CHAPTER III. 



MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS.— TOWNS. 



OWjS^S abound now in those lowlands of Belgium where in the time 

 of the Romans there existed but two cities, Turnacum (Tournay) 

 and Atuatuca Tungrorum (Tongres). In some localities the towns 

 are more numerous than are villages in most parts of Europe. 

 After the struggles between races and classes had ceased, each of 

 these towns organized itself as an independent commune, prepared to resist the 

 encroachments of bishops, barons, and kings. 



Charlemagne, as early as 779, foresaw the danger to the sovereign power of 

 combinations of merchants and artisans dwelling within cities. He forbade the 

 formation of trade guilds and other associations ; but the guilds, notwithstanding 

 his edicts and the persecutions to which they were subjected, grew in power, 

 and ultimately succeeded in firmly establishing the municipal liberties of the 

 towns. 



Originally the cities of Flanders were governed by aldermen chosen amongst 

 the members of a few patrician families, or geslackter. Ordinary citizens or artisans 

 had no share in the government, and hence dissensions between the " great " and 

 the "little" were of frequent occurrence. The trade guilds availed themselves of 

 every civil or foreign war to assert their claims, and though frequently defeated 

 and most cruelly punished after every unsuccessful revolt, they persevered until 

 their representatives were admitted to the city council. In the thirteenth century 

 most cities of Belgium had a municipal council, in which the representatives of 

 the guilds sat side by side with the aldermen chosen amongst the patrician 

 families. At Brussels, Louvain, and other cities of Flanders these guilds had 

 a burgomaster of their own ; and at Liège no patrician was allowed to enter upon 

 that office unless he had previously joined one of the twenfy-five trade guilds. 



The members of the guilds were subjected to a rigorous discipline. They were 

 bound to furnish themselves with suitable weapons, and in nearly all they under- 

 took they had to reckon with the body of which they were members. When the 

 great bell of the belfry called them to arms, they were bound to hasten to their 

 appointed place of meeting. Town often fought town, but as early as 1312 the 

 common dangers which threatened all alike led to the formation of a federation of 



