and that the meflengers who had brought thefe letters were detained and lodged in the town priions. f This is well done/ continued Philip. He then examined the letters for a while, and faid he would write himfelf to the French cora-miffipners. He did fo, in confequence, and ad-drefled them, ' To the very noble and difcreet lords the commiffioners from France.' CHAP. XXIX. THE ANSWER OF PtflLIP • VON ARTAVELD TO THE FRENCH COMMISSIONERS, WHICH HE SENT BY A PRISONER OF WAR FROM OUDE-NARDE. ' "1 TER Y dear and potent lords, may it pleafe * you, in your noble difcretion, to know that we have received very amicably the letters fent to us by the moil excellent lord Charle* king of France, informing us that your very noble lordfhips are come by his orders into thefe parts, to negotiate a peace between m and the moll noble prince my lord of Flanders and tht country of Flanders, and that the king afore-faid and his council have authority to bring it to a coi*clufion, as the citizens of Tournay, o dear and good friends, teftify to us by fe*' ters patent which we have feen. Now, ft^e the king writes to us, that he ismuchdifpfeafe** that thefe difcords have fo long continued »d mi 148