septennial pilgrimage. Monasteries, hospitals, alms houses and individual citizens offered shelter, as only a limited number could be admitted to the town's official pilgrims' hospitiums. Pilgrims came from all over Europe, notably from the Low Countries, France (Normandy and Brittany in particular, where Saint Servatius was venerated much), England, the Holy Roman Empire (Germany, Austria and Bohemia), Hungary and Scandinavia. After visiting Maastricht many carried on to Aachen and Kornelimünster, or to other pilgrimage sites. The pilgrims were vital for the town's medieval economy. During the septennial pilgrimage the usually strict rules for trading were relaxed. Every citizen could sell food and drink or change currency. Pilgrims were offered a range of religious souvenirs: pilgrim horns made of clay, pilgrim flasks made of white pipe clay and, most of all, pilgrim badges made of tin or lead. In the 16th and 17th century these were gradually replaced by printed images, pilgrim's forms, booklets, medals and flags. The objects were often decorated with images of relics from Maastricht, Aachen and Kornelimünster, which made it easy to sell them in all three places. The fourteen days of the Maastricht pilgrimage were known as the "Freedom of Saint Servatius". It was a period when normal rules did not apply, resulting in more freedom for citizens and visitors but also in more crime. The start of this period was announced by the town watchmen blowing their buisines. From that moment on no-one could be tried for past offences. There was always a number of pilgrims who had been sent on a pilgrimage as part of a penalty. Breaking the rules during this time was punished with forced pilgrimages (e.g. to Santiago de Compostella) or fines. Magistrates and guilds formed militia that patrolled the streets, especially in areas where many pilgrims gathered. The large concentration of people in the relatively small city of around 15,000 also posed threats of fire and disease. Citizens were obliged to have a bucket of water on their doorstep to help prevent major conflagrations. 16th-17th century: Decline of the Maastricht pilgrimage The decline of the Maastricht pilgrimage in the 16th century was a result of the Protestant Reformation, as well as the ensuing wars of religion and outbreaks of the plague. This affected Maastricht as much as many other places in north-western Europe. The 1489 and 1552 pilgrimages were cancelled due to threat of war. During the Siege of Maastricht