They mustered upward of four-and-twenty thousand men under arms, and appointed as leaders the said English and their companions, who amounted to full two hundred on horseback. When they saw their numbers, and that all was ready, they issued out of Ghent to combat their lord. Three days before this event, the good duke expecting daily an attack from Ghent, and desirous that his son the count de Charolois might not be present at the battle, on account of the dangers that are incident to such affairs, gave him to understand that the duchess was dangerously ill at Lille, and that he would do well to go thither and see how she was. The count, like a good son, hastened to Lille, but found the duchess recovered, and in good health. He then knew that the reason why the duke had sent him on this errand was to prevent him from being present at the battle. He told his attendants that it was absolutely necessary he should be present to aid his father, for that he was fighting to preserve his inheritance,--and, said he, 'I vow to God that I will be there, if possible.' When the duchess heard of this vow, she tried all she could to detain him, but in vain, for he instantly set off and joined the duke before Gaveren. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 147: Gavere,--Gaveren, a town on the Scheld, seven miles from Ghent.] [Footnote 148: Lalain,--a village in Flanders, near Bouchain.] CHAP. XLVI. THE BATTLE OF GAVEREN, WHERE THE GHENT MEN ARE COMPLETELY DEFEATED, WITH THE LOSS OF UPWARD OF TWENTY THOUSAND MEN SLAIN AND DROWNED. On the same day the castle of Gaveren was yielded up, and when all the garrison were not yet hanged, news was brought to the duke while sitting at dinner, that the ghent men were in full march to offer him battle. The duke ordered the trumpets to sound to horse, and the army was drawn up in three battalions as before. When it was done, the duke rode from one battalion to another to show himself, and to encourage his men, telling them, that if it pleased God, they should all that day be made rich. The army now moved, the three battalions near to each other, when sir James de St Pol and many others from Burgundy, Picardy, and other territories of the duke, were knighted, and several that day displayed their banners for the first time. This mortal battle took place on the 22nd day of July, in the year 1453. The duke had scarcely advanced before the van perceived the ghent men drawn up in battle-array, with their culverins and other artillery placed in their front. This manœuvre alarmed the marshal of Burgundy, who commanded the van, lest too many of his men should suffer at the onset; and he ordered his division to retire a little, which the ghent men mistaking for an intention to fly, hastened forward leaving their artillery in the rear.