The Online Library of Liberty

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• List of Illustrations
• Essays of Montaigne
• Of Experience
• Sketch of the Life of Montaigne
• Letters of Montaigne
• I: To Messire Antoine Du Prat, Provost of Paris.
• II: To Monseigneur, Monseigneur De Montaigne (his Father). (1563.)
• III: To the Same.
• IV: To Monsieur, Monsieur De Lansac, Knight of the King’s Order, Privy Councillor, Subcontroller of His Finance, and Captain of the Cent Gardes of His Household.
• V: To Monsieur, Monsieur De Mesmes, Seigneur De Roissy and Malassize, Privy Councillor to the King.
• VI: To Monsieur, Monsieur De L’hospital, Chancellor of France.
• VII: To Monsieur, Monsieur De Foix, Privy Councillor, and Ambassador of His Majesty to the Signory of Venice.
• VIII: To Mademoiselle, Mademoiselle De Montaigne, My Wife.
• IX: To Madame De Grammont, Comtesse De Guissen.
• X: To the Jurats of Bordeaux.
• XI: To Monseigneur, Monseigneur De Nantouillet, Councillor to the King.
• XII: To Henry III.
• XIII: Memorial of Montaigne, Mayor of Bordeaux, and of His Jurats, Addressed to the King of Navarre, On Different Subjects Interesting That Same Town.
• XIV: To the Marechal De Matignon.
• XV: To the Same.
• XVI: To Monsieur, Monsieur Dupuy, the King’s Councillor In His Court and Parliament of Paris, At Xaintes.
• XVII: To Mm, the Jurats of the Town of Bordeaux.
• XVIII: To the Marechal De Matignon.
• XIX: To the Same.
• XX: To the Same.
• XXI: To the Jurats of Bordeaux.
• XXII: To the Marechal De Matignon.
• XXIII: To the Same.
• XXIV: To the Same.
• XXV: To the Same.
• XXVI: To the Same.
• XXVII: To the Same.
• XXVIII: To the Jurats of Bordeaux.
• XXIX: To the Same.
• XXX: To the Marechal De Matignon.
• XXXI: To the Same.
• XXXII: To Mademoiselle Paulmier.
• XXXIII: To Henry IV.
• XXXIV: To — —
• XXXV: To Henry IV.
• Notes
• Volume I
• Volume Ii
• Volume Iii
• Volume Iv
• Volume V
• Volume Vi
• Volume Vii
• Volume Viii
• Volume Ix
• Volume X

XII

To Henry III.

Sire,—By information which I have had in this place of Moncornet, it seems that fortune is suffering to release you from the promise which your goodness and liberality made me a few days since. For I found in the hands of M. Pinard a letter herewith enclosed, whereby it is notified that the Priory of Provins is vacant by the death of Monseigneur Maurice de Commerces, and may be worth from a thousand to twelve hundred livres, as the writer says. It is in the Loudonnois, and in the nomination of your Majesty, who will not make a Prior of me, if you give it me, so much as the place will be to me a dukedom or countship, which will be perpetually stocked with big and good capons, whenever you chose to have them, as well as quails. I do not offer here to interfere with the resolution which your Majesty has formed for the distribution of your bounty, for he who has waited five-and-twenty years on his superiors can wait two months more, or even a year, for folks of smaller account; and that my letter may not be longer than myself, and may not be importunate to you, I will conclude by praying your Majesty to disregard that hardihood and presumption of writing to you on the exigency which threatens as well those of low as of high estate. I supplicate God with all my heart that He will be pleased to advance your welfare much and more while you are King of France. From Moncornet, the 7th of July 1583. Your very humble servant and subject,

MONTAIGNE.