e of army leaders in vain.

By her advice he relinquished his plan of capturing Mechlin, after
learning from spies that it was prepared and expecting the attack of the
insurgents.

He could not enter upon a long siege with the means at his command; his
first blow must not miss the mark. So he only showed himself near
Brussels, sent Captain Montesdocca, who tried to parley again, back with
his mission unaccomplished, marched in a new direction to mislead his
foes, and then unexpectedly assailed wealthy Aalst in Flanders.

The surprised inhabitants tried to defend their well-fortified city, but
the citizens' strength could not withstand the furious assault of the
well-drilled, booty-seeking army.

The conquered city belonged to the king. It was the pledge of what the
rebels required, and they indemnified themselves in it for the pay that
had been with held. All who attempted to offer resistance fell by the
sword, all the citizens' possessions were seized by the soldiers, as the
wages that belonged to them.

In the shops under the Belfry, the great tower from whence the bell
summoned the inhabitants when danger threatened, lay plenty of cloth for
new doublets. Nor was there any lack of gold or silver in the treasury of
the guild-hall, the strong boxes of the merchants, the chests of the
citizens. The silver table-utensils, the gold ornaments of the women, the
children's gifts from godparents fell into the hands of the conquerors,
while a hundred and seventy rich villages near Aalst were compelled to
furnish food for the mutineers.

Navarrete did not forbid the plundering. According to his opinion, what
soldiers took by assault was well-earned booty. To him the occupation of
Aalst was an act of righteous self-defence, and the regiments shared his
belief, and were pleased with their Eletto.

The rebels sought and found quarters in the citizens' houses, slept in
their beds, eat from their dishes, and drank their wine-cellars empty.
Pillage was permitted for three days. On the fifth discipline was
restored, the quartermaster's department organized, and the citizens were
permitted to assemble at the guild-hall, pursue their trades and
business, follow the pursuits to which they had been accustomed. The
property they had saved was declared unassailable; besides, robbery had
ceased to be very remunerative.

The Eletto was at liberty to choose his own quarters, and there was no
lack of stately dwellings in Aalst. Ulrich m