nd for a ship in which to return to England.
Nor were their fears groundless; for the Count of Flanders had caused to
be arrested, and was still detaining in prison at the castle of
Rupelmonde, the Fleming Sohier of Courtrai, who had received into his
house at Ghent one of the English envoys, and had shown himself favorable
to their cause. Edward keenly resented these outrages, demanded, but did
not obtain, the release of Sohier of Courtrai, and by way of revenge gave
orders in November, 1337, to two of his bravest captains, the Earl of
Derby and Walter de Manny, to go and attack the fort of Cadsand, situated
between the Island of Walcheren and the town of Ecluse (or Sluys), a post
of consequence to the Count of Flanders, who had confided the keeping of
it to his bastard brother Guy, with five thousand of his most faithful
subjects. It was a sanguinary affair. The besieged were surprised, but
defended themselves bravely; the landing cost the English dear; the Earl
of Derby was wounded and hurled to the ground, but his comrade, Walter de
Manny, raised him up with a shout to his men of "Lancaster, for the Earl
of Derby; "and at last the English prevailed. The Bastard of Flanders
was made prisoner; the town was pillaged and burned; and the English
returned to England, and "told their adventure," says Froissart, "to the
king, who was right joyous when he saw them and learned how they had
sped."

Thus began that war which was to be so cruel and so long. The Flemings
bore the first brunt of it. It was a lamentable position for them; their
industrial and commercial prosperity was being ruined; their security at
home was going from them; their communal liberties were compromised;
divisions set in amongst them; by interest and habitual intercourse they
were drawn towards England, but the count, their lord, did all he could
to turn them away from her, and many amongst them were loath to separate
themselves entirely from France. "Burghers of Ghent, as they chatted in
the thoroughfares and at the cross-roads, said one to another, that they
had heard much wisdom, to their mind, from a burgher who was called James
Van Artevelde, and who was a brewer of beer. They had heard him say
that, if he could obtain a hearing and credit, he would in a little while
restore Flanders to good estate, and they would recover all their gains
without standing ill with the King of France or the King of England.
These sayings began to get spread a