ing to the persuasions of the
pope and the Council, I have now consented to put an end to the
evils multiplied by war by forgetting my father's death, and by
reconciling myself with the king. Since the conclusion of this
treaty, I considered that while I had succeeded in preserving
to my subjects during the war the advantages of industry and of
peace, they had submitted to heavy burdens in taxes and in
voluntary contributions, and that it was my duty to re-establish
order and justice in the administration. But everything went on as
though the war had not ceased. All my frontiers have been menaced,
and I found myself obliged to make good my rights in Luxemburg, so
useful to the defence of my other lands, especially of Brabant and
Flanders.

"In this way, my expenses continued to increase; all my resources
are now exhausted, and the saddest part of it all is that the good
cities and communes of Flanders and especially the country folk
are at the very end of their sacrifices. With grief I see many of
my subjects unable to pay their taxes, and obliged to emigrate.
Nevertheless, my receipts are so scanty that I have little
advantage from them. Nor do I reap more from my hereditary lands,
for all are equally impoverished.

"A way must be found to ease the poor people, and at the same time
to protect Flanders from insult, Flanders for whose sake I would
risk my own person, although to arrive at this end, important
measures have become imperative."

After this affectionate preamble, Philip finally states that, in order
to raise the requisite revenues, no method seemed to him so good and
so simple as a tax on salt, three sous on every measure for a term of
twelve years. He promised to dispense with all other subsidies and to
make his son swear to demand nothing further as long as the _gabelle_
was imposed.

"Know [he added in conclusion] that even if you consent to it I
will renounce it if others prove of a different opinion, for I do
not desire that the communes of Flanders be more heavily weighted
than any other portion of my territory."

The duke might have spared his trouble and his elaborate
condescension. The answer to his conciliatory request was a flat
refusal to consider the matter at all. Salt was a vital necessity to
Flemish fisheries, and its cost could not be increased to the least
degree without se