Thieves of the Wood (The Flemish Bandits)

A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES

Ho.

Greetings.

Jozef Schiplaecke, guide of these two officers.

May I ask you to stand aside?

Our stomachs are empty, our horses are thirsty

and we have a long journey ahead.

Nice shoes.

I want those shoes.

Tell the whore to get out of the way.

I don't speak German.

Do you know German?

Nein.

Who is this unlucky guy?

Not that it's any of your business, but this gentleman is Jan de Lichte,

wanted for murder and desertion.

What's he worth?

A lot, I think.

Five hundred florins.

And those shoes.

Then you can pass.

What do you reckon?

I reckon that,

if I wanted to be bossed around by a woman,

I'd get married.

FLANDERS 1747

Dear friends, dear members of the town council,

please be seated.

Welcome to this special council meeting.

Today we will discuss the increase of war taxes

following a direct appeal from His Majesty, Louis XV.

In respect, long live the king.

Long live the king.

Our town tax collector, Mr. Rademaeckers, has a fair plan.

Mr. Rademaeckers, the floor is yours.

If we want to...

Stand up, master.

To fulfil the obligations resulting from the imposed increase,

we're talking about a total of 20 extra shares.

The...

The villages will contribute proportionately

by giving two extra shares.

The two towns

represent six shares,

which gives us the 20 shares.

Chevalier , you know we don't have a choice.

In wartime the host country has to pay the expenses,

whether we want to or not.

Maître , calm down.

Excuse me.

Henceforth, we will collect the new increase

on the first day of each month.

I have spoken.

Gentlemen, I would like to remind you

that these expenses won't be paid by us.

Raise excise duties impose tolls at the gates,

or send city wardens door-to-door, I don't care.

People may be barely keeping their heads above water,

but they should be damn glad to have water.

Right, Benoît?

Excuse me sir, but the mayor cannot receive you today.

This is our chief city warden, Goorissen.

He will escort you to your office.

Yes.

I assume you were informed of my arrival?

An office has been made available for you, Bailiff...

Baru.

- Baru. - It's Baru.

Do you understand that I am your new superior?

Yes, I do.

What's going on?

A flogging. Half a dozen today.

You goddamned whore.

Dirty thief.

What did they do?

This family stole two rabbits from Mayor Coffijn's estate.

- Two rabbits? - Yes.

Which means two dozen lashes for the women.

The same amount for the men, but we cane them

and the brood gets to watch.

Then they are branded and banished.

That's a bit harsh, isn't it?

We'll have no scum here.

She's first.

Look at Pycke.

He thinks he's the Cardinal Vicar of Rome.

The Pope.

The dean is a master of theatricality. Life is an amazing play, don't you think?

I'm sorry to tell you, but I hate theatre.

It's swarming with sodomites.

My apologies, Mayor. I have other obligations.

Very well, general. I'll have fawns at my castle tonight.

Can I count on your presence?

Yes, of course.

What happened to the previous bailiff?

Dead.

It took a long time, eight days, before they found him.

He was on the can.

Your workspace

and your maid, Magda de Wispelaere.

My apologies, sir. I was told you would arrive tonight.

I make a point of never being late.

Which means I'm sometimes early.

I'll hurry up.

That's how we'll straighten the main road to Brussels,

for once and forever,

so that our stage coach axels won't break anymore.

Through overseas contacts Mr. Van Gelderhode has learned

about road surfacing, which will cut travel time

between the two cities by half.

Speed is the future.

Yes?

That's our motto.

Excuse me, Mayor, but who is going to pay for it?

As city treasurer, you must free up funds.

Manpower is also a problem, Mayor.

A problem?

Dear fellow, there are no problems we cannot fix.

Did the previous bailiff have a system for all the paperwork?

A system?

How long ago did he die?

The bailiff? Four years next fall.

For four years,

no one has been dealing with criminal matters in this castellany?

Four years?

You can read?

Yes.

Can you also write?

The nuns taught me.

Then you can also talk.

Yes.

Start by telling me everything that's happened in this town.

I want to know.

- Everything? - Yes.

Our city has three gates.

There used to be four,

but due to a shortage of staff, one was closed.

And...

Our Procession of the Holy Blood attracts a lot of people.

Not as many as in Bruges, but ours is undervalued I feel.

Because our parish also owns...

Magda.

Magda, right?

Yes.

Restrict yourself to criminal matters.

Of course.

Sorry, Mr. Embo won't be home before dark.

He's with an important client in Ghent.

I'll come back later.

Beth de Lichte used to clean the presses here.

Yes, Michel mentioned her. I didn't know her.

How long have you worked here?

Three years.

Do you know where I can find her?

Not here.

I think she's living in the forest.

She got sick.

Sick?

You should ask Miss Héloïse. Shall I call her?

No, thank you.

Who was that, Verlooy?

I don't know. A soldier, I guess.

So people are either caught in the act,

or...

Denounced by a witness.

Then they are hanged.

Or banished.

Without papers they can go nowhere.

No city or village will let them in.

Where do they go?

The Kluis forest.

Apparently they gather there from all over Flanders.

But no one knows exactly what goes on.

I advise you to steer clear of the forest.

Even City Watch won't go, Mr. Baru.

Jean-Philippe.

Call me Jean-Philippe.

Yes, Mr. Baru.

Sir, your future?

You're passing through.

Or you're on the run.

Tell me something I don't know, Minna.

Can you take me to the forest?

Are you sure?

Why should I help you,

Jan de Lichte?

A drink for the road, sir?

No, thank you.

To whom does this glory belong?

Mayor Coffijn.

I wish to speak to the mayor.

He's not receiving today.

It sure looks like he is.

I'm Mr. Baru, the new bailiff.

My apologies, Bailiff.

Private party, just for wigs, if you catch my drift.

I'm under strict orders. No one can enter.

I'm sure the mayor can accommodate one extra guest.

Orders, sir. Sorry.

I understand.