• 124 that your beautiful houfe of Andrcghien, which has coft you fuch funis to build, and of which you arc fo fond, is burnt to the ground/ f Burnt V replied the earl, who was much enraged at this intelligence. c Yes ; help me, God, if it be not true.* 'And by what means ?' c By an accidental fire, as they fay/ f Ha, ha/ anfwered the earl, € now it is all over: there (hall never be peace in Flanders as long as John Lyon lives : he has had this hou.c burnt in an undçrhapd manner, but he fhall dearly pay for it/ He then ordered the deputation from Ghent to Come to him, and faid* f Ah wretches ! you fup~ plicate my favour with fword in hand. I had ac-ceded to every propofal you had made, according to your wifh ; and your people have fet fire to and burnt the houfe I loved in preference to all my others. Do you think there had' not been fufBcient contempt fhewn me when they murdered my bailiff, while he was executing my orders, tore my banner, and trod it under foot ? Know, that if my own honour were not concerned, and if you had not already obtained paffports from me, I would now. have you all beheaded. Quit my prcfence, and tell thofe wicked and outrageous men of Ghent, that they fh^ll never have peace, nor will I liften to any negotiation, until I fhall have given up to me all thofê whom I fhall point out, and whom I will have beheaded without merçy/ % " Thefe citizens were exceedingly hurt at the news they heard, and, like people who were perfectly in-* notent, endeavoured to txcufe themfelvcs i but in vain, for the earl was fo much enraged he would