pain, if our nation which he favoured hence lesser and honoured like the others, gave more cause for dissatisfaction to the master,... and so on.”
After reading this letter, it was clear what was the true cause of his death, for Alfonso has failed on all the points mentioned in there.
Upon hearing these news, the Duke of Nevers came himself before the gates of Pont-a-Mousson; people would precisely be making preparations to serve the lunch there. Vieilleville went to him immediately; it would be concluded that a courier would be sent to the King, to whom people did also not forget to give Duke of Alba's letter to Don Alfonso. Another messenger, with the name of Habert, was sent into the imperial camp to observe whether the Duke of Alba would be undertaking something against Pont-a-Mousson or not, for the city was very badly fortified, and Vieilleville was of the opinion, that they should rather immediately leave this city than fortify it, in order not to break the neutrality and not to give any reason to the Emperor to secure the other cities of Lorraine.
The next day, Vieilleville proposed to undertake, under the protection of the imperial insignias, some incursions in the surrounding and hence to attract the enemies. The Duke of Nevers wanted to take part in it despite all the dissuasion; hence, he left Vieilleville all the dispositions and the commandment. They left with approximately four hundred men and made many prisoners on the way, as some hostile troops rode practically into their hands, holding them for Spaniards and Germans. Hence they went until Corney, half way between Pont-a-Mousson and Metz, and only two small hours from the imperial camp. As they found nothing there, Vieilleville proposed to go forward for an additional half an hour, despite the fact that they were not sure, whether it was a safe plan or not. On the way, they met a large convoy of sixty carriages under the protection of two hundred men who all fell into their hands. Now, it was however too late to go back to Pont-a-Mousson, for they were four hour riding away and it was snowing very heavily.
It would be decided to spend the night in Corney, even if a very uncomfortable night quarter awaited them there. The next morning would be spent again riding; this time, they met people on six carriages with wine and other much coveted foods which the Duchess of Lorraine sent to the Emperor, her uncle, for his table. Eight noblemen and twenty men convoyed these delicacies among which twelve Rhine salmon, half of which were prepared as pies. As they saw the red insignias, they said to themselves that it must be the escort which the Emperor has sent for them. How great however was their surprise, when they heard these people at once uttering: “France!”, and hence, all of them would be taken prisoner.
One of the imprisoned noblemen, called Vignaucourt, asked: “Is this troop not belonging to Lord Vieilleville?” “Why?” asked Vieilleville himself. “Because it is him who has taken Pont-a-Mousson with the imperial insignias, about which the Emperor is extremely irritated. I was yesterday in his levee, and I heard him swearing that if he caught him, he would give him a bad time. This traitor of Vieilleville, said he, has taken over Pont-a-Mousson with my insignias and killed in cold blood my poor Don Alfonso; he also killed all the sick persons he found there, and taken away the foods which were determined for me. However, I swore to God before all the living persons, that if he falls this time in my hands, I will teach him to commit such treachery and to use my name, my weapons and insignias to my disadvantage. Even the most powerful and most courageous Prince must be killed for behaving in this manner! He should be assured that nothing else than death through pikes awaits him; and I damn him from this moment to the moment of this punishment, if I catch him.
And to all of you, I mean to you who command my army, what kind of people are you, that you did not undertake anything against these men? For until yesterday, I still did not hear that anyone of you have remained loyal to me; Vieilleville is still fighting with his soldiers in red sashes with the spanish and burgundian military insignias with which he killed many thousands of my people, because no one of you did see any mistrust in his moves. To hell! How can you bear with such a situation? And is not my honour and my service not dearer to your heart?”
“Upon this angry manifestation, a murmur was heard among the Princes and Counts who were in his room, and they left completely angry. Vieilleville better be careful; for they are very angry at him, particularly the Spaniards, because of Don Alfonso of Arbolancqua, whom he killed in such a terrible manner.”
Vieilleville answered that Don Alfonso was found dead on his bed, and no one has precipitated his death. Vieilleville would rather wish never to have lived than to know himself guilty of such act. He feared, hence, not so much the Emperor's menaces. His honour demanded him to prove that accusing him of such inhumanity was not true. Vignaucourt noticed from his speech that Vieilleville was addressing him; but the other people with him winked at him, indicating him not to continue the conversation further.
At this moment, Vieilleville decided to pull back together with the Duke of Nevers. Hardly were they half an hour away from Corney, when Habert came in and warned them, indeed, not to spend the night in Corney; for the Prince of Infantasque was coming over with three thousand guns and thousands of horses towards midnight, and has sworn the Emperor to deliver Vieilleville dead or alive. “Welcome, Habert, you bring me good news!” he said afterwards and pressed now the Duke of Nevers to pull back to Pont-a-Mousson, because he has not prepared himself to face such a Prince; he himself, however, wanted to remain there and awaited this Spaniard with one of his great speech. “Do you all want to support my decision?”, said he with a raised voice. “You have never done war otherwise than through malice and surprise attacks.” He then took the red flags and tore them down into pieces, ordered the spanish banners to be hidden and the french insignias to be put on. All his men answered unanimously that they wanted to die at his feet, and tore off everything red they had on themselves. The Duke of Nevers told him that it was an act of temerity to stay in a village which does not have any fortification, where people could come from any side. “It's the same thing!” answered Vieilleville, “I know how to beat this army, or at least, to chase it away. Do you see there this bush and on the left this forest; in each, I have hidden two hundred cavaliers who should fall upon them unexpectedly, if they are intending on attacking our village, and even if hundred Princes of Infantasque are coming; yet my men could put up with them! Just let me take care of this, with the help of God, I hope to perform everything well, and in lesser than two hours, I will be avenged.”
As the Duke of Nevers saw that Vieilleville could not be deterred, he also decided to join in this enterprise which he himself did not recommend to Vieilleville. Now, it would be decided to go to Corney, to make all the necessary dispositions; they were only a thousand steps away from the village, when they saw a man running through the green cornfield where they were halting. It was the Mayor of Villesaleron who already did good services for them. This one said that they should save themselves, that the Margrave Albert of Brandenburg was also advancing with four thousand infantry men, two thousand horses and six canons to the village. Upon hearing this, to Vieilleville's great embarrassment, they were forced to leave the village. The eight noblemen from Lorraine would be freed. Still before leaving, Vignaucourt said that he would really not be surprised, if Vieilleville really has performed such things, since he was so excellently served; for he would be damned, if the person named Habert was not the person he has seen in the Emperor's room where he pretended to be sent by the Chief Commander Schertel, as this one was sick in Strasbourg. Just that he has seen this Mayor four days ago selling bread and wine in the Margrave's camp.
The following Sunday, on January 1st, 1553, Vieilleville learned through deserters, that the Emperor has lifted up the siege of Metz, about which he said to the Duke of Nevers: “I have always thought that the Emperor was too old and too podgy to deflower such a beautiful, young Lady. The Duke did not understand this allusion; “I am making a pun”, he said, ”about the name of the formerly besieged city, Metz which means virgin in German and also in French!” They found this pun so witty and interesting, that they mentioned it in the urgent message which they immediately sent to the King, to be the first to announce him the end of the siege.
Vieilleville is now living for three months, calmly, on his estate in Durestal, and was recuperating from the war efforts. In the meantime, people have thought of him for the position at the palace of the government of Metz, where Lord Gonnor presently commanded; the Dukes of Guise and of Nevers, particularly, have favoured him ever since they were eyewitnesses to his acts in Metz.