The gentlemen, knights and fquires^ho refîded at Lille with the earl, on hearing this, were much enraged, and with reafon : they told the earl, that this outrage ought to be punifhed, and the pride 0f the Ghent men humbled. . The carl gave to thefe knights and fquircs per-miflion to make war on Ghent, and revenge them-felves for the injuries they had fuflfered. They made alliances with many knights and fquires of Flanders, wd entreated their friends in Hainault to affift them, and chofe for their commander le Hafle de Flandres, the eldcft baftard forç of the carl, a right valiant knight. This Hafle de Flandres and his companions fometimes fixed their quarters in Oudenarde, at oçhers at Gavreç, Aloft or Dendremqnde, and had frequent fkirmilhes with the Ghent men. They ad-vanced up to the barriers of the town, anddeftroyed almoft all the windmills which were around it, commiting other injuries on Ghent. They had with them a young knight from fîainault, well in-clined to ferve them, whofe name was fir James de Vcrchin, fénéfchal of Hainault. He performed many* gallant deeds, and adven-tured himfclf fometimes too rafhly, in tilting clofe to the barriers, and twice or thrice won from them their helmets and crofs-bows. This fir James de # Verchin wai very fond of arms, and would have 'greatly excelled if he had lived longer; but he died young, and in his bed, at the caftie of Ombre, nea? Mortaigne, which was a great lofs. CHAP. 17©