Frederick Schiller - The Other Historical Essays

Finally, Lord Dudley's son showed up on a beautiful Spanish horse with a splendid retinue. As soon as one person in Vieilleville’s retinue saw him, he said to Espinay: “This Lord is yours; don't you see how he rides the English way, he almost moves the saddle with his knees. Sit firmly on your horse and do not lower your lance earlier than when you are three or four steps before him, for if you lower it before, its tip will point downward, then you will lose the opportunity of the moment, for your eye will be blinded by the visor.” Both sides would then agree that he who throws down his enemy, should take him captured with his horse and equipment.

Then, each fighter would take his place, fetch his lance, ready to fight each other; the English intruded and let his lance fall, just for a short moment. Espinay then gave him such a strong blow on the side, that his lance broke. Tailladé, one person from Espinay’s retinue, immediately jumped on the horse and seized Dudley’s Spanish horse; the others pulled him from the soil, the trumpet sounded the victory, and then, the Frenchs rushed with their captives to their camp and left the Englishes rather in confusion.

The King has, in the meantime, already received news of the battle and prepared to receive them with many Grands. Hardly have they seen the King, that they descended from their horse, and Espinay presented his captive and delivered him to the King; this one, while giving Espinay the captive back again, pulled his sword and inducted him into a Knight.

Soon afterwards, a terrible storm necessitated the King to cease the siege of Boulogne and to pull back his army. The young Dudley proposed now to Lord Espinay, as they went further into the land, to determine his ransom; he could not travel further with the Frenchs and has some pressing occupations to care about in England. One person from his retinue took Espinay on the side and said to him that Dudley was in love with Count of Bedford's daughter and that everything was ready for their marriage. As Espinay heard this, he said to Dudley that he can go, if so it pleases him; he only asked him to remember that the House of Espinay does not go to war to become rich, for they have already enough fortune, but rather for the honour and the old glory of their family. Hence, he wanted very much him to accept four of his most beautiful English steed; a generosity which left Dudley no less than admirative.

The german Princes have decided in Augsburg to send an envoy to France, to motivate the King to assist them against the Emperor (Charles V) who held severely captive some Princes and treated them in an outrageous manner. The envoy consisted of the Duke of Simmern, Count of Nassau whose son, later on, would be known as the famous Prince William of Orange, and other excellent lords and scholars. People sent them to Saint Dizier and gave them all the needed comfort; for they travelled only five to six hours a day, and in truth, before lunchtime, after which they always remained at the same place until nine or ten o'clock in the night; during this time, people ought not to bother them. They have also chosen this route diligently to be able to drink to satiety, for the best wine countries of France are situated between Saint Dizier and Fontainebleau.

Vieilleville would be sent to meet this envoy when it was in Moret, two hours from Fontainebleau, to welcome them in the King's name; the whole envoy was very well pleased, particularly as he attended to its members very well. He learned that Count of Nassau was one of his relatives; this one turned himself particularly to him, as he was very skilled in trade and also spoke the French language very well. One day, as Vieilleville had for lunch many of the envoy, among others two members of the Imperial Court of Justice in Speier and the Mayors of Strasbourg and Nuremberg, Count Nassau took Vieilleville aside to tell him more precisely about their mission. This interview has lasted already for almost one hour when the four judges and mayors became impatient and started to speak in German with the Count in a very dry tone. This one, however, ridiculed their rage in a very skilled manner, while he said out loud in French, a language which they did not understand: “Do not be surprised, my Lord, that these Germans are so irritated, for they are not used to leave table so soon after having eaten so excellently and drunken such refined wine.”

Vieilleville reported to the King everything he saw and heard. This one was so happy with him, that he summoned him the next morning and appointed him member of the state council. The envoy had a solemn audience with the King, and immediately afterwards, the state council would be held, in which Henry II reported how little advisable it was to start a war with the Emperor. Immediately after the King, the Constable of Montmorency took, outside the agenda of the council, the floor and declared himself against the war; the others followed him, until it was Vieilleville's turn, who asked the whole gathering in a very convincing manner, in honour of the crown, to assist the german Princes. He revealed then to the King in person, what Count Nassau has entrusted him; namely, that the Emperor would put himself in possession of the cities of Metz, Toul, Verdun and Strasbourg, a project which would be very disadvantageous to the King.

In that respect, the King wanted to conquer totally in secret these cities which constituted a rampart against Champagne and Picardy. “And what reproach, Lord Constable,” while turning himself to him, “did you want to express precisely by withdrawing your agreement? That the Germans change their mind as soon as their stomach are empty, and could quickly hide a treason behind their request; hence, I would rather lose my whole fortune than allow such comments to come to their ears; for if among such sovereign Princes as these ones are, one will put the imperial orb, the symbol of monarchy, in the german Emperor's left hand after his election, and another will give him the sword to protect himself in the right hand, and a third one will put on his head the imperial crown; if they all are neither trustworthy, nor loyal, among what race of human beings should we then find people for such duties?”

War would be decided upon this council, and at the end of March 1552, the army would be gathered on the border of Champagne, a move which took place with unbelievable rapidity. The Constable conquered Metz through war malice; and shortly afterwards, the King made his entry in the same city. At this occasion, he inspected his army and found among them five hundred noblemen unknown to him, all very well equipped. The King tendered this beautiful corps to the young Espinay, Vieilleville’s son-in-law, at the head of which he undertook some bold acts.

The conquest of Metz was, however, also the only fruit of this campaign, for the other cities have been remarkably resistant, and people found them well prepared. The german Princes announced to the King that peace was made with the Emperor. This last one has hardly made peace with the local enemy, that he advanced already with a numerous army toward Strasbourg, to take back again from the Frenchs the bordering cities which they conquered. On the first rumour of this attack, the Duke of Guise threw himself with a numerous, bold troop made up of people from the nobility into the defense of the city of Metz where they expected the main attack. Verdun received Marshall Saint Andrew to defend it, and in Toul where the King has appointed Lord Vieilleville, the Duke of Nevers has thrown himself into defending this city without waiting for a royal order. The King allowed this situation, even if he would very much have appointed Vieilleville instead for this duty, and sent him rather to Verdun to defend this city with his good services, under Marshall Saint Andrew whose Lieutenant he still ever was.