"By my faith," answered
Philip, "I shall know how to do all of this."
"Just as well," said
Pieter. "You will be just as I thought, leader of all the others."
With that he took leave of him, departing his house and returning to his own. The night passed, and day came again.
Pieter van den Bossche arrived at a square where over four thousand men of his faction, and others, were assembled to hear news and to find out what they should do, and who would be made supreme commander of the town. The
lord of Herzeele was there, by whom a fair proportion of the business and affairs of
Ghent was conducted, but he would not get involved outside of the town. Some other townsmen were nominated there, and
Pieter van den Bossche listened attentively to everything.
When he had heard enough, he raised his voice and said, "Sirs, I firmly believe that what you say stems from the great affection and stout resolve you have for protecting the honour and profit of the town of
Ghent, and that those whom you have put forward are capable and worthy of having a part in the government of the town of
Ghent, but I know of one who has no designs whatsoever on the position, yet if he would wish to intervene, there could not be anyone more suited, nor of a more favourable name."
Thus
Pieter van den Bossche was called upon to name him, which he did, saying, "It is
Philip van Artevelde, who was christened at
St. Peter's22 in
Ghent by that gracious
queen of England called
Philippa, who was his godmother at that time when his father,
Jacob van Artevelde, lay outside
Tournai with the
king of England, the
duke of Brabant, the
duke of Guelders and the
count of Hainault.
Jacob van Artevelde, his father, governed the town of
Ghent and the land of
Flanders better than it has ever been governed since, going on all I have heard daily from the agèd inhabitants who had knowledge of it. The rights of the town were never so well defended as they were in his time, for
Flanders had been lost for a time when he recovered it through his good sense and wisdom. And believe me, we should favour the limbs and branches descending from such a valiant man as he, rather than from any other."
As soon as
Pieter van den Bossche had said his piece,
Philip van Artevelde entered the hearts and minds of all manner of people, filling them with such confidence that they all declared with one voice,
"Let him be sent for! We want no other."
"No," said
Pieter van den Bossche, "we will not send for him. It would be much better for us to go to him. We do not know yet how he will react, nor how he may be disposed to deal with us."
SHF 2-208 sync
Of the statutes of Ghent, how the war resumed between the king of Portugal and the king of Spain, and of the visit by the English.
At these words all of those present, and others besides who were following them on the road, made their way to
Philip's house, who had been notified of their approach. The
lord of Herzeele,
Pieter van den Bossche,
Pieter de Wintere and around ten or twelve deans of the minor trades, expressed to
Philip how the town of
Ghent was in great want of a governor and overlord to whom those outside and within might rally, and that all manner of people residing in
Ghent had given him their vote and chosen him to be their supreme governor.
pb 67 v