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.
Part II
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.
Vieilleville fortified very much Verdun, only that to his greatest embarrassment, people learned that Duke of Alba would not come there, but rather has started the siege of Metz. He undertook, in that respect, to keep the imperial army which, despite its great size, must still be very active, so much as possible in the open air and then, to encircle it narrowly.
He did hence many damages to the enemy through some surprise attacks. He learned that the city of Estain in Lorraine, which was declared for neutral by the Emperor and the Frenchs, actually provided the imperial armies with many food supplies, and in that respect, he decided to conquer Estain. He went before the gates, accompanied only by twelve noblemen on horse, who each had a new servant by himself; he himself had four soldiers dressed as servants beside him. He left a small corps in a remote place, with the order of rushing close to him, at the trumpet call. Before the gates, he called for the Mayor and the officer, and reproached them that they supported the enemies of the Crown. They excused themselves by saying that they must be doing what their superiors ordered them, and were doing the best for their subjects by enabling them to sell their local products with some advantage to other people. “And can we also purchase something with our money?” said Vieilleville.“Oh! Why not!?” they replied. “Now, go in,” he ordered to the servants, “and pick for us and for our horses supplies worth six Thalers! In the meantime, may the trumpeters play a joyous little piece, for soon they will do something good for themselves!”.
The few lancers whom the officer has beside himself, wanted in truth to prevent the access of the gate to the servants; however, they would be badly pushed. The four soldiers climbed immediately on the portcullis which could not be lifted down. The twelve horses were already in the gate, and then the corps also came in, broke out into the city and hence, became master of the same city. Ten to twelve Spaniards, among whom a relative of the Duke of Alba, who were by an officer's and have nevertheless heard the noise, have escaped away from the city by jumping over the walls. Vieilleville was so irritated about this incident that he hanged the officer's nephew who has helped them.
Six days after this expedition, he attacked the village of Rougerieules in which were stationed five companies of lancers, and equally as many cavalry squadrons. The Germans in the village would be attacked and would either be killed or made prisoner. In the morning, at seven o’clock, everything was over, and Vieilleville was already, again, on the road, so that when a part of Margrave Albert of Brandenburg's army advanced towards the village, they found only an empty nest.
Vieilleville went back to Verdun to give his people and himself some rest, for in severe cold, he has not slept in a bed for three weeks; has also not changed his clothes ever since. It pleased him very much as he walked in the main church of Verdun, to see hanging on his left and right, in two lines, the flags which he has taken from the enemies and sent to Marshall Saint Andrew. He added to these the last eleven conquered flags and standards, and hence, twenty two pieces would be sent over to the King.
Hardly have eight days passed, when a courier from the King came to Vieilleville, through whom he received the order to go to Toul by the Duke of Nevers, and to assist him because it was feared that the Emperor who could not conquer Metz, would besiege Toul. He wanted to take with himself, as much as possible, the people he had in Verdun to strengthen the Duke, but could not do so, without weakening very much Marshall Saint Andrew, for it was not yet known specifically whichever of the two places was most in danger. Vieilleville took only a few men with him, and left the most experienced Captains with the Marshall.
Immediately the next day, the council with the Duke of Nevers took place, during which it would be decided to defeat by any possible manner the Albanians and the Italians who were in very strong number in Pont-a-Mousson, and to make an end to their rambles. Vieilleville and his troops from Verdun offered to open the hostilities, and promised to compensate richly them with the robs which this garrison has committed. He sent secretly to Pont-a-Mousson, immediately, for a high priority mission of information gathering, one of his trusted men and spies, two of whom were by his side, a man very knowledgeable about whatever to answer to the questions which people could ask him, and about whatever kind of information he has to notice carefully.
He should pretend to belong to the House of the widowed Duchess of Lorraine, Christine, a niece of the Emperor, and performing commissions for her at the imperial camp. He went in there late in the day using as a valid excuse, that he could not travel further on this day, hence giving himself in advance an occasion to observe the strengths of the enemies, and whatever they could be preparing. This skilful and decisive man put himself hence on his way, without anyone noticing, with his yellow banner which was the sign of neutrality in Lorraine; and arrived in less than three hours before the gates of Pont-a-Mousson. People asked him where he came from, where he would go to, what he intended to do and if had letters with him. He demanded to be led to the commanders; certainly, was the answer given to him. As he advanced before them (these were Don Alfonso of Arbolancqua, a Spaniard, and Fabricio Colonna, a Roman), he knew to answer so skilfully to all their questions, that they could not be