LOUIS XVI: (1754-1793) King of France and Navarre 1774-1791, King of the French 1791-92. The only King of France to have been executed. A very fine L.S., `Louis´, one page, folio, Versailles, 1<sup>st</sup> of June 1776, to his Treasurer Charles-Pierre Savalete de Magnanville, in French. The King orders the Royal Treasurer to pay `…Jean Tacel, Piqueur de ma Louveterie, la somme de deux cents livres pour une année échue cejourd´hui, de la Subsistance que le feu Roi mon très honoré Seigneur et Ayeul lui avait accordée..´ ("…Jean Tacel, whipper of my Royal wolf hunting service, the amount of two hundred pounds for a full year of service, expiring on today´s date, for his subsistence that the late King, my very honoured Lord and ancestor had granted him…")  Countersigned at the base by Jean Antoine Amelot. A small annotation to the left bottom corner indicates that the amount was only paid three years later. Paper with watermark. Small overall minor age wear and toning to the edges and one small stain to the lower left corner, not affecting the text or signatures. G to VG

 

Jean-Antoine Amelot de Chaillou (1732-1795) Minister of the Royal House. He died at prison of Luxemburg.

The present payment order relates to an officer serving in the wolf hunting Royal service. An institution which has its origins in the IX century.