If the people could rise en masse, now that the royal government was in abeyance, and, as it were, in the nation's hands, the incubus might be cast off for ever.

If any of the Spanish officers had been sincere in their efforts to arrest the mutiny, the sincerity was not believed.

If any of the foreign regiments of the King appeared to hesitate at joining the Alost crew, the hesitation was felt to be temporary.

Meantime, the important German regiments of Fugger, Fronsberger, and Polwiller, with their colonels and other officers, had openly joined the rebellion, while there was no doubt of the sentiments of Sancho d'Avila and the troops under his command.

Thus there were two great rallying-places for the sedition, and the most important fortress of the country, the key which unlocked the richest city in the world, was in the hands of the mutineers.