Upward of twenty thousand of the ghent men lost their lives this day, by the sword or by drowning. The bastard de Blanc-Estain, however, saved himself by swimming across the Scheld. On the side of the duke, not more than sixteen men were killed from the commencement of the battle! CHAP. XLVII. THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, MOVED BY PITY, SENDS HIS HERALD TO GHENT TO KNOW IF THE TOWNSMEN WOULD SUBMIT TO HIS WILL, AND HE WOULD HAVE COMPASSION ON THEM.--THE MEN OF GHENT SEND HIM A DEPUTATION TO BEG HIS MERCY. On the morrow after the defeat of the ghent men, the noble duke, moved by compassion, and his own virtuous nature, for his poor subjects, who, through pride and insolence, had rebelled against him, sent his herald, clad in his coat of arms, with letters to Ghent, signifying, that notwithstanding the victory which God had given him the preceding day, he would show them mercy if they would submit to his will, and had transmitted them passports for a deputation to come to him, should they be so inclined, to arrange articles for a general peace. The ghent men were very sensible of the duke's kindness in thus graciously recalling them to his affection, and of the mildness of the expressions in his letter. They handsomely feasted the herald; and on the letter being publicly read, the whole town were unanimous for begging pardon of their lord, and, without further delay, sent a deputation back with the herald. On their appearing before the duke, they, with the utmost humility, requested pardon for their offences, and besought him that he would have the goodness to restore them to his favour, offering, at the same time, to submit themselves and their town to his will. They also requested that he would retire to Gaveren, and dismiss his men at arms, and they would there wait on him to hear and do his will. The good duke granted their requests; but, on returning to Gaveren, over the field of the late battle, he was so shocked at the multitudes of dead bodies that he wept bitterly, as it was said. As he saw several women searching for the bodies of their friends, to bury them, he caused proclamation to be made, that no one should molest them, whatever might be his rank, under pain of death. On the 25th day of July, the abbot of St Bavon, in Ghent, the prior of the Carthusians, and many persons of note, waited on the duke at Gaveren, and, falling on their knees, begged mercy for the inhabitants of Ghent, who offered to surrender every thing up to him, saving their lives. The duke replied, that, from love to God, he pardoned all their misdeeds, provided they would agree to the preliminaries proposed at Seclin, and concluded at Lille by the three estates of Flanders and the burghers of Bruges. They promised, in the name of their townsmen, to abide wholly by this treaty, and most humbly thanked the duke for his great benignity and kindness. CHAP. XLVIII. HERE FOLLOW THE ARTICLES OF THE TREATY BETWEEN PHILIP THE GOOD, AND THE TOWN OF GHENT.