Details
MARGUERITE DE VALOIS (1553-1616, 'la Reine Margot', consort of Henry of Navarre, from 1589 King Henry IV of France). Autograph letter signed (as Queen of Navarre, with a monogram 'M' and fermesses) to her brother (Henry III, King of France), n.p., n.d. [1578?], 2 pages, folio, integral address leaf ('Au Roy Monsigneur et frere'), remains of guard on verso of 2nd leaf, seal slits, both pages signed at the foot in a mid-19th century hand, 'F[rédéric] Lepelle de B[ois]G[allais]' and 'F.L.B.G.'); and a document signed ('Marguerite'), Nérac, 1 January 1580, a warrant for an appointment for the Sieur de Montigny, on vellum, one page, 265 x 325 mm (browned, tears in right hand vertical and lower horizontal folds with loss of words in approximately 9 lines), endorsed in a contemporary hand on recto, later annotations on verso.
A letter of recommendation for 'monsieur de miosans', who is going [to Paris] on some business relating to his own affairs. 'Monsigneur san alant monsieur de miosans pour quelques sienes aferes ie nai voulu fallir de laccompagner de cete l[ett]re tant pour estre si heureuse de me ramantenir an v[ot]re bonne grase que pour vous rafraichir la souvenanse de la fidelite et tres humble servise qui nous a voue de quoi il vous a comme la roine sa peut resouvenir de lontans randu preuve qui me fera vous suplier tres humblemant monsigneur et pour les bons ofises que iai resus de luy qui vous plaise favoriser et gratifier an ce que ses aferes an avant besoin'.
Jean d'Albret, Baron de Miossans, was a kinsman and childhood friend of Henry of Navarre and one of the Catholic captains in his service. Marguerite intervened on his behalf with Catherine de Medici and Charles IX at the time of the massacre of St Bartholomew, and in 1574 Henry of Navarre sent him to greet Henry III on his return from Poland. Frédéric Lepelle de Bois-Gallais whose signature appears on both pages was curator at the Archives Nationales; he sometimes signed documents to confirm their authenticity. (2)
A letter of recommendation for 'monsieur de miosans', who is going [to Paris] on some business relating to his own affairs. 'Monsigneur san alant monsieur de miosans pour quelques sienes aferes ie nai voulu fallir de laccompagner de cete l[ett]re tant pour estre si heureuse de me ramantenir an v[ot]re bonne grase que pour vous rafraichir la souvenanse de la fidelite et tres humble servise qui nous a voue de quoi il vous a comme la roine sa peut resouvenir de lontans randu preuve qui me fera vous suplier tres humblemant monsigneur et pour les bons ofises que iai resus de luy qui vous plaise favoriser et gratifier an ce que ses aferes an avant besoin'.
Jean d'Albret, Baron de Miossans, was a kinsman and childhood friend of Henry of Navarre and one of the Catholic captains in his service. Marguerite intervened on his behalf with Catherine de Medici and Charles IX at the time of the massacre of St Bartholomew, and in 1574 Henry of Navarre sent him to greet Henry III on his return from Poland. Frédéric Lepelle de Bois-Gallais whose signature appears on both pages was curator at the Archives Nationales; he sometimes signed documents to confirm their authenticity. (2)
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