pb 21 rThey set up camp outside Oudenaarde in the beautiful meadows beside the Scheldt. Three days later the men of Bruges, who had been summoned, arrived and encamped on the side facing their town, bringing with them huge amounts of baggage and provisions. Next men arrived from Ypres, also impressively arrayed, then from Poperinghe, Mesen, and the Franc, and men from Geraardsbergen were also in their number. There were more than one hundred thousand Flemings outside Oudenaarde, and they had used ships and wickerwork mats to make pontoon bridges over the Scheldt, over which they went from one side to the other. The count of Flanders, who was residing at Lille, had in mind to go to Dendermonde as he had called for a great many knights and squires from Germany, Guelders and Brabant, particularly the duke of Mons, his cousin, who came to serve him with a large group of knights and squires. They gathered in Dendermonde and there found the count of Flanders, who had already arrived from the frontiers of Hainault and Brabant, and who was greatly pleased by their arrival. SHF 2-118 syncThe Flemish sustained the siege of Oudenaarde for a long period, during which there were many assaults and grand skirmishes, and almost every day there were great feats of arms performed at the wooden barrier defenses, and men killed and injured, for the Flemish ventured foolishly and wildly right up to the barriers to brawl and skirmish, and so there were often many slain and wounded through their recklessness. In the town of Oudenaarde there were a good eight hundred lance, knights and squires, and many valiant men within, and at that time eight barons; namely, the lord of Ghistelles, the lord of Villers and Hulluch and the lord of Escornay, who were Flemish, and from Hainault were Gauthier, lord of Enghien, the lord of Antoing, the lord of Briffeuil, the lord of Lens and the lord of Gommegnies, and the three brothers of Halewyn, Sir Jean, Sir Daniel and Sir Josse, the lord of Estainbourg, the lord of Crane, Sir Gérard de Marquillies, the lord of Coeyghem, the lord of Montigny in Hainault, Sir Rasse de Montigny, Sir Thierry de la Hamaide, Sir Jean de Grez; and there were as many as one hundred and five knights in all. They made a good job of keeping guard for they had no faith in the townspeople and had made the women and children of the town withdraw to the churches, where they remained. The lords and their men kept inside their houses. The houses had been covered with earth against the cannon fire and bombardment which the Flemish were vigorously launching into the town to burn it, to prevent the fire taking hold. SHF 2-119 syncAs the siege continued outside Oudenaarde, the Flemish and the captains there heard that the count, their lord, was at Dendermonde, and that his cousin, the duke of Mons, had a great number of knights and squires with him. They resolved to send six thousand of their men there to see what was going on and to launch an attack on Dendermonde. They did as had been determined and all those of the host who were commanded to go there departed that day, and their captain was Rasse van Herzeele. pb 21 v