GUISE (Henri de Lorraine, Duc de). Letter signed "Henry de L - Lot 98

GUISE (Henri de Lorraine, Duc de). Letter signed "Henry de Lorraine" as duc de Chevreuse, to his officers. Chevreuse, December 14, 1579. 1/2p. large oblong folio on vellum, various old apostilles in margin and verso; seal missing. RARE RECOGNITION OF TRIBUTE FOR FIEFS DEPENDING ON HIS DUCHY OF CHEVREUSE: "...anoz bailly ou son lieutenant, procureur fiscal et aultres noz officiers de nostredict duché de Chevreuze qu'il appartiendra, salut. Sçavoir faisons que ce jourd'huy daté de ces presentes, a la proclamation des fiefz tenuz et mouvans de nostredict duché, est comparu devant nous maistre Alexandre Legrand conseiller du roy en sa court de Parlement, qui nous a faict les foy et hommage and oath of fidelity that he was &is required to make and bear to us, for the reason of the fief of Troux belonging to him by donation in favor of marriage, and also for the reason of half of the fief of Montabé also belonging to him by way of exchange made with Michel de Cangeon sieur de Buloys and of the said Montabé by half; the said two fiefs held and mouvans by us on account of ourtredict duchy of Chevreuze. To which we have received him &receive him by these presents, after he has paid and satisfied us satisfaict le droict de relief et profict de fief qu'il nous devoit..." HENRI THE SCARRED. After serving the Emperor against the Turks (1566), Henri de Lorraine, known as le Balafré (1550-1588) played a leading role in France during the Wars of Religion. A fierce opponent of the Protestants, he took part in organizing the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre (1572), and subsequently the League (1575). During the Day of the Barricades (1588), he succeeded in rousing Paris against Henri III, who had to flee, but the king lured the Scarred Man to Blois, where he had him assassinated. Expert: Pierre GHENO and Alain NICOLAS