LATUDE (Jean Henry, known as Danry, known as Masers de). - Lot 187

Lot n° 187
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LATUDE (Jean Henry, known as Danry, known as Masers de). - Lot 187
LATUDE (Jean Henry, known as Danry, known as Masers de). Born in Montagnac. 1725-1805. Adventurer and prisoner famous for his numerous escapes. He published a series of memoirs that met with great success during the French Revolution. L.A.S. "Delatude" to the Duc d'Ayen. Paris, October 7, 1786. 3 folio pages. Watermarked green laid paper. Imprisoned after hatching a false plot against Madame de Pompadour, Latude spent 35 years in prison, despite his spectacular escapes. The Duc d'Ayen and a lady Legros, a haberdasher, had taken steps to have him released, which were successful on March 18, 1784.He assures the Duc ...that not a single day goes by, that Madame Legros and I do not wish?The Duke's generosity, to which Latude owes the greater part of his existence, so touched him that ...on learning of your arrival last Sunday, I was in no greater hurry than to leave the next day at daybreak, to come and kiss the knees of my benefactor... The Duke was then busy, but he wants to instruct him without further delay of the happiness that is coming to them...Madame la Duchesse de Kingston, greater by her virtues than she is by her illustrious birth, has just given my liberator a pension of six hundred pounds...This amiable duchess has also given the Chevalier de Pougens a superb apartment in her London palace, and he has promised in return to obtain for the duchess's nephew, M. Medos, ...permission to go hunting two or three times a week, in your capitainerie at St Germain... However, the Chevalier was only granted permission for one day, so Latude, alerted by the Duchess at whose house he was yesterday, interceded with his benefactor. ...You don't know, Monsieur Le Duc, what it's like to have the misfortune to displease people of Your kind, Mr. Chevalier de Pougens has the honor of being your friend, and mine.As it would be less painful for me to break an arm and a leg than to see Madame la duchesse de Kingston indisposed against your true friend and mine, to prevent this misfortune, I must have recourse to your kindness Monsieur le Duc...Latude, pointing out both the Duchess's kindness and all that the Duke stood to gain from the affair, concludes very humbly: ...I was only a child when I was put in prison, and I have spent three quarters of my life there. Ignorant of the style used when writing to persons of your rank, I hope you will be kind enough to forgive me any faults you may find in my supplication...
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