Frederick Schiller - The Other Historical Essays

It happened very often, that from the companies which were garrisoned in the villages, many more soldiers came to Bourdeaux to buy supplies, or also to see executions. One of the gendarmes and two archers profited from this situation and told themselves to the priest of their villages, that two of their comrades whom they have seen being hanged, have told them that the priest should toll the bell of his church for them. They have, in that respect, the commission to take him prisoner; however, would allow him to escape if he gave them an important sum of money. The poor priest who did not feel really totally guiltless, promised them eight hundred Thalers; however, still not happy with this amount, they forced him to confess, with a knife on his throat, where he has hidden the rich church adornment. The fear of death made him confess everything. They tied him, afterwards, in a remote, large room and resolved themselves to kill him, after putting their loot in security.

But the priest's nephew run to Bourdeaux to tell this event to Vieilleville who immediately jumped on his horse and without the villains remarking him, arrived at the priest's home, precisely when these ones would exit from it with three richly charged horses. He immediately hit in rage the first one who approached him, saying the following words: “Good for nothing! Are you heretics that you robbery the priest and steal the church?” The other two would be killed by their comrades from the same company themselves, so that the company would not be ashamed, should these soldiers be condemned to the gallows. People found the priest tied, and beside him two servants who held the knife on his neck, to prevent him from shouting. He threw himself before Vieilleville and thanked him for his life and the recovery of his possessions, this one ordered him to bury the three deads and to say a mass for their souls.

Then, after that the Constable has given to this city a dreadful example of his severity in the punishment of the rebels, he dissolved the main army; he wanted, however, to inspect the remaining troops. Jokingly, he told Vieilleville, that he would be his troops' Commissar, for he has learned that Marshall Saint Andrew's company is neither sufficient in number, nor well equipped to perform the services; and that he knew well, that only twenty service horses were available. Afterwards, Vieilleville offered him, in total humility, not to spare him the dissolution of his company of soldiers, if he found it necessary. However, he should be fully aware, that if he wanted to keep the honour of inspecting his company of soldiers, he should not act like the other Commissars. “And why then?” asked him the Constable who thought that something unpleasant might happen to them. “Because these ones take their lunch with me!”, answered Vieilleville. The Constable also found during the inspection, at everyone's very great surprise, that this company was in excellent condition. It was in parade on a great field, and seemed to be around six hundred horses strong, for he had allowed the riding servants, the same servants who were holding their masters' horses by the hand, to stand not far from the company of soldiers and not behind it, as usual. He himself came toward the Constable and all the Grands who accompanied him, on a splendid dapple-grey which was worth two thousand Thalers, passed before the company and showed it how well he knew to ride a horse. He then invited the Constable and all these Lords into a field, close to the village, for an excellent meal under the tents which he has allowed to erect very artfully upon tree branches.

He led his company out of Bordeaux to their usual place of garrison in Xaintonge, and went home where the wedding of the young Marquis of Espinay with his daughter would be celebrated, for which occasion an innumerable crowd of foreigners were to be found, who all would be treated with the best and the most expensive meals. He also arranged more than ten delicate honour cases relating to some brave and courageous noblemen and officers from the neighbourhood; and if he found them somehow very confused; hence, he knew well to oppose and to emulate them with each others, by means of the great skillfulness which he has acquired in the surrounding of representatives from so many nations and already for a long time, so that people from all sides, even the Marshalls of France who constituted the highest tribunal in matters regarding the honour of French nobility, turned to him for this kind of matters.

Hardly eight days after the wedding, Vieilleville would be summoned to the court where he also took with him the young Espinay, for he did not neglect any occasion to show himself, and he presumed that people, immediately after the King's coronation, would take again Boulogne from the Englishes. One day, Marshall Saint Andrew's son-in-law, Apechon, besides the Lords of Sennecterre, Biron, Forguel and La Roue came to him and gave an affidavit, signed by the King, offering him and the bringers of the affidavit the belongings confiscated from all the Lutherans in Guyenne, Limousin, Quercy, Perigord, Xaintonge and Aulny. They wanted to bring him in advance this affidavit to be even more certain of receiving this considerable present which after deduction of all the costs of collecting the belongings, could bring everyone twenty thousand Thalers. Vieilleville thanked them for thinking about him in this occasion, declared however, that he would never enrich himself through such a hateful and sad means, for such proceedings were only about humiliating the poor people and ruining so many good families through false complaints.

The Constable has hardly left this country for eight days with his huge army which has caused so many damages; and he held it to be below his dignity and against the Christian duty to cause even more misery to the King's poor subjects; and he would rather lose fortune than have his name dragged to the tribunal because of these confiscations.

He added, “for our names will be registered in all the parliaments, and we will have the reputation of feeding ourselves upon people's misery; for twenty thousand Thalers, we will burden ourselves with the curses of so many women, young ladies and children who must die in hospital, which means that we might as well throw ourselves voluntarily into hell! We will turn all the tribunal officers whose services we will demand, into our opponents and deadly enemies.“

He then took his knife and cut the paper at the spot where his name appeared on the affidavit; then Apechon who became so red of shame, did also the same with his name, and also Biron; all three left and threw the document on the floor. The others, however, who have counted so much on this piece of paper, were very reluctant to consider Vieilleville's scruples, took the affidavit anyway and tore it thousand pieces while proffering some gross swearings.

Shortly afterwards, Boulogne would be besieged by the King whereby Vieilleville and his son-in-law Espinay were also present. One day, he recalled that as he was an envoy in England, the Duke of Somerset has made to him some taunting remarks about the Frenchs' bravery. Vieilleville offered, in that respect, to Lord Espinay to wear his best armour as if on the day of a tournament. He dressed himself in the same way, took three more noblemen with him and rode with this retinue, totally in silence, towards the gates of Boulogne. The herald sounded his trumpet, and people asked what he wanted. He asked whether the Duke of Somerset was in the city, and asked to tell him that Vieilleville was here and wanted to duell with him. It would be answered him that the Duke was sick in London, even if it meant that he was in Boulogne. He then asked if another high-ranking, bold Knight would be taking his place; but no one showed up. “Then, at least,” he said, “maybe one of Mylord's sons will measure himself with a young Lord from Brittany, Espinay, who is still not twenty. May such a young man come to fight, so that we do not have to besiege the camp again, without having measured ourselves in a fight; for the honour of our nation is at stake if no one shows up.”