HENRY III: (1551-1589)

HENRY III: (1551-1589) King of France 1574-89, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania 1573-75. Assassinated. Henry III was son of Henry II and Catherine de´Medici who saw during her life time three of her sons becoming Kings of France, Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III. It has been reported that Henry was his mother's favourite; she called him chers yeux ("precious eyes") and lavished fondness and affection upon him for most of his life. A good and clean L.S., `Votre bon ami, Henry´, one page, folio, Paris, 9th April 1568, to Monsieur de Matignon, in French. The manuscript document is a request sent by the future King Henry III, in his capacity as Lieutenant General of France and responsible of French armies, and on behalf of his brother and King Chrales IX of France, states in part ` Monsieur de Matignon, le Roi, Monseigneur et frère, vous écrit amplement son intention, tant sur les gens de guerre qu´il veut retenir et ceux qu´il veut licencier, que sur les plaintes du capitaine La Roche, et ce qu´il veut être fait de ses compagnies... pour vous prier de faire partir à la file et en petit nombre celles que vous licencierez et afin qu´ils ne puissent piller ni voler les sujets du roi, et mon dit seigneur et frère leur mettre à la guerre tous les prevôts des maréchaux qui sont en votre gouvernement pour les hâter de se retirer.´ (Translation: " Monsieur de Matignon, the King, Monseigneur and brother, writes to you amply his intention, both on the soldiers he wants to retain and those he wants to dismiss, as well as on the complaints of Captain La Roche, and what he wants to be made of his companies... to ask you to send away and in small numbers those whom you dismiss and so that they cannot plunder or steal from the subjects of the King, and my said Lord and brother put them in service to war all the provosts of the marshals who are in your government to hasten them to withdraw") With a five lines registry annotation to the verso. Very lightly affixed to the left border to a slightly larger card. Very small overall minor age toning, otherwise G to VG Jacques II (?-1597) Sire de Matignon, Prince of Mortagne, Count of Thorigny, Baron de la Marque, Marquis of Lonray, Governor of Cherbourg and the Guiana, Lieutenant General of Normandie.