noon
A fresh party marched into the town ; these collected the stragglers , and seized all the horses and carts for the carriage of the baggage and plunder . The burgomaster had been taken before Tilly and commanded to find a considerable sum of money the first thing in the morning , under threat that the whole town would be burned down , and the inhabitants massacred if it was not forthcoming . A council of the principal inhabitants was hastily summoned at daybreak . The syndics of the various guilds between them contributed the necessary sum either in money or in drafts , and at noon Tilly marched away with his troops , leaving the smoking and ruined town behind him . Many of the inhabitants were forced as drivers to accompany the horses and carts taken away . Among these were three of the syndic 's serving men , Malcolm being one of the number . It was well that the Pomeranian dialect differed so widely from the Bavarian , so Malcolm 's German had consequently passed muster without suspicion .