On the 14th of the same month, the ghent men made another irruption into Hainault, with a very numerous army, as far as Tournay and Enghien, setting fire to all the villages, and slaying every one they met without opposition. To this they were incited, as it was said, by the duke's not having paid his soldiers, on which account very many had refused to serve him. When this came to the knowledge of the duke, he issued his summons for greater levies of men than he had raised during the war, every vassal was summoned, and all who had been used to arms,--for he was determined to put an end to the war,--and all were to be ready by the 15th day of May. The artillery which the duke meant to carry with him to Flanders was kept in the great hall of the town-house at Lille. It happened, but it was never known how, that fire was thrown through a crack in a tower, the cellar of which served as the magazine of powder for this artillery; but mischief was prevented by a person going accidentally into the cellar, and putting it out, as it was burning the hoops of a barrel of powder. Had not this person fortunately gone thither, the town-house, artillery, and probably the whole town would have been destroyed. CHAP. XLIII. THE GHENT MEN WOULD HAVE TAKEN ALOST BY STORM, HAD IT NOT BEEN WELL DEFENDED.--THE THREE ESTATES OF FLANDERS ARE URGENT FOR PEACE. On the 8th day of May, upwards of fourteen thousand infantry, and two hundred cavalry, marched out of Ghent to besiege Alost, wherein were no more than three hundred fighting men, commanded by sir Louis de la Viefville, as lieutenant to the governor, sir Anthony de Wissoc, who had that day gone to Dendermonde. Sir Louis sallied forth to meet the cavalry of Ghent, which had advanced before the infantry: a combat ensued, when some were killed, and the cavalry forced to fall back on their main body,--after which the Picards retreated into the town, and the ghent men encamped before it. When day broke, they attacked the town at four different places, and made so severe an attempt on one of the bulwarks that six men at arms were killed; but sir Louis hastening to its relief, he fought so valiantly that the enemy were obliged to retire, with the loss of twenty of their men. These attacks lasted full three hours,--and many were killed on each side; but the ghent men found it prudent to return to their encampment of the preceding night. When sir Anthony de Wissoc heard of this attack at Dendermonde, he collected about six hundred Picards, and marched to offer battle to the ghent men; but on perceiving their superior numbers and order of battle, he dissembled his intentions, and lodged his army near them for the night, intending to combat them on the morrow if he should see it advantageous for him. This same night, however, the ghent men decamped and returned with all their baggage in safety to their town.