Presently the French King sent them gold, and passed his word that no treaty should be made with the insurgents without first taking the advice of the burghers of Ghent. From all which politic proceedings came this result--the Ghenters forgot their compact with Bruges of 1321, at first posed as mediators, and then openly went over to Louis's side and aided him with cash and men. At this juncture Louis attempted to treat with the insurgents. Let the points at issue be submitted to the arbitration of Robert of Cassel and the sheriffs of Ypres and of Ghent, and no sentence of death (this he guaranteed), or banishment, or mutilation, should be pronounced on any of the rebels. Bruges and her allies consented, and the arbiters made it known that they would receive a deputation of the insurgents on the 11th of June ensuing, at the great Abbey of Dunes. But meanwhile a Karl of Furnes was slain by a knight. This incident sufficed to throw the whole country round into uproar, and when, on the appointed day, Zannekin and his friends, all armed to the teeth, reached the abbey, not one of the judges was there to meet them--fear had kept them away--and the flame of rebellion waxed fiercer than before. Louis, at his wit's end, grew doubtful of his uncle's good faith. The Lord of Cassel, he thought, was secretly allied with his enemies to wrest from him his crown. Why not make away with him? and soon letters were dispatched to the bailiff of Warneton to keep a watch on Robert's movements, and when an opportunity offered, to cut off his head. This sentence was never executed. Louis's own chancellor warned Robert of his danger, and himself informed Louis of the motive which had impelled him to do so. 'I wished,' he said, 'to save the honour of the Count of Flanders in the eyes of men, and his soul from the vengeance of God.'