The story of Philip van Artevelde, the Rienzi of Flanders, has been rendered popular, in the highest sense of the term, by the noble drama of Mr. Taylor. In the present Illumination, we see him exhibited, by a nearly contemporary artist, haranguing the people in the market-place of Ypres. The artist, although in a rude manner, has attempted to exhibit the scene at the moment when Philip, at the close of his oration, exclaimed:--“Let all those who are determined to remain true to the cause, according to the oath they took, gallantly lift up their hands to heaven as a token of their loyalty;”--an example, if one were wanting, that at public meetings then, as now, a majority was determined by a show of hands. The commencement of the chapter, given under the Illumination, is--“Cestui meschret se passa, on le mist en oubliance et Phle’ Dartevelle se parti de Bruges et vint a Ypre ou il fut recuelli a grand joye et pietre du Bois sen vint a Commines ou le plat pays etoit assemble et la entendi a ses besoignes et fut tous.” Of which the following is Johnes’s translation:--“This affair passed off, and was soon forgotten. Philip van Artevelde departed from Bruges, and came to Ypres, where he was most joyfully received. Peter Du Bois went to Comines, where all the inhabitants of the flat country were assembled, and instantly began his preparations, and all--” which relates to the destruction of the bridges, to oppose the entry of the army of the King of France into Flanders.[4] [Illustration: <f>The taking of Oudenarde by Francis Atremen.</f>] PLATE XIV. THE TAKING OF OUDENARDE, BY FRANCIS ATREMEN. Froissart tells us that Francis Atremen, Peter du Bois, Peter le Nuitre, and other captains of the Artevelde party, having returned from the siege of Ypres, “were daily and nightly imagining how they could annoy their enemies.” Among their various plans the favourite one was the taking of Oudenarde, which had successfully resisted all their former attempts. The men of Oudenarde holding the Ghent men in contempt, were grown somewhat careless; and the governor, Gilbert de Lienegen, being absent, no doubt causing the watch and general discipline to be still more lax, Francis Atremen and his followers stormed the place by surprise, with ladders, as represented in the Illumination. The operation was much facilitated by the ditches being dry, the inhabitants having emptied them of water to get the fish. The captors pillaged the town, sending out all the women and children in the meanest dress they had, who were forced to take refuge in Mons, Arras, and other places. [Illustration: <f>The Battle of Rosebecque.</f>] PLATE XV. THE BATTLE OF ROSEBECQUE.