Sales catalogue 628: Maggs Bros

Date:
1936
Reference:
WA/HMM/CM/Sal/13/165
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sales catalogue 628: Maggs Bros. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    304 GHARLES IX (1550-1574). King of France. LETIER SIGNED TO M. DE FOURQUEVAUX THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR IN SPAIN. 45 pp., folio. St. Maur, 14th November, 1566. ALSO OFFICIAL CORIES OF THE LETTERS GENT BY CHARLES IX TOM. DE MONTILUC, FATHER-OF CAPIAIN DE MONTLUC, AND VICE-ADMIRAL MEILLERAYE. 3 pp., folio. oth August and 7th November, 1566. £21 In his letter to M. de Fourquevaux, Charles IX expresses his annoyance and disgust at the escape of Captain de Montluc at Madeira, as he was given permission to sail only on the explicit condition that he did not invade territories or offend the subjects of the Kings of Spain and Portugal. _ The official copy of the King’s letter to M. de Montluc asks him to remind his son, Captain de Montluc, of his orders not to trespass in any way on territories of the King of Spain and of Portugal. The third letter is the official copy of one sent by the King to Vice-Admiral Meilleraye forbidding him to give any assistance to Montluc and his crew, and to take them prisoners should they attempt to land in France. In 1566 Montluc fitted out a ship, and with 300 determined young men, set sail for Madeira, an island belonging to Portugal, of which he wished to take possession, but in forcing the castle, he was shot and died. (Trans.):—“‘. . . Now as to the affair of young Montluc. I wish to tell you that after having repeatedly refused him permission to sail, I yielded to his remonstrances that he had gone to such considerable expenses for his crew and equipment, and that he had the sole intention of utilizing it for mercantile purposes, on which his father and other near relatives gave me full reassurance, this inducing me to give him the permission. But this was granted under the explicit condition not to invade the territories nor to offend or molest the subjects of my good brothers, the Kings of Spain and of Portugal, or any other of my friends and allies. . . . On hearing of the spoilations at sea which he carried out against my own subjects, and of his invasion of the island of Madeira which belongs to the King of Portugal, I have been as annoyed and disgusted as must be a prince who has no greater desire than to preserve peace and friendship between himself and his friends and allies, the other Christian princes. Before the receipt of your dispatch which gave me fuller particulars on this invasion, I had already sent out an order to be made public in all the ports of my kingdom, declaring the said Montluc, and all the members of his crew, depredators and violators of the peace, and giving the express command that as such they should be seized and taken prisoners wherever they set foot on my kingdom.’’ Ete. 305 CHARLES IX. King of France. LETTER SIGNED TO THE SAME. I pp., folio. Fontainebleau, 1st March, 1567. £18 18s (Trans.):—‘‘. . . You inform me very fully on all the preparations His Catholic Majesty, my good brother, is making for the journey of the Duke of Alba,
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