Note 7 — LETTER V. To James Stevenson, Esquire, Albany.

The château of St. Ouen, rather less than two centuries since, passed into the possession of the Duc de Gesvre. Dulaure gives the following, a part of a letter from this nobleman, as a specimen of the education of a Duc, in the seventeenth century. “Monsieur, me trouvant obligé de randre une bonne party de largan que mais enfant ont pris de peuis qu’il sont au campane, monsieur, cela moblige a vous suplier tres humblemant monsieur de me faire la grasse de commander monsieur quant il vous plera que lon me pay la capitenery de Monsaux monsieur vous asseurant que vous mobligeres fort sansiblement monsieur comme ausy de me croire avec toute sorte de respec, etc.” This beats Jack Cade, out and out. The great connêtable Anne de Montmorency could not write his name, and, as his signature became necessary, his secretary stood over his shoulder to tell him when he had made enough piés de mouche to answer the purpose.