25 Unusual Items from Simon Beattie

Item, 13 consists of seven manuscripts and one book of Les Philippiques, a scandalous and grossly unfair attack on Philippe II Duke of Orleans. The Duke was the nephew of King Louis XIV, who managed to outlive his children and grandchildren. The result was that when he died, the heir to his throne was his great grandson, the then five-year-old King Louis XV. During the period before the new King's majority at age 13, the Duke of Orleans served as Regent. It was during this time that Francois Lagrange-Chancel, a playwright with an evident dislike for the Duke, created the first of these manuscript editions (1720). Considering how scandalous they were, it was no wonder no one printed them. The printed book edition included here was not published until 1795, long after all of the parties involved were gone. In his work, Lagrange-Chancel accuses the Duke of incest with his all too often pregnant though widowed daughter, and that he plotted to poison the young King. Saint-Simon wrote of Les Philippiques, “All that Hell could vomit forth, true and false, was expressed in the most beautiful of verses.” The Duke apparently didn't care about the rumors of incest, but was terribly upset with the claim that he would poison the young King so as to improve his own position. His great care and concern for Louis until his majority should establish that the Duke wished nothing of the sort. He died in 1723, the year of Louis' majority. £8,500 (US $13,633).

Simon Beattie may be reached at +44 (0) 1494 784954 or simon@simonbeattie.co.uk. Their website is www.simonbeattie.co.uk.