By these means the popular party waxed very strong numerically.  The sheriffs found themselves quite unequal to holding the rampant spirit of democracy in check.  The regular government was overthrown, and the demagogues succeeded in electing three captains (hooftmans) invested with arbitrary power for the time being.  The decrees of the ex-sheriffs were suspended, and a mass of very radical measures promulgated and joyfully confirmed by the populace, assembled on the Friday market.  It was to be the judgment of the town meeting that ruled, not deputed authority.  One ordinance stipulated that at the sound of the bell every burgher must hasten to the market-place, to lend his voice to the deliberations.

For a time various negotiations went on between Philip and envoys from Ghent.  The latter took a high hand and insinuated in unmistakable terms that if the duke refused an accommodation with them, they would appeal to their suzerain, the King of France.  No act of rebellion, overt or covert, exasperated Philip more than this suggestion.  Charles VII. was only too ready to ignore those clauses in the treaty of Arras, releasing the duke from homage, and virtually acknowledging his complete independence in his French territories.  The king accepted missives from his late vassal’s city, without reprimanding the writers for their presumption in signing themselves “Seigneurs of Ghent."[12] His action, however, was confined to mild attempts at mediation.

It was plain to the duke that his other towns would follow Ghent’s resistance to his authority if there were hopes of her success.  Therefore he threw aside all other interests for the time being, and exerted himself to levy a body of troops to crush Flemish pretensions.  His counsellors advised him to sound the temper of other citizens and to ascertain whether their sympathies were with Ghent.  Answers of feeble loyalty came back to him from the majority of the other towns.  Undoubtedly they highly approved Ghent’s efforts.  They, too, could not afford to pay taxes fraught with danger to their commerce, nor to relinquish one jot of privileges dearly bought at successive crises throughout a long period of years.  The only doubt in their minds was as to the ultimate success of the burghers to stem the course of Burgundian usurpation.  Therefore, they first hedged, and then consented to aid the duke.  This course was pursued by the Hollanders and the Zealanders, all alike short-sighted.

The Ghenters succeeded in possessing themselves of the castle of Poucque by force, and of the village of Gaveren by stratagem, taking advantage in the latter case of the castellan’s absence at church.

When every part of his dominions had been canvassed for troops, and Philip was prepared for his first active campaign against Ghent, he was anxious to leave his heir under the protection of the duchess, conscious that the imminent contest would be bitter and deadly.  A pretence was made that the young count’s accoutrements were not ready, and that, therefore, he would have to remain in Brussels.