LOUIS XV. — LETTER OF PARDON. - Lot 204

Lot 204
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LOUIS XV. — LETTER OF PARDON. - Lot 204
LOUIS XV. — LETTER OF PARDON. Letters of clemency, remission, and pardon granted to René Rouillon, a Norman laborer, following an involuntary homicide that occurred during a hunting party. Versailles, [circa 1730–1750]. Large handwritten document on parchment (approx. 72 × 58 cm), written on vellum, bearing the grand royal inscription “Louis, by the grace of God, King of France and Navarre,” signed “By the King in his Council,” with an endorsement, administrative notes, and preserved polychrome silk tassels. A very fine letter of pardon issued in the name of Louis XV, a remarkable testament to the justice of the Ancien Régime, detailing with great precision the circumstances of an accidental homicide. The petition is submitted by René Rouillon, a laborer residing in Bois-Tonneau (Normandy), who states that during a day of hunting with several neighbors, he spotted a bird perched behind a hedge. After crouching down to fire his rifle, he unfortunately struck his companion Claude Rouillon, who had remained out of his sight, and who succumbed almost immediately to his wound. The account emphasizes the purely accidental nature of the tragedy, the absence of any criminal intent, and the petitioner’s honorable reputation. Following an investigation by royal officers and a judicial inquiry, the document notes that the petitioner, fearing the full force of the law, had gone into hiding before seeking the sovereign’s clemency. The king, “by our special grace, full power, and royal authority,” grants him full and complete remission, relieving him of any criminal, civil, or personal prosecution that might result from this homicide, subject to the interests of the civil parties in accordance with customary law. These lengthy letters of remission constitute one of the most vivid sources of justice under the Ancien Régime. As true judicial accounts, they offer an extremely detailed description of the facts, hunting customs, neighborly relations, and the functioning of criminal procedure prior to the Revolution. They were drafted following a thorough investigation and were subsequently ratified by the competent courts. The document bears the formula “By the King in his Council,” signed by a secretary of the Council, with several endorsements, registration notes, and apostilles from the period. The original silk seals, intended to bear the Great Seal (which is now lost), are still in place. In fine condition despite the creases typical of this type of document. Some restoration and minor marginal losses that do not affect the text; slight wear along the folds. The handwriting is very even and perfectly legible. A very rare royal judicial document, particularly compelling both for its extensive narrative and its significant historical and human dimensions, illustrating the exercise of sovereign clemency during the reign of Louis XV.
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