CHAP. LXXIV.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY IS DISPLEASED WITH THE INHABITANTS OF ANTWERP.
In these days, while the duke of Burgundy was in Brabant, he collected a large force of men at arms from Picardy and other countries under his obedience, whom he intended to march into Antwerp, by means of certain connexions which he had established in that town, to punish the magistrates and inhabitants, who had incurred his displeasure.
The cause of his anger was, that a long time before, they had seized by force a large vessel belonging to the duke, and filled with his men,—which vessel he had stationed at the mouth of their harbour, so that all vessels trafficking to Antwerp must pass close to it, on whom the duke's men laid several taxes that were, as they said, highly prejudicial to their commerce, and contrary to the oaths which the late dukes of Brabant had always made on taking possession of the dukedom, and which the duke of Burgundy himself had also taken.
On this account, the townsmen of Antwerp, without giving any notice to the duke, had seized the vessel, and confined those found within it in prison. The duke was so much displeased with their conduct that he had collected the force before mentioned to punish them.—In the mean time, his intentions were known to the men of Antwerp, who, though greatly surprised thereat, lost no time in providing men at arms to defend their town, should it be attacked.
They went in a body to the abbey of St Michael, where the duke was lodged whenever he visited Antwerp, having suspicions that some of their enemies were in it; but alter searching every part both above and below, and finding no one, they broke down the walls, to prevent them becoming places of defence. After this, they retired to continue their warlike preparations.
When the duke of Burgundy found that they had discovered his purposes, and were preparing to resist them, he disbanded his men at arms. At the same time, he caused it to be proclaimed through the principal towns in Flanders, Brabant, and his other dependances, that no one, under pain of being capitally punished, should carry provision or stores of any kind to Antwerp, nor give to the inhabitants any counsel or aid whatever. The Antwerpers were in great distress and dismay on hearing of these proclamations,—but they carefully guarded their town, and remained a considerable time in this situation. However, at length a treaty was entered into between them, by which the duke received a very large sum of money, and the magistrates recovered his good graces.