FRANÇOIS II. Letter signed "Françoys", countersigned... Lot 3

FRANÇOIS II. Letter signed "Françoys", countersigned by Jacques Bourdin as Secretary of State, addressed to François de Saint-Nectaire, lieutenant of the governor of the Trois-Evêchés. Pontgouin [in present-day Eure-et-Loir], 22 June 1560. 1 p. folio, address on back, trace of red wax seal, small cracks due to closing system, one marginal tear. RARE DOCUMENT SIGNED BY THE HAND OF THIS YOUNG KING OF SIXTEEN YEARS WHO WOULD DIE IN THE FOLLOWING DECEMBER. One of the last Valois, he had a dramatic reign marked by a hardening of the religious conflict and a preponderant influence of the family of Lorraine in royal affairs. "I will not have much of a response to make to the letter I received from you...I will only tell you that I can only have a very agreeable reflection of the names you have given to the king who sent me to be provided with the estates of the JUSTICE OF METZ, since what you have done with them was after you had inquired of the vicar of the bishopric, the archpriest and the parish priests, and of the parish priests, of the duty they performed at last Easter and of their good religion, since from those of this quality one can only hope for rest in the said city and a very good and loyal duty in all that will depend on the exercise of the said justice and of what will be committed to them. [The Three Bishoprics, which came into French possession in 1552 after a victorious campaign against imperial troops, waited until 1633 to have a Parliament, in Metz, its judicial system first being placed under the authority of a royal delegate, in this case Antoine Senneton, otherwise favourable to the Protestants]. I beg you that you and President Senneton will do everything possible to remove me from the ENNERY case as clearly and as quickly as possible, as the ambassador of the King of Spain, my good brother, usually presses and resists me, and I will be very happy that the thing does not go on for too long on my side if it can be done, so I do not want to rush you so much that I do not intend to give you the time you will need to be well informed and instructed, but I do not want any time to be lost... " The lordship of Ennery, possession of the d'Heu family, was a fief for part of the bishopric of Metz, under French control, and for part of a younger branch of the family of Lorraine in the influence of the duchy of Luxembourg then possession of Charles V. A MAN OF WAR, FRANÇOIS DE SAINT-NECTAIRE (often spelled Senneterre), was then serving in Metz as lieutenant of François de Scépeaux, sieur de Vieilleville, governor of the Three Bishoprics (Metz, Toul, Verdun). He showed great firmness towards the Protestants of the city and the region.