[Manuscript]. [Affair of the Queen's Necklace]. VERGENNE, Ch - Lot 221

Lot 221
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[Manuscript]. [Affair of the Queen's Necklace]. VERGENNE, Ch - Lot 221
[Manuscript]. [Affair of the Queen's Necklace]. VERGENNE, Charles Gravier, comte de (1717-1787), secretary of state for foreign affairs. LAS, Versailles, 22 August 1785, to "Monseigneur" [Cardinal de BERNIS, French ambassador to Rome]. 2 pp. in-4°. Vergenne relates in detail the affair of the Queen's necklace. "I was far from suspecting the event that was taking place in the castle. I was no less surprised [...] when I learned of the detention of M. Card. de Rohan, arrested the same day on leaving the King's apartment, and transferred the next evening to the Bastille. He explains the reasons, "there are few examples of such a hellish plot. The Queen discovered that M. le Card. de Rohan had dealt in her name and on her behalf with a diamond necklace for the price of sixteen hundred thousand francs. Her Majesty was all the more justifiably hurt by the abuse of her name, since if she had wanted to obtain this necklace, it would not have been this Em[inen]ce that she would have chosen as her commissioner. M. le Card. de Rohan apellé devant L. L. M[ajes]tés en présence de M. Le Garde des sceaux et de M. de Breteuil, a avoüé ce marché, et n'a pu alléguer pour sa justification d'autre raison que celle d'avoir été trompé. il n'a pu donner aucun renseignement sur le sort des diamans qui ne sont pas encore retrouvés." Vergenne suspects accomplices, some of whom have already been arrested "and it is to be hoped that we will succeed in piercing the dark veil of this mystery of iniquity and in recognizing the true culprit. In the meantime, M. le Card. de Rohan has been lodged in the Bastille in the apartment of one of the principal officers, served by his own people, and he has the freedom to see his relatives and business associates. [...]" Attached is an unsigned LA [from a member of the de MAUNY family], Paris, April 6, 1784. 2 pp. 1/2 in-4°. News from the court of Louis XVI: the Bailiff of SUFFREN received at Versailles (hedge of honor, reception of Louis XVI who appoints him vice-admiral of the Great Indies and grants him and his relatives various rewards, affectionate reception of the Queen and the royal children), Rochambeau has the command of Picardy, Le Noir was appointed librarian of the King after the death of Bignon, various rumors including that of the bankruptcy of the Prince of Salm "There is a lot of disturbance in several houses, the luxury has risen so high that we can not stand it.
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