CÏUP. XLVI. BRUGES ' SUBMITS TO THE KING'S ' MERCY.— THE COUNT DE BLOIS GUARDS THE COUN-N' TRY OF HAINAULT FROM BEING PILLAGED. —THE INHABITANTS OF GHÇNT GAIN COU-RAGE FROM PETER DU BOIS. v I VH*E Bretons and the van-guard fhewed very plainly the great defire they had to march to Bruges and to divide the fpoil among them-felves, for they were quartered between Tou-rout and Bruges. . The earl of Flapders, who . had an affection for the town of Bruges, and who would have been fprry for its deftruction, had ftrong. fufpicioris of their defigns. " He had received intelligence of what vas going forward • in Orages» and how very much they were fright-ened. He therefore took Companion on them, and fpoke to his fon, the duke of Burgundy, remonftrating with him, that if the town of Bruges fhould throw itfelf on the king's mercy,. it ought not to be refufed : for, if the Bretons or others were permitted to enter it, it would be irrecoverably ruined. The duke agreed to this. Now it happened that, during the king's refi-dence at Courtray, the inhabitants of Bruges, who were in great alarms and knew not whether to quit their town or wait the event, determined to fend two friars to the king, to fclicit a paff-# * * • port 234