Chapter XIV.

Coming to the adjoining frontier province, we find that the plates engraved in Lorraine are rather less influenced by German art and the ponderous German heraldry. Many beautiful ex-libris bear on their faces the name of the city of _Nancy_ as their birthplace, and well-known artists for their fathers.

A few of the leading engravers of ex-libris who sign themselves as of _Nancy_ are J. Valdor (G. Grangier’s plate); C. Charles, 1739; Nicole on a large number of dated plates, from 1743 to 1767; Colin, and two named Collin, whose signatures appear on a number of fine plates. The D. Collin, who produced the interesting plate of “_R. Willemet_, Apothicaire à Nancy,” describes himself as “Graveur du feu Roy de Pologne.” Further particulars concerning these artists will be found in the chapter on artists and engravers.

[Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF FRANÇOIS DE CHANTEAU.]

The Duchy of Lorraine (formerly known as Lotharingia) was at one time an appanage of the House of Austria, but after several dynastic changes it was conferred, for life only, upon Stanislaus I., the dethroned king of Poland.

[Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF LÉON GERMAIN OF NANCY.]

Stanislaus held the titles “Duc de Lorraine et de Bar,” and on the large book-plate for the public library of the city of Nancy, the inscription reads “Fondée par le Roy de Pologne, duc de Lorraine, en MDCCL,” whilst the supporters of the central shield are two eagles, each carrying an escutcheon, the dexter eagle bears the arms of Lorraine (_or, on a bend gules, three allerions argent_), the sinister eagle carries the arms of Bar. On the death of Stanislaus, in February, 1766, the Duchy was united to the crown of France.

[Illustration: BOOK-PLATE BY NICOLE OF NANCY.]

The city of Nancy was the capital of Lorraine. Here Stanislaus resided: he did much to embellish the city, where his memory is still highly respected, his portrait is preserved in the library, and a public square is named after him, whilst, as we have seen, D. Collin mentioned on his works that he had been “engraver to the late King of Poland,” a statement which, at first sight, appears to have little relevance to French book-plates.

The handsome plate which has been re-engraved for this work, and forms the frontispiece, belonged to the Prince de Marsan, of the house of Lorraine. It is a grand specimen of the Louis Seize style, but unfortunately it is neither signed nor dated.

[Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF PETER DOBREE.]

The inscription reads “Ex Libris Serenissimi Principis DE MARSAN a Lotharingia.”

The eight quarterings on the shield are the arms of--1. Hungary; 2. Anjou-Sicile; 3. Jerusalem; 4. Aragon; 5. Anjou (modern); 6. Gueldres; 7. Brabant; 8. Bar. On the dexter inescutcheon are the pure arms of Lorraine as borne by the Dukes of Lorraine. The whole within a bordure.

[Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF FREDERICK LE MESURIER.]

The collars around the arms are those of the French _Ordres du Roi_, namely the orders of Saint Michel and the Saint Esprit.

[Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF PETER DE HAVILLAND.]

As the Channel Islands have long belonged to Great Britain it is obviously incorrect to class them under the Frontier provinces of France. And yet some mention must be made of them, for many book-plates used there have a distinctly French character, whilst a list of the names of some of the leading families (of French origin), will show that a collector might easily be led to mistake their plates for French:

Allès, Le Patourel, Metivier, Mauger, Le Dieu, Bichard, Andros, Bonamy, Brock, Blondel, Beauvoir or De Beauvoir, Carey, Cary, or Careye, De Carteret, Effard, de Jersey, de Havilland or Haviland, Gosselin, Dobrée, Perchard, Le Mesurier, Mesny, Millais, Milais, Milet, Priaulx, De Sausmarez or Saumarez, Fautret, De Vie, Lihou, Guille, Le Marchant, Le Febvre, Le Roy, Le Pelley, Tupper, Le Gros, Lemprière, De Lisle, Falla, De Putron, Renouf, Le Gallienne, Naftel.

I give reproductions of three such plates, one a fine specimen of engraving, of Peter Dobree, a family long settled in Guernsey, the other a more modern plate of the Le Mesurier family, to which the fleur-de-lys and the motto give a French appearance. The motto is the same as that used on his book-plate by David Garrick, who was himself of Huguenot descent. The third is a plate of Peter de Havilland, a member of a very old Guernsey family, now represented by General de Havilland. There is a plate of this family by Skinner, of Bath, dated 1742. (See pp. 159, 160, 161.)

There are several instances of ancient French titles being held by residents in Great Britain, or our Colonies, which titles are also recognized by our heraldic authorities. As their book-plates would undoubtedly pass for French, a few explanatory notes about them may be given.

The Barony du Bois de Ferrieres may be instanced. The Du Bois was a Walloon family, whilst the De Ferrieres branch was of Huguenot descent, which removed from France to Holland at the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. The family motto was _Tout par et pour Dieu_.

The Marquis de Lapasture was created a French nobleman in 1768; his descendants settled in England.

The Baron de Teissier, created by French patent in 1819, was also permitted by royal authority to use that title in Great Britain.

[Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF THE DE VISME FAMILY.]

Another descendant of an ancient noble French family identified with this country was the Marquis Ruault de Longueville de Bucy, who was educated at Eton and Cambridge, and served in the Bechuanaland Expedition with Methuen’s Horse.

This marquis (the 11th in descent) belongs to a family whose history is full of curious and romantic vicissitudes. The first Marquis de Bucy et Merval was created in 1602, he being the direct descendant of the ancient feudal Lords of Bucy, successive holders of the Marquisate were Lords-in-Waiting to Louis XIII. and Louis XV. Charles Marc, the 8th marquis, was a Captain in the French King’s Musqueteers, a court post of considerable importance under the _ancien régime_. During the Reign of Terror he escaped to England, but his wife, Marie Ruault, Marquise de Gamaches, in her own right, was captured and guillotined with Marie Antoinette.

The 9th Marquis, son of the above, was invited by Napoleon I. to return to France, which he did, served as Major in the celebrated Cuirassiers de la Garde, and died a soldier’s death at Waterloo. He was the grandfather of the present holder of the title.

The motto of the family is singularly appropriate to its history: _Pour le roi souvent--pour la patrie toujours_.

The next family to mention in this connection is one which, though thoroughly identified with this country, carries arms proclaiming their French origin to even the most casual observer. Indeed the Counts de Vismes (or de Visme) asserted their descent from royalty itself, as evidenced by the first quarter, _d’azur semée de fleur-de-lys or_, for France ancient, whilst the motto _Mont Joie St. Denis_, and the supporters, two angels, also indicate French royalty. (See page 163.)

[Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF G. DE VISME.]

The family of De Visme is descended from the sovereign Counts of Ponthieu (dating since the eighth century) of the Blood Royal of France, and the head of the family has, by usage on the continent, borne the title of prince. The title of Count de Visme has also been recognized by the successive governments of France, although the family has long been resident in England, and has furnished many distinguished officers to our army.

Here is another plate of a Frenchman settled in England, and rather more English than the majority of Englishmen themselves.

[Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF THE CHEVALIER DE CHATELAIN.]

The Chevalier de Chatelain was a prolific author: poems, essays, and letters without number, flowed from his pen; he translated some of Shakespeare’s plays into French, and endeavoured to explain Victor Hugo’s works to our countrymen. Finally he wrote poems in praise of his deceased wife, Madame Clara de Chatelain, _née_ Clara de Pontigny.

[Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF THE BARON DE MORIENSART.

(A Specimen of Flemish Heraldry of the seventeenth century.)]

Probably few people have read the praises of this good lady, but she appears to have been a remarkable person, an accomplished musician, a clever linguist, and, what is more to the point, she was for thirty-three years the loving wife of the chevalier, who was enabled, through her amiability, to claim and obtain the Dunmow Flitch in 1855 for their marital felicity.

As for the chevalier himself, he appears to have been a kindly, fussy, well-read old gentleman, seriously afflicted with the _cacoëthes scribendi_.

[Illustration]