in some other towns.  Artevelde, constrained to take part in these petty civil wars, had been led on to greater and greater abuse, in his own city itself, of his municipal despotism, already grown hateful to many of his fellow-citizens.  Whether he himself proposed to shake off the yoke of Count Louis of Flanders, and take for duke the Prince of Wales, or merely accepted King Edward’s proposal, he set resolutely to work to get it carried.  The most able men, swayed by their own passions and the growing necessities of the struggle in which they may be engaged, soon forget their first intentions, and ignore their new perils.  The consuls of Bruges and Ypres, present with Artevelde at his interview with King Edward in the port of Ecluse (Sluys), answered that “they could not decide so great a matter unless the whole community of Flanders should agree thereto,” and so returned to their cities.  Artevelde followed them thither, and succeeded in getting the proposed resolution adopted by the people of Ypres and Bruges.  But when he returned to Ghent, on the 24th of July, 1345, “those in the city who knew of his coming,” says Froissart, “had assembled in the street whereby he must ride to his hostel.  So soon as they saw him they began to mutter, saying, ’There goes he who is too much master, and would fain do with the countship of Flanders according to his own will; which cannot be borne.’  It had, besides this, been spread about the city that James Van Artevelde had secretly sent to England the great treasure of Flanders, which he had been collecting for the space of the nine years and more during which he had held the government.  This was a matter which did greatly vex and incense them of Ghent.  As James Van Artevelde rode along the street, he soon perceived that there was something fresh against him, for those who were wont to bow down and take off their caps to him turned him a cold shoulder, and went back into their houses.  Then he began to be afraid; and so soon as he had dismounted at his house, he had all the doors and windows shut and barred.  Scarcely had his varlets done so, when the street in which he lived was covered, front and back, with folk, and chiefly small crafts-folk.  His hostel was surrounded and beset, front and back, and broken into by force.  Those within defended themselves a long while, and overthrew and wounded many; but at last they could not hold out, for they were so closely assailed that nearly three quarters of the city were at this assault.  When Artevelde saw the efforts a-making, and how hotly he was pressed, he came to a window over the street, and began to abase himself, and say with much fine language, ’Good folks, what want ye?  What is it that doth move ye?  Wherefore are ye so vexed at me?  In what way can I have angered ye?  Tell me, and I will mend it according to your wishes.’  Then all those who had heard him answered with one voice, ’We would have an account of the great treasure of Flanders, which