FROM THE SPANISH MONARCHY. 201 



almoil all the reft of Europe 1 The burgundian period 

 fhone amid thqfe gloomy centuries, like a glorious 

 day of funlhine intervening between the rains of the 

 fpring. 



This fiouriming ftate of affairs, at length, however, 

 brought the cities of Flanders to their ruin. Ghent 

 and Bruges, intoxicated with freedom and affluence, 

 declared war againfr. Philip the good, the fqyereign of 

 eleven provinces, which terminated as unhappily for 

 them as it had been rafhly undertaken. Qhent alone f 

 at the affair of Gavre ? loft feveral thoufand men, and 

 was obliged to appeafe the wrath of the victor by an 

 amercement of four hundred thoufand gold guldens. 

 All the perfons of diftinction, and the principal burgh- 

 ers of the city, two thoufand in number, were forced 

 to walk barefoot the length of a french mile, with 

 their heads uncovered, and naked to their fhirts, to 

 meet the duke, and afk his grace upon their knees. 

 On this occaflon they were divefted of feveral of their 

 moft valuable privileges ; an irreparable damage to all 

 their future trade. In the year 1482, they engaged in 

 a war, not much more fuccefsful, with Maximilian of 

 Auftria, to diveft him of the guardianfhip of his fon, 

 which he had illegally affumed. The emperor Frede- 

 ric III. entered their territory with a numerous army, 

 to avenge the caufe of his fon, and kept the harbour 

 of Sluys blocked up for ten years, by which their com- 

 merce was much reduced. At this juncture Amfterdam 

 and Antwerp fupplied him with the moft fubftantial 

 fuccours, and glad they were of the occalion, as their 

 ^ealoufy had long been railed by the flourishing con- 

 dition 



