EMIGRATION. Armand-Louis de SERENT (1736-1822) marshal de ca - Lot 463

EMIGRATION. Armand-Louis de SERENT (1736-1822) marshal de camp, governor of the dukes of Angoulême and Berry, agent in the Emigration, peer de France and duke during the Restoration. 6 L.A. (minutes, one incomplete), 1807-1809; 10 pages in various formats, one addressed with red wax seal; one in English. Interesting correspondence from an agent of Louis XVIII who took refuge in England under the name of Comte de L'Isle-Jourdain (referred to here as Comte "Delisle"), bearing witness to espionage projects and a landing of the Duc de Berry in France. London August 18, 1807, to George Canning, [Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs], with transmittal letter on back to Mr. Hammond [Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs]. He transmits an extract from a letter from Count Delisle, requesting that he take into consideration "the state of the loyal French who have long resided in Cadiz, and place them under the protection of the British government. Now they find themselves confused in their treatment with the partisans of Bonaparté"... July 24 [1809?], to a Lord [Castlereagh?]: "I am charged on behalf of M. le Cte Delisle to have the honor of transmitting to you the names of two Frenchmen who propose to come from Gottemburg to England; one is Mr. de La Coudraÿe who has already been sent back from Mittau by order of the Russian emperor, the other M. Janbart, offered to the Corps of the French Army. Janbart, offer au Corps du genie ayant fait toutes les campagnes au corps de Condé, et et etant entré depuis au service de Suède"... London November 14, 1809, to the Earl of Liverpool, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. He recalls Count Delisle's wish to send to France a few dedicated people to sound out the spirit and dispositions of the interior. MM. de Saint-Hubert, alias Saint-Ange, and Ferriet left for the Vendée and Abbé Quilvic, "on a government ship", for Basse-Bretagne, but M. de Brulart's plan to go to Normandy via Jersey was not carried out. Serent wonders whether the reluctance of Castlereagh and the British government was not due to the arrests of royalists and the death of M. d'Aché; "nevertheless, the Princes still want it, I beg you to kindly grant me the passport requested for M. de Brulard, or to cover my responsibility by deigning to give me a decisive answer"... - To Count de La Châtre. He is suspicious of M. de Ferriette who "had dealt with M. de La Feronnays on the means of leading M. le Duc de Berry to France, and of putting him at the head of a royalist party in the western provinces. This operation was about to take place when M. de La Feronnays received letters from his friends and even his sister, warning him that this project was known in France, and that M. le Duc de Berry should be delivered to Bonaparte. There was never any positive proof of this fact, but it left great suspicions on the Count de l'Individü"... - Account in English of threats received by La Ferronays, and of suspicions regarding Baron de Ferriette...