Frederick Schiller - The Other Historical Essays

Shortly afterwards, Vieilleville would be made prisoner by Lord Monaco, on a galleon with his nobleman Cornillon who has sworn never to abandon him. People put his price of release from capture at three thousand and that of Cornillon at one thousand Thalers; and set him free to gather this money, on the condition that his companion would remain all his lifetime in chains, if he does not come back within a determined time.

Vieilleville who feared that he would not be able to return on time because of the long trip and the danger of carrying the money, did not accept this solution, and proposed only that Lautrec be told about his capture; this one sent, in truth, the money for his release, only that the ransom money for his companion was not being included; hence, Vieilleville sent the money meant for his sole release back and then proposed his capturers that they write to his father asking for the accurate amount of money; for he wanted rather to rot in prison than abandon the companion who has promised to share his destiny. Lord Monaco admired this noble renunciation, contented himself with whatever money was already being received and gave both men their freedom. A short time afterwards, Vieilleville captured the son of the same Lord Monaco and released him without asking for any money.

In the meantime, Vieilleville renewed the acquaintance with the nephew of the great Andreas Doria, Philip Doria who has been the King's chamber page when he himself was the Regent's page. Vieilleville visited him one day on his galleons which he commanded for the King. Doria offered him to command one of his galleons; and he chose the one which was named “The Regent”, where he would be immediately appointed commander with solemnity. In the evening, he would go back again in the encampment which was approximately two miles away; hence it went for six to seven days, and little by little, all the excellent army officers would also be visiting the encampment.

Moncade, Viceroy of Neaples to whom it would be told that the officers and soldiers of this galleon mostly spent the night at the french camp, sent six galleons with guns to surprise Count Doria; only that people received news about this attack, and the enemy surprise attack failed so lamentably, that the Viceroy himself who found himself on one of the galleons, would be killed during this expedition; two of the same galleons would be sunken, and two others captured. At this occasion, it happened that Vieilleville who has really done whatever was possible from “The Regent”, so much that of his fifty soldiers, only twelve remained alive, would still resolve to attack one of the two remaining enemy galleons. He accosted and jumped over them with his soldiers.

However, while he was fighting on this other ship, the sailors have detached their ship from “The Regent”, pulled the sail up and went directly to Neaples where the sailors of the other galleons, already during the combat, have preceded them; Vieilleville who lost most of his soldiers, had also to surrender himself.

When the first spanish galleon came on to the harbour, the Prince of Orange ordered the Captain and many more of the crew members to be hanged. The Captain of the galleon on which Vieilleville found himself as prisoner learned about this situation and feared going into the harbour. Vieilleville used this indecision and convinced the Captain who would accept his proposition, to work for the King and made him take the oath of allegiance before the whole crew.

In the meantime, Count Doria has searched the whole day and the whole night for his friend Vieilleville among the bodies which were floating on the water, and was totally inconsolable over this loss. To receive news from him, he allowed Captain Napoleon, an officer from Corsica, to take command of “The Regent” and to sail to Neaples. They have not gone far when they saw a galleon which seemed to be an imperial one; yet they saw on the mast a sailor holding a white flag: soon afterwards, they heard also music and someone speaking French. Vieilleville recognized immediately “The Regent” and the joy of reunion was general. He took still another galleon which people have sent from Neaples to fetch him; he thanks all this to his war tactics, and instead of being a prisoner, came back to his army as master of two galleons; however, he did not find any more there his friend Doria who was being sent to France with two galleons. As the siege of Neaples which Lautrec has taken over, went on very slowly; hence, Vieilleville took his farewell from the army and this for his own sake; for three months afterwards, plague appeared and killed most of the army officers.

As he presented himself to the King upon his return, and asked him for forgiveness for his youthful haste, the same King told him that everything was already forgiven, as the Regent, his mother, was not any more alive. He ordered him to diligently work for him, and presented him to the Duke of Orleans, his second son (who followed him under the name of Henry II on the throne), with the words: ”He is not older than you, my son; however, see what he has already done. If war does not deprive you of him; hence, you should at once elevate him into the rank of Marshall of France.”

Some time afterwards, Charles V took the disposition to attack France; the King pulled together for that reason his army in Lyon. The first priority was to make himself master of Avignon, so that the imperial troops could not possess this city which was key in accessing the provinces. After a long council, the King himself chose Lord Vieilleville, even if many people, because of his great youth, were against it. He would be sent there with six thousand men from the infantry, without any artillery, to precede the Emperor's troops.

When he arrived before Avignon and found the gates closed, he demanded to enter into talk with the Vice Legate who appeared on the walls. Vieilleville offered him, very pressingly, to come down as he had something important for his own good and that of his city to share with him. He himself only wanted to bring for this negotiation six persons whom he showed around him; the Legate, to the contrary, could take as many accompaniers as he wanted, should he have any mistrust. This one came to the gate with fifteen or twenty men, among the most excellent persons in the city. Vieilleville assured him that he was not interested in besieging the city; however, the King asked him to make the Vice Legate swear not to allow the imperial army into the city, and for that reason, to take any intruder hostage. The Vice Legate accorded with the first point; however, he did not want, in any case, to take hostages.

From the six soldiers who were with Vieilleville, four were Captains; they were, however, poorly dressed; Vieilleville asked for a permission to allow them in the city to care about themselves, buy powder and replace their weapons, a demand which would be voluntarily granted them. Their plan was to position themselves under the gate and prevent it from being closed. In the meantime, many more soldiers came in, one after the other, without arousing any attention, for the members of the other party were still vividly quarreling around the Vice Legate about making or not hostages. They feared that their city would be devastated only in two hours, if they would not make hostage any intruding imperial soldier or officer. As finally Vieilleville saw that his people were numerous enough, he gave to the Vice Legate a blow which threw this one on the soil, pulled out his sword, and together with his people penetrated under the gate where he had to make use of his gun; hence, he would kill two or three people by himself; seven to eight would be pierced by the others.

The inhabitants of Avignon wanted then to run to the gate; there, however, were standing four soldiers who kept them away very boldly and hindered them from coming closer. At the sound of the gun shots, one thousand to twelve hundred men appeared, who have hidden themselves all over the city during the night, made an incursion and held their position with the greatest courage. Vieilleville has also called for his remaining army, and now, the soldiers were coming with their floating flags and noisy military march. He then took the keys of the other gates which remained closed, except from the Rhone gate, leading to Villeneuve which was already french. As Vieilleville, through this war malice, has made himself master of the city; hence, he started to put some order there and to keep watch of the soldiers, hence preventing inhabitants who behaved calmly, from being brutalized and women from being mistreated. And yet, putting things in order was not an easy task which did not cost him some effort; he even had to kill five to six soldiers and a Captain who wanted to give in into plundering with violence. As the Constable was now camping in Avignon, Vieilleville pulled himself from the city to report to the King in Tournon where he would be welcomed with great joy. As he came before the King, this one greeted him in this way: “Come closer among the Knights, beautiful light! I will call you sun if you were older, for if you continue in this way, you will shine over all the others. In the meantime, receive this ennoblement from your King who loves and honours you!” and inducted him into a Knight, while putting the hand on the sword.