RICHELIEU (Armand-Jean Du Plessis de). Signed... Lot 39

RICHELIEU (Armand-Jean Du Plessis de). Signed "Le card De Richelieu". [to Marshal Jacques Nompar de Caumont, future Duc de La Force]. Pont-de-Bonvoisin [in today's Isère department], June 16, 1630. One p. in-folio, small lack with damage to a few letters. Against the backdrop of the Thirty Years' War, Louis XIII and Richelieu became involved in the dispute over the succession to the duchies of Mantua and Monferrato, siding with Carlo Gonzaga, Duke of Mayenne (son of the Duke of Nevers), against the latter's cousin Ferdinando Gonzaga, Duke of Guastalla, who was allied with his relative the Emperor Ferdinand II (husband of Eleonora Gonzaga). The Duke of Savoy had rallied to the Emperor, hoping to be awarded the Duchy of Montferrat, enclosed within his states. "On estime très à propos tout ce qui est contenu dans le memoire qui a été apporté par le gentilhomme de monsieur de Montmorency en datte du xie juin. It will be a great advantage if we can take the places that monsieur le marechal de La Force... is hoping for. There is no need to send back the cannon horses that are in Piedmont to go and get the pieces that are in Ambrun, because six hundred are being sent from here at the moment to take them on their way, and those that are in Piedmont are necessary with the army. LE ROY ENVOYE PRESENTEMENT UN GENTILHOMME EN DAUPHINE AVEQ DES DEPESCHES FORT EXPRESSES POUR EN FAIRE PARTIR EN DILIGENCE TOUTTE LA CAVALERIE QUI DOIBT RETOURNER EN PIEDMONT, a douze compagnies de laquelle on fait prendre la route par la valée de Queyras et le col de La Croix a cause de la peste, and for the four others who are in Val-Louyse, it is necessary that they pass by Pragella [today Pragelato-Ruà in Piedmont], but we will take care in Pignerol to send to meet them in order to give them advice of the lodgings which they will have to take not to fall in those which are infected. To make the passage of these troops as smooth as possible, we are sending to Ambrun the money from the monster that will pass with them to be delivered to them beyond the montaigne[s]. On a desja mandé que cm ll [cent mille livres] suyvoient les vingt mil ecus desja arrivez, et que M. d'Hemery [Michel Particelli d'Émery, son of an Italian banker, then in the service of Richelieu] porte encore avec luy clxm ll [cent quarante mille livres]. Monsr le marquis d'Aluye [officer François d'Escoubleau de Sourdis, marquis d'Alluye] will see to it that the three couleuvrines at Sezane [today Cesana in Piedmont] are in Oulx ready to go when the artillery horses leaving from here pass by with their cannonballs and other necessities. LE ROY VA A LYON POUR SE RENDRE SANS FAULTE LE 22e DANS LA M[A]URIENNE par où Sa Majesté fait passer son armee, les estappes estant dressees pour cet effet. Then the town of Montmeillian, the forts of Charbonnieres, Pontamafré and St-Michel will be surrendered. Ainsy, il n'reste plus que le fort de Montmeillian dans toute la Savoye, ceux de Lugles et des Alinges s'estant rendu depuis deux jours. We will send the monster for the Count of Lucerne's company of horse-leggers [Luserna, in Piedmont], and we will provide for the lack of funds, for which monsr Servient [Abel Servien, Secretary of State for War] escript a monsieur le mar[ech]al [Henri] de Schomberg".