And whilst they found themselves divided one against the other on account of conflict, hatred and ill-will, they were none the less determined to come together when necessary to maintain and protect the freedoms, privileges and rights of the free towns of
Ghent. This they later demonstrated, for they were, during their close to seven year long war, so united that there was never a dispute among them in the town, and this, more than anything else, sustained them both within the town and outside it. Their alliance was so strong that there were no quarrels between them, and they put forward their gold and silver, jewels and other wealth, and those who had the most gave it all up, as you will hear it recounted next in this history.
SHF 2-131 syncIt was not long after the
count of Flanders had left
Ghent and returned to
Lille that
Sir Olivier van Autryve, first cousin to
Rogier van Autryve whom the
Ghenters had slain, issued a challenge of defiance to the town of
Ghent for the death of his
cousin, as did
Sir Philippe de Masmines, the
Gallois de Masmines and many others. After this challenge had been conveyed, they came across around forty Ghentish sailors, burghers of
Ghent, who were transporting corn to
Ghent down the
river Scheldt. And so they took their revenge on these sailors for the death of their
cousin, cutting them up most brutally and putting out their eyes, and sending them back to
Ghent maimed and wounded; a contemptuous act which the
Ghenters took very personally. The magistrates who were governing at the time and to whom these grievances were voiced, were infuriated and did not know what to say for the best, nor who to blame besides the perpetrators.
Mutterings spread through the town with most of the people of
Ghent saying that the
count of Flanders had done it, and scarcely any man of stature dared to speak in his favour. As soon as
Jan Parneele, who was the principal leader and captain of the
White Hoods at that time, heard these tidings, without a word to the magistrates (and I do not know if he made mention of it to the other captains, though I believe so), he took the majority of the
White Hoods and plenty of ill-intentioned hangers-on, left
Ghent in the evening and marched to
Oudenaarde to install himself there. When he first entered there was no guard or sentry because they were not in fear of anyone, and so he came back out of the gate and all of his men entered, and there were over five hundred of them.
When morning came he set to work labourers, masons, carpenters and other men he had to hand to do his bidding, and they did not stop until they had demolished two gates, the towers and the walls and dropped them into the moat on the side in the direction of
Ghent. Now, how could the
Ghenters justify themselves for consenting to this terrible deed, for they stayed in
Oudenaarde for over a month, tearing down gates and walls? If they had recalled their men the instant they knew what was happening, they might have been excused, but this was not the case. Rather, they closed their eyes and tolerated it until reports reached the
count, who was residing at
Lille, of how
Jan Parneele had stolen into
Oudenaarde by night, installed himself there, and ordered two gates, the towers and the walls to be pulled down.
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