Le Trésor des trésors de France, vollé à la Couronne par les incogneues faussetez, artifices et suppositions commises par les principaux Officiers de Finance. Découvert et présenté au Roy Louis XIII en l’assemblée des Estats Généraux tenus à Päris l’an 1615. Par Jean de Beaufort, Parisien. avec les moyens d’en retirer plusieurs millions d’or et soulager son peuple à l’advenir.
small in-4° (signature B on p.9), made on half sheet, red edges, short margin, bound in full 19th century vellum, beautiful endpaper, vignette on title. Excellent condition, some foxing. Small sentence in ink (19th century) for a gift to a friend on a white flyleaf – 180 p. – 1615
Rare pamphlet of great violence against the Officers of Finance, often quoted, rarely read. Jean de Beaufort rebelled against the abolitions granted to financiers to close the chambers of justice from 1577 to 1607, in particular those obtained by “falsehoods”. The text contains the list of accounting officers “who have committed several thefts”, imaginary names used for the acquittals, but also the list of officers who are not concerned by the proposed research. It is therefore not a text against venality, but it appeared at a time when the nobility sought to have it abolished.
The Estates-General (Oct. 27, 1614 – Feb. 22, 1615) were animated at the beginning of January 1615 by these debates. The printing of Beaufort’s text provoked the irritation of the Third Estate and the Parliament of Paris. The printer was raided on February 11, the forms were broken and Beaufort was arrested. But, as early as February 18, the chancellor had 12 copies of Beaufort’s text brought to each of the chambers of the Estates.
It is likely that these copies were the quarto that we know of from this 1615 edition.
Offered by L’Artisan Biblio-Phil
€495 plus shipping
To purchase contact, mauran.phil@orange.fr
Leave a Reply