1777 Legal Registry Document About French Nobility Real Estate

On offer is an excellent example of a French legal document from the years immediately preceding the French Revolution.

The document is an extract from the legal registry of Britanny. Drafted in 1777, it describes an agreement between Hyacinthe-Laurent du Pontavice and a woman named Olive Marie Malkerbe. The Pontavice family were French nobility dating back to the early middle ages. Hyacinthe-Laurent du Pontavice was a lieutenant of the Marshals of France and captain-commander of the king's hunts at Fougères in 1788.

The reference to St. Ouen in the document refers to the Chateau St Ouen, a castle/manor home dating back to the 16th century. The property is still in the family.

Our informal research has not found any additional information on Madam Malkerbe.

The context suggests that this is the registration of a judgment that has now been satisfied:

A comparu au Greffe des Affirmations de la Cour messere Hyacinthe Laurent Dupontevice Seigneur Dehussey et demeurant afon chateau Duplessis [] St. Ouen. assiste de M Cartier, son Pr (?)
qui a jure et affirme etre [] expres dudit lieu en cette Ville de Rennes, distant de douze [] de puis sa derniere affirmation de voyage pour faciliter le jugement du proces qu'il a a la cour contre la dame Malkerbe de Nantrail...

[Translation: Appeared at the Registry of Affirmations of the Court Messer Hyacinthe Laurent Dupontevice Seigneur Dehussey and residing at Chateau Duplessis [] St. Ouen.
assisted by Mr. Cartier, his Pr (?)
who swore and affirmed to be [] from the said place in this City of Rennes, at a distance of twelve [] from then on his last declaration of travel to facilitate the judgment of the trial that he has at court against the lady Malkerbe of Nantrail...]

For a legal scholar interested in the workings of civil law in the northwest of France, this documents offers an insight into how disputes were resolved in the years immediately preceding the French Revolution.

This single-sided document measures 11.5 inches by 7.0 inches. It is a preprinted form with the particulars filled in. There is wear around the edges and some chipping on the left side. It bears an embossed seal which has some staining – however the staining may be a result of the seal being applied. The paper also bears a watermark.