Frederick Schiller - The Other Historical Essays

Some time afterwards, Vieilleville accompanied the King through Burgundy to Savoy where, in general, a solemn entry would be held into the big cities. As they came to Saint John of Maurienne, where a Bishop resided, this one offered to the King an entry of honour to this city, and promised, in that respect, to give for him a reception like he has never seen before. The King, curious about this new solemnity, accepted it and made his entry solemnly the next morning. Hardly was he two hundred steps away from the gate, that a company of hundred men appeared, dressed like bears from head to toe, and this in such a natural manner, that people really took them for bears. They came rapidly onto the street in a noisy sound and carrying floating flags, their lances on their shoulders, took the King in their midst, and accompanied him hence until the church, to the great amusement of the whole court. They precisely led the King to his residence before which they made thousands jumps like bears and also funny gestures; they climbed up the houses from the pillars and archways like bears and roared, very naturally, also like bears. As they saw that the King liked the scene, they all gathered together and started to shout such a loud hurray, that the horses which were remaining with the servants before the house, became fearful and ran over everything around them, something which increased very much the fun even if many people would be injured in the incident. Despite of this fact, they performed still a round dance in which the people from Switzerland also participated.

From there, the King went over the Cenis mountain to Piedmont where his father, Francis I, has already established the Prince of Melfi as Viceroy. This Prince, as he met the King, showed honours to Vieilleville in particular, so that he even gave him quarters in Turin, and threw the Constable of Montmorency's people out of many more places booked for them, to make room for Vieilleville's people; an incident which the Constable took very badly and noticed to the Prince, that it was the travel Marshall's duty to accommodate each person according to his rank. The Prince said to him: “Lord, we are up in the mountains, while you are down in the valleys; in France, you command the way you want, even with the stick; however, here, it is totally different; and I ask you myself not to give any counter order which will not be followed.” The Prince went so far in honouring Vieilleville as to allowing him to take the floor many times and never accepted that the orders which the Constable gave for the King's troops, be in general valid. Vieilleville, as a finer courtesan, made hence as little as possible use of these distinctions, not to upset the other Grands. Everyone was, now, turning upon him to receive orders in the King's service. All the Captains were present when he woke up and went to sleep; he kept, however, also an open table, and this was so richly provided, that the Prince of Melfi's seemed very meager in comparison.

In the meantime, the King received the news that an upheaval broke out in Guyenne, and that people in Bourdeaux have killed the Governor and other appointed officers like creatures from the river. The Constable said to the King, that this population has always been rebellious and that the inhabitants of this territory must be mastered. He offered himself to take care of this situation. The King sent him there, in truth, but ordered to punish severely only the guilty and to keep there a good discipline. He also gave him as accompanier the Duke of Anmale whom Vieilleville accompanied. The popular upheaval just stopped upon hearing news abouts the troops coming, so that the Constable entered in total calm in Bourdeaux where he, within a month, executed around one hundred and forty persons through the most painful way of dying. In particular, the three rebels who have thrown the royal officers into the water, with the words: “Sirs, jump and give salt to the fish in the Charente river!” would be dismembered in a very terrible manner and then burned with the words: “Rascals, jump and broil the fish in the Charente river, which you have salted with the bodies of your King’s servants!”

On the whole way to Bourdeaux, Vieilleville commanded Marshall Saint Andrew's company, whose Lieutenant he was, and kept it under such a good discipline, that everything would be run like a private business. He would not even climb on his own horse, until his people has sworn to him that they have done everything right. As he came with this company in a large village three hours from Bourdeaux; his stable master found hidden under the hay and straw a great number of very beautiful lances, pistols, cuirasses, helms, shields and halberds. The innkeeper whom he questioned about this in person, answered with fear and trembling, that his neighbours have hidden these weapons there, because they knew well, that he was an innocent man.

“And because I have not received, in the two days you have been with me, any harsh word from anyone,” he added, “hence, I will even say to you that thirty five coffers and boxes belonging to different noblemen who believed it not secure to keep them in their homes, were brought here, which I enclosed inside the walls, because it is known that I have never had anything to do with the insanity of the last events; I ask you, however, gracious Lord, behave in such a way, that neither you, nor I suffer any damages from this situation!”. Vieilleville who well saw that he was innocent, but was nevertheless a miserable rascal, ordered him not to tell anyone about this situation; however, told him to put the weapons openly in a barn, and showed him a proof, that he himself has bought, paid and brought them there. The innkeeper should only call him upon, if people wanted to use violence against him. Moved by this human action, this man who believed to owe him his life, almost begged him and asked him on his knees, at least, to take the weapons, particularly the lances which were brand new and very beautiful. But Vieilleville would be irritated and ordered him to remain silent, if he did not want to be delivered to Justice.

The company remained in garrison in a village, an hour away from Bourdeaux. He, however, stayed in Bourdeaux at Member of Parliament Valvyn's. This one came forward to him immediately and felt himself lucky to have a man of such caliber and authority in his house, and even more as he was very much under pressure because of false accusations made upon him by the Constable, and was indeed even under house arrest. Vieilleville secured him all the needed assistance and promised to defend his cause. Hardly has he entered into the room, when Lady Valvyn also appeared with her two daughters of extraordinary beauty. She was still totally confused by a fright caused the previous night when people wanted to break into her sister's house, the widow of a Member of Parliament, who, for that reason, has sent her two nieces to seek refuge at Valvyn's home and would recommend to him the honour of these four young ladies most pressingly. She threw herself before him, on her knees, but Vieilleville lifted her up and said to her, that he also has daughters. He would rather endanger his own life than allow something regrettable to happen to them. As the mother saw herself in confidence, she started to tell that the people of the Lord who lived at her sister’s and was called Count Sancerre, and particularly a young nobleman, wanted to force the doors of the young ladies; however, these young ladies have jumped from the windows onto the brushwood and have fled there.

Vieilleville asked her if the young nobleman was not Beuil's bastard. So he is called, they said. “Now, people must not be surprised”, replied Vieilleville, “that for a son of a b..., there will never be peace, nor security for young ladies of honour, under the same conditions; for it embarrasses him, that all the women are not like his mother.” In the meantime, the widow also came by and complained, that the bastard has also mistreated her and has demanded her to deliver him the young ladies. After meal, Vieilleville went to see the Constable and told him the bad behaviour of Sancerre's recognized son. The Count of Sancerre, to soften Vieilleville's acquaintances, went with him at their home for dinner where he excused himself and sought to leave them, in the future, in security; only that they did not trust him and never came by their own initiative to see him, so long the army was in Bourdeaux. They spared themselves hence many unpleasantness and shame which the other citizens had to go through, for all the inhabitants of the city, without any exception of gender, had to knee, apologizing before him, only the Valvyn family were spared from this treatment, even if the Constable reminded Vieilleville not to spare this family, to which he answered, totally irritated, that if people would force his hosts to this shameful excuse; hence, he will abide together with them; he assured, however, not to make any noise about the incident.