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Burning and sacking and murder were the sad lot of Alost and its unfortunate citizens, who had hardly recovered, ere the Duke d'Alençon arrived before the walls with his troops, bent upon mischief. The few people remaining after his onslaught died like flies during the plague which broke out the following year, and the town bid fair to vanish forever.
"Even those who were wont to rail at science and labour," said one who was present in the camp of Maurice, "declared that the siege would have been a far more arduous undertaking had it not been for those two engineers, Joost Matthes of Alost, and Jacob Kemp of Gorcum.
Had it not been for the duty that nature bound me towards her and my country, I needed not to have been in that case that I am in. Perhaps I could have fingered more pistoles than Mr. Newell, the late Latiner, and had better usage and pension of the Spaniards than he. Some can tell that I refused large offers, in the misery of Alost, of the Prince of Parma.
The mutineers at length, to the number of some thousands, attacked and carried by force the town of Alost, at equal distances between Brussels, Ghent, and Antwerp, imprisoned the chief citizens, and levied contributions on all the country round.
Suspecting no great difficulty, he sent up messengers to the lord of Gazara for a safe-conduct for certain merchants, pilgrims. This man was an Austrian knight called Gunther. 'Who are your pilgrims? Gunther asked; and was told, Master Hugh, a merchant of Alost, he and his servants. 'What manner of a merchant? was Gunther's next question.
The tide seemed about to turn in Henry's favour once more, when it was suddenly impelled that way by the death of William. Wounded in the hand by a spear, in a fight at Alost, he died a few days later. His father was still alive in an English prison, and was informed in a dream, we are told, of this final blow of fortune.
Even as she went, the door betrayed her, for Reddin, coming from the kitchen, saw her through the upper panes. 'I be going home-along, she said, but he pulled her in and shut the door. 'Why did you want to go? 'I'm alost in this grand place. 'Your hair's grander than anything in the place. And your eyes are like sherry. 'Truth on your life? 'Yes. Now you'd better change your dress again.
Then the King got up to make a reverence, and in so doing betrayed his stature. 'I should have guessed it, sir, by your gentleness in coming to visit me here. I ask your pardon. Thus the King, while Gunther wondered. 'You are a very tall merchant, Hugh, says he. 'Do they make your sort in Alost? King Richard laughed. 'It is the only advantage I have of your lordship.
They had refused and returned to Alost. Meantime, the siege was warmly pressed by the states. There being, however, a deficiency of troops, application for assistance was formally made to the Prince of Orange.
The Marquis of Havre claimed for the Walloons the post of honour in defence of the lines facing the citadel; and 6000 men were disposed here, while the bulk of the German garrison were stationed in the principal squares. At ten o'clock the mutineers from Alost marched into the citadel, raising the force there to 5000 veteran infantry and 600 cavalry.
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