Volume 1

Rariora : being notes of some of the printed books, manuscripts, historical documents, medals, engravings, pottery, etc., etc., collected (1858-1900). Vol. I[-III] / by John Eliot Hodgkin, F.S.A.

John Eliot Hodgkin

Date:: [1902]

Credit: Rariora : being notes of some of the printed books, manuscripts, historical documents, medals, engravings, pottery, etc., etc., collected (1858-1900). Vol. I[-III] / by John Eliot Hodgkin, F.S.A. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$TRANSLATION OF THE DOCUMENT. 'T'his original draft minute of the “ Transaction between '■'Pierre Augiiste Caron de Beaninarchais -*■ and “ Demoiselle D'Eon de Beaumont hitherto known as Chevalier D'Eon Captai7i of Dragoons ” sets forth on the first page as follows: (i) That Beaumarchais demands in the name of the King of France the restitution by D’Eon of a large number of public and secret papers which relate to political negotiations, some particulars of which are given—(2) That certain other papers of a secret correspondence between the chevalier (sic) D’Eon, the King and certain other persons delegated by the King as correspondents with D’Eon should be handed to Beaumarchais and by him forwarded to the King etc.—(3) That the sd . Chev. D’Bion should desist from all personal or legal pursuit or attack on the memory ot the late C' de Guerchy, and from all annoyance of his family.—(4) “ And that an insurmountable barrier may be raised between the contending parties, and that the spirit of contention may be for ever quelled I (Beaumarchais) require in the name of—\]iere begins^ on page 2, the text of the part of the Transaction xvhicli is reproduced^— His Majesty that the disguise which has hitherto veiled the person of a damsel under the appear- ance of the Chevalier D’Eon [In D’Eon’s handwriting are the words by the King's special command'] should cease entirely;—and without wishing to blame D’Eon for a disguise of condition and sex, the fault of which lies entirely at the door of [In D’Eon’s hand her father and uncle] and in fact rendering justice to the manly honourable and reserved [In D’Eon’s hand discreet, liotiourable, pritdetit, and reserved and at the same time manly] bearing which she has always maintained in her adopted garb, I (Beaumarchais) absolutely exact that the ambiguity of her sex which has up to this time been an inexhaustible subject of almost indecent conversation and wagers and of objectionable pleasantries which might be renewed, especially in France, which the ’naughtiness of her disposition would not brook and which would lead to fresh quarrels that might perhaps only serve as a pretext for covering and renewing the old ones, I require absolutely, I say, [in D’Eon’s hand in the King's name] that the phantom of the Chevalier D’Eon should [in D’Eon’s hand wholly’] disappear And that a [in D’Eon’s hand public] declaration, clear, precise and unequivocal of the real sex of ——— D’Eon de Beaumont before her arrival in France (which declaration shall be attached to the present agreement) coupled with the resumption of her maidenly clothing, shall for ever settle all notions about her, a course which she can the less object to at the present time [in D’Eon’s hand because her sex can be proved by testimony and judicial documents 1] and that she will only appear the more interesting in the eyes of the two sexes which her life has equally honoured [in D’Eon’s hand by her discretion, courage and talents and by the services she has for 20 year's rendered to the King and the state]. On which conditions I will send her the Safe Conduct on parchment signed by the Kingand by his Minister for Foreign Affairs, permitting her to return to France and to remain there under the special [in D’Eon’s hand and immediate] safe- guard of His Majesty, which will Ensure to her not only safety and protection [m D’Eon’s hand under His royal promise] but which graciously changes the [in D’Eon’s hand annual] pension of 12,000 livres granted by the late King in 1766 . and which has been paid to her [in D’Eon’s hand punctually] up till the present day, into a contract for an annuity of a like sum with an acknowledgment that the principal of the said contract has been furnished and advanced by the said {le d‘!) D’Eon for the business of the late King,” etc., etc., etc.$