264 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 



indeed, fast and assured to Maximilian. Upon this 

 pretext of neutrality and treaty he repaired to 

 Bruges, desiring of the States of Bruges to enter 

 peaceably into their town, with a retinue of some 

 number of men of arms fit for his estate ; being 

 somewhat the more, as he said, the better to guard 

 him in a country that was up in arms : and bearing 

 them in hand, that he was to communicate with 

 them of divers matters of great importance for their 

 good. Which having obtained of them, he sent his 

 carriages and harbingers before him, to provide his 

 lodging. So that his men of war entered the city in 

 good array, but in peaceable manner, and he followed. 

 They that went before inquired still for inns and 

 lodgings, as if they would have rested there all night; 

 and so went on till they came to the gate that leadeth 

 directly towards Dam; and they of Bruges only gazed 

 upon them and gave them passage. The captains 

 and inhabitants of Dam also suspected no harm from 

 any that passed through Bruges ; and discovering 

 forces afar off supposed they had been some succours 

 that were come from their friends, knowing some 

 dangers towards them. And so perceiving nothing 

 but well till it was too late, suffered them to enter 

 their town. By which kind of slight, rather than 

 stratagem, the town of Dam was taken, and the town 

 of Bruges shrewdly blocked up, whereby they took 

 great discouragement. 



The Duke of Saxony, having won the town of 

 Dam, sent immediately to the king to let him know, 

 that it was Sluice chiefly, and the Lord Ravenstein, 



