The men at arms therefore began to break their ranks. Few had any desire to return to Bruges, for the crowd was so great on the road thither, that it was painful to see and hear the complaints of the wounded and hurt. The men of Ghent were close at their heels, shouting out, “Ghent, Ghent!” knocking down all that obstructed them. The greater part of the men at arms had never before been in such peril: even the earl was advised to make for Bruges, and to have the gates closed and guarded, so that the Ghent men should not be able to force them, and become masters of the town. The Earl of Flanders saw no help for his men, who were flying on all sides; and, as it was now dark night, followed this advice, and took the road to Bruges, his banner displayed before him. He entered the gates one of the first, with about forty others, for no more had followed him. He ordered the guards to defend the gates if the Ghent men should come hither; and then rode to his palace, from whence he issued a proclamation that every person, under pain of death, should assemble in the market-place. The intention of the earl was to save the town by this means; but it did not succeed, as you shall hear. While the earl was in his palace, and had sent the clerks of the different trades from street to street to hasten the inhabitants to the market-place in order to preserve the city, the men of Ghent, having closely pursued their enemies, entered the town with them, and instantly made for the market-place, without turning to the right or left, where they drew themselves up in array. Sir Robert Mareschaut, one of the earl’s knights, had been sent to the gates to see they were guarded; but, while the earl was planning means for defending the town, Sir Robert found a gate flung off its hinges, and the Ghent men masters of it. Some of the citizens said to him, “Robert, Robert, return and save yourself, if you can, for the Ghent men have taken the town.” The knight returned as speedily as he could to the earl, whom he met coming out of his palace on horseback, with a number of torches. The knight told him what he had heard; but notwithstanding this, the earl, anxious to defend the town, advanced toward the market-place, and as he was entering it with a number of torches, shouting, “Flanders for the Lyon! Flanders for the earl!” those near his horse and about his person, seeing the place full of Ghent men, said, “My lord, return; for if you advance farther you will be slain, or at the best made prisoner by your enemies, as they are drawn up in the square and are waiting for you.”