Legal Records, 17th Century France, circa 1642-1692

Summary

Abstract:
Printed signatures of varying length, relating to various civil and criminal court matters in 17th century France. Some pertain to Cardinal Armand Jean du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu.
Extent:
0.25 linear ft.
Language:
French
Preferred citation:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Legal Records, 17th Century France,

Background

Scope and content:

This small collection of Legal Records, 17th Century France consists of twenty-eight printed signatures in French. Neither the printer nor the publisher is known. The signatures are of varying length and have been trimmed to roughly the same height and width. It cannot be determined whether any of the items were intended eventually to be bound together.

Most of the items in folder 1 are connected with the disposition of the estate of Cardinal Armand Jean du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu. Other items in the collection pertain to libel and slander cases, inheritances, and various other civil and criminal matters. A few items concern the Jesuits in Paris and Reims, and three relate to the case of "la Dame de Sassy," who is accused of murdering, or attempting to murder, her first husband; the accusation is brought by her former brother-in-law, Poitevin de Villiers.

Biographical / historical:

Names mentioned in the documents include academics, members of the aristocracy, and religious orders including the Jesuits. Among the persons of note are the following.

Cardinal Armand Jean du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu (1585-1642), a French clergyman, nobleman, and statesman. He served as Foreign Secretary and chief minister to Louis XIII of France and had extensive power and influence.

Roger de Rabutin, Comte de Bussy (1618-1693), a French memoirist and relative of Madame de Sévigné, is mentioned several times, as is his wife Louise de Rabutin (née Louise de Rouville).

Henry de La Tour d'Auvergne (1555-1623) was a French aristocrat, Duc de Boüillon, Prince of Sedan and Marshal of France.

"La Dame de Sassy" is almost certainly Marie/Marguerite Gaudon, wife of Nicolas Vauquelin de Sassy and widow of Pierre de Troussebois, Marquis de Ris. See for example: Catalogue des factums et d'autres documents judiciaires anterieurs a 1790, Bibliotheque Nationale, Département des Imprimés (1902), Volume 6, pp. 268-270).

Acquisition information:
Purchase, 2017.
Arrangement:

Items remain in the order in which they were received when purchased.

Access and use

Restrictions:

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Terms of access:

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Preferred citation:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Legal Records, 17th Century France,

Location of this collection:
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries
Bird Library, Room 600
Syracuse, NY 13244, United States
Link to repository site
Contact:
315.443.2697
scrc@syr.edu