REVOLUTION. 5 letters, mostly L.A.S., February-July 1789; 8p - Lot 477

REVOLUTION. 5 letters, mostly L.A.S., February-July 1789; 8pages in-4, 3 addresses. Curious set on the Great Fear in Bresse. February 8, anonymous letter (in capital letters) addressed to M. de Monburon in Bourg: "Two hundred cytoyens of Bourg warn the flat Monburon, that the presence of an aussy arrogant scoundrel has soiled this town for too long; he will therefore do well to purge the country as he displeases everyone [...] If an example is to be made, the said butor will soon serve as one. His rope is being spun, and the festival where he is to dance is not far off"... XVIII Juillet, anonymous letter (in capital letters) addressed "A Mesieurs du Tier Etat de presant de garde a Bourg en Bresse". "You will be surprised by the nobility if you don't hurry to devastate their chattels, set fire to them & put them to the sword, they are traitors who will make us all perish in a short time. [...] Nobles, monks, priests, are all our sworn enemies"... Macon July 24. Melchior, comte de Montrevel (1736-1794) to M. Chevrier, mayor of Bourg. He regrets having displeased the people: "I could not have imagined that my taste for hunting could have displeased them, so I ordered the killing of deer", and he is going to reform dogs and horses... He wants "the misfortunes of the times and the increase in taxes that I am going to pay for renouncing pecuniary privileges to bear on my pleasures and not on people to whom I give bread [...] If I must lose my chateau and the friendship of the people, I would sacrifice the former to keep the latter"... Etc. Corveissiat July 25. Warning from the parish priest of Corveissiat, "You are warned that brigands are spreading through the County, approaching Bresse and putting it to fire and blood, to be on your guard and warn the gentlemen of Bourg"... Certified by the parish priests of Cize, Corant and Romanèche. Saint-Just July 25. Letter from vicar Billon: "The alarm that has just spread through the countryside obliges the inhabitants of St Just to turn to you for powder and weapons to oppose the efforts of the brigands"...