HENRI IV. Letter signed "Henry", countersigned... Lot 8

HENRI IV. Letter signed "Henry", countersigned by the future Marquis de Villeroy, Nicolas de Neufville, in as Secretary of State for War and Foreign Affairs, addressed to Sieur de Rebours. Rouen, February 3, 1597. 1 p. in-folio, address on the back. Testimony of the active support given by Henry IV to the United Provinces against Spain: diplomatic instructions to an unofficial agent employed for about ten years with the United Provinces. "I received the letter from my cousin, the Elector of Colongne, which you sent me through Sr. de Buzanval. [Paul Choart de Buzanval, Ambassador of France to the United Provinces] and sceu de luy la creance and because I desire to be the best, I have received from him, and because I want to be the best. esclarcy of this faict & kiss him also as it deserves, come find me incontinent that you will have receu la présente, car mon intention est de vous remercier devers luy, et luy faire congnoistre par esfect the account that I want to make of his friendship, so that you will give me the opportunity of opposing him on his way out, if I you promise I'll give it to you, and I'll do you a favor on this occasion. Come along. at the most tost, if you will confess of this fact, before leaving, with my cousin the prince Maurice [Maurice de Nassau, Captain General of Holland and Zeeland, Dutch stathouder, Utrecht, Gelderland and Overijssel] & bring me his advice, recommending from my part what concerns the dictation voter... » An important figure of that time, the elector of Cologne Ernest of Bavaria was at the same time archbishop of that city, prince-bishop of Liège, and bishop of Munster, Hildesheim. and Freising. Humanist, friend of Kepler and Galileo, alchemist close to the Paracelsusians, he was favourable to the Tridentine reform and very hostile to Protestants, but maintained a strict neutrality and took no part