and the majority of the knights and squires were already fully armed. The
count of Flanders, who was sleeping in the castle, heard the news that the
Flemish had come and were already attacking.
He rose immediately and armed himself, and left the castle with his banner before him.
Beside him that day were
Sir Gossuin de Wilde,
grand bailiff of Flanders, the
lord of Gruuthuse,
Sir Gérard de Rasseghem,
Sir Philippe de Jonghe,
Sir Philippe de Masmines, and others such as
Sir Hugues de Rigny, a Burgundian. All of these knights marched under the count's banner and joined the combat which had already begun and was cruel and terrible, for the
Flemish had brought cannon on their ships from which they shot such large and heavy quarrels that it meant certain death for whoever was struck by one. However, they were strongly shielded from these quarrels with pavises, and among the count's men were many fine crossbowmen whose fire was keeping the
Flemish mightily busy.
Elsewhere, in his service and for his protection, was the duke of Mons, his banner before him. In his company were the
lord of Brederode,
Sir Guillaume Snoy,
Sir Thierry de Wassenaer,
Sir Winans de Clinperoie, and many others, and each did his duty of defence.
In another place and at another gate were
Sir Robert d'Assche,
Sir Jean Vilain, the
lord of Widetot, and
Sir Robert le Mareschal. The attacks were intense and fierce, and the
Flemish made their assaults ceaselessly by land and by water in their ships.
pb 22 r