[The man who set the French Revolution in motion.] Countersignature of Charles-Alexandre de Calonne to quittance on parchment of Charles-Pierre Lavalette, regarding the ‘feu Fauveau de Frenilly Receveur général des Domains des bois de Poitier’.

According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, it was de Calonne’s efforts at reform, which precipitated the crisis which let to the French Revolution. The present item is on a 31 x 22 cm piece of parchment. In good condition, lightly aged, with a couple of closed tears. On the front is the main document beginning (with printed text in square brackets) ‘[Je Charles Pierre Lavalete Conseiller du Roi en ses Conseils, Garde de son Trésor Royal, confesse avoir reçû comptant en cette Ville de Paris] des héritiers du feu Fauveau de Frenilly Receveur général des Domains des bois de Poitiers La Somme de Trois mille Six cent Cinquante Neuf Livres dix Sept Sols Sept deniers’. The ‘Quittance’ is signed ‘Lavalete’. On the reverse the document is ‘Enregistrée du Controlle Général des Finances’ by ‘De Calonne’, dated from Paris, 20 June 1784. In a nineteenth-century hand, at foot of first page: 'See the back for the Signature of Calonne''.