MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS.— TOWNS. 401 



alternately at Ghent, Brussels, and Alost. Even before that time the merchants of 

 Flanders had founded an international corporation for the promotion of commercial 

 relations with England, and known as the " Hanse of London." 



The spirit of association was not confined to the towns, for there existed also 

 "rural guilds," and, indeed, the Flemish husbandman, by the wonderful manner 

 in which he cultivated his land, had richly deserved any "rights" that could be 

 bestowed upon him. As to the artisans of Flanders and Brabant, they were not 

 content to acquire wealth by developing the ancient industries of the country, but 

 struck out new paths, and the number of guilds grew apace. Bruges, which for 

 a considerable time stood at the head of the manufacturing industry of the whole 

 world, had no less than eighty trade guilds in the fifteenth century, whilst Ghent 

 had as many, the weavers alone being split up into twenty-seven different societies, 

 each carrying on a special branch of business, Brussels had fifty "trades," 

 Tournay over forty, Liège and Ypres more than thirty each. As to the intel- 

 lectual influence of the Flemings, it is amply vouched for by their share in the 

 literature and scientific work of the time. 



The existing municipal buildings are witnesses of the glories of the old Flemish 

 communes. Most of the churches commenced in that age remain unfinished to 

 the present day, but the municipal edifices have nearly all been completed, and 

 only need to be kept in repair. Each guild had its hall, and however humble the 

 habitations of the individual members might be, no expense was spared to render 

 these buildings representative of the wealth of the corporation as a whole. Li the 

 construction and decoration of town-halls there existed great rivalry ; and the 

 architects, whilst adhering to the general style of architecture of the time, suc- 

 cessfully strove to give a character of originality to the buildings the construction 

 of which had been intrusted to them. The town-hall of Louvain, for instance, has 

 been likened to a huge jewel box, whilst that of Brussels strikes us by the bold 

 elegance of its spire, and others are distinguished by the noble simplicity of their 

 façade. The belfry stands either by itself, as at Ghent, or it surmounts the Council 

 Chamber, as at Bruges, or rises above the facade. Sometimes it resembles a keep, 

 at others a church steeple, and each town took care that this repository of its 

 public records should be worthy of it. 



The open square in front of the town-hall was the principal scene of those 

 popular festivities which were the delight of the Flemings of that age. It was 

 there the oaths of office were administered, and the prizes distributed to archers, 

 minstrels, and poets. On these occasions the deputations of other towns arrived 

 in triumphal cars or barges, and were met by processions of citizens, such as we 

 see represented in old paintings. In course of time these festivities degene- 

 rated into empty displays of speechifiers and poetasters, but their outward 

 splendour made the inhabitants forget that they had virtually lost their ancient 

 liberties. 



The decay of the Flemish cities is due in a large measure to the inhabitants 

 themselves. No sooner did they feel secure from dangers threatening from with- 

 out than they turned upon each other. Ghent and Bruges, instead of living at 

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