LOUIS XV (1710-1774). P.S. (secrétaire), Paris October 1716; - Lot 230

LOUIS XV (1710-1774). P.S. (secrétaire), Paris October 1716; countersigned by Phelypeaux and Voysin; notebook of 7pages in-fol. on vellum. Important "édit concernant les Esclaves Negres des Colonies". The 15-article edict is preceded by a long preamble, recalling the edict of March 1685 "which, by maintaining the discipline of the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church, provides for what concerns the state and quality of the Negro slaves maintained in the Colonies for the cultivation of the land, and as we have been informed that several inhabitants of our American islands wish to send some of their slaves to France to confirm them in the instructions and exercises of our religion, et pour leur apprendre en mememes quelque art ou metier dont les Colonies recevroient beaucoup d'utilité par le retour de ces Esclaves, mais que ces habitans craignent que les Esclaves ne pretendent et soient libres en arrivant en France, ce qui pourrait causer aux habitans une perte considérable, et les détourner d'un objet aussi pieux et aussi utile"... To bring slaves to France, permission must be obtained from the governors general of the islands, and they must be registered with the clerk of the place of residence... Article 5: "Black slaves of either sex who are brought to France by their masters or who are sent there by them may not claim to have acquired their freedom under the pretext of their arrival in the Kingdom, and shall be required to return to our colonies when their masters deem it appropriate, but if the slave masters fail to observe the formalities prescribed by the preceding articles, the said slaves shall be free and may not be expelled. Esclaves seront libres et ne pourront être reclamez"... Etc.