Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1870-09-21
METZ IN THE OLDEN TIMES.

The Siege of 1552-Appearance Of the
Place, and Scenes at the Time "A
Leaf from an Old, Rare History.
THE following interesting sketch of
Metz at the time of the siege in 1852 will
be read with peculiar interest at the
present moment. 1t is from an old and
somewhat rare history:
Charles V, unable to resist the Protes-
tants, made peace with them, assembled
all his forces againStsFrance, and laid
siege to Metz with 100000 men. When
his army reached the place, the Gener-
ais proposed to begin by a summons
NO. said the Emperor, that is a step ]
will not take. Francis, Duke of Guise,
did not shut himself up with the flower
of the nobility for the purpose of capitu-
IatiOn. We can only succeed in our pro-
iect by force of courage, activity and in
telligence' During the first days of the
siege, a slave or cavalry officer, Don
Louis d'Avila, stole an excellent horse
from his master, and took refuge in the
place. Don Louis besOught GUise to
send back the horse, which he valued
highly, and the slave, whom he wished
to punish as he deserved. The Duke did
not hesitate to send back the horse; but,
as to the slave, he sent him word that
under the laws of France, every man
who set foot on French soil became free.
The Governor, finding himself hard
pressed, adrOitly caused letter, written
to the King his master to fall into the
hands of the Spaniards, in which he re-
marked that he felt no more anxiety
since the enemy had decided upon at
tacking the Notifications upon the
strongest side, and where it would take
them a long time to make a breach
This artifice desieved, who directed
their batteries against part of the for
tificatiOns better defended than that at
first attacked. These changes protract-
ed the siege, and consumed a great deal
of time. When Charles V, whose in
firmities had kept him away from the
place, arrived in camp, he was received
with great rejoicing by his troops, for
they hoped that his presence would in
sure. the success of their undertaking.
On the other hand, the garrison was equ-
ally delighted under the persuasion that
resisting the Emperor would be the more
glorious. This Prince, seeing the breach
large enough, said to his officers: Gods
wounds ! how is it they don't force an
entrance In Gods name, what are
they waiting fOr? They told him that
the Duke of Guise had contrived broad
ramparts behind the breach, filled with
mines and a formidable artillery, and
defended by ten thousand Of the most
intelligent and brave troops in Christen-
dom. This reply set Charles raving.-
'Ah,' he cried, 4 see well that I have
no more men, may as well give up my
Empire, all my undertakings, and the
world, and shut myself up in a monas-
terry, for 1 am sold and betrayed, and
certainly am as badly served as ever
was a Prince, who bore monarch's
title Gods death before three years
I will turn monk
The Monarch's displeasure produced
no result The Imperial army, destroy
ed by hunger, by the sword and by the
weather, was compelled to raise the
siege. 1t retired in the night time, Sc
cTetly, abandoning its equipage, tents,
artillery, munitions of war and provis-
ions. The Prince of LarOche-snr-YOn
in the order Of pursuit, overtaking some
Companies of horse offered battle. The
officer in command, turned to him and
said: 'Ah! how do you suppose we can
have the strength to fight? You see we
have not strength enough to fiee' Touch
ed by this remark, the Prince let them
continue their flight.
In this siege Metz lost its ancient
splendOr. During the defense, it became
to destroy, within and with
out, more than thirty magnificent
some of which contained the
tOmbs of the Kings Of the Carlovian
race. Several medals were struck offin
memorial of the deliverance of Metz
One represented a devise of Emperor's
the Columns of Hercules, with the
Latin word ultra, signifying that by his
expedition into Africa this Prince had
carried his arms VIGOROUSLY far beyOnd
the countries where Hercules had been.
To this device they added q chained
eagle bound to the columns with these
words: Non ultra metdS. The play
upon the word nletdS was very annoy
ing to Charls ", for it signified both the
city of Metz and the columns of Her
clues.
Charles Y, after having seen the best
army he ever had waste away before
Metz, came near making himself master
of the place the year following by a
singular strategem. The monks had
oOnyoked a general assembly, to which
the religious people of the several ma
tiOns were invited. In order to provide
for their subsistence it was necessary to
bring in a large amount of provisions
from the surrounding country. Among
the casks of wine and beer, they brought
in a good many filed with arms; and a
large number of German soldiers found
their way in under the disguise of
monks. The garrison at ThiOnville,
which was numerous, had to appear be-
fore Metz on given day The French
men would certainly come out to meet
them. The plot was al attack upon the
place by the soldiers disguised as monks,
and by large number of inhabitants
who Joined in the plot. They were at
once to seize the gates and hand them
over to the Emperor's troops. Vielle-
vile, who commanded in Metz, got
wind of the conspiracy, and obtained
possession Of all its details, He was
man both of head and heart, he allow
ed the signals to be given to the Ger
mans, who came on, to the number of
four thousand, and fell into the ambush
he had prepared for them. The whole
forea vygs Killed made DrisOnar OF dis |