Stirling peerage

STYLING HIMSELF EARL OF STIRLING. ]3
' qui me procura lecture de la charte. Ce document extraordinaire
' s' estend a pres de cinquante pages d' escriture, et le Latin rien moins
• que classique : Cependant comrae Canadien un peu intcresse en ce
' qu'il y avoit dedans je dois dire que je Pay leu d' un bout a 1' autre
' avec autant de curiosite que de satisfaction. Feu M. Mallet estoit un
' homme dont les bonnes qualitex et la rare intelligence font regretter
' que la mort 1' a enleve si subitement a ses amis. 11 avoit bien prevu que
' la copie ne feroit point connoistre la charte en France. Voyla done
' pourquoy il consceut ie project d' escrire sur une des ces belles cartes
' de Guillaume de 1' Isle une notte que tout ie monde pust lire avec
'interest. S'il avoit vescu assez longtemps il auroit ajouste a cet
' interest, car il vouloit s' informer eu Argleterre de 1' estat actuel des
' descendants du Comte qui obtint les concessions et tout ce qu' ou luy
' auroit mande a leur egard auroit este escrit sur cette mespie carte. Au
' surplus avec les deux docuraf nts qu' il nous a laisses, personne eu
« France ne pourra revoquer en doute 1' existence d' uue telle charte.
' A Lyon, le 6. Avril, 1707.'
and you did, then and there, wickedly and feloniously forge and adhibit,
or cause and procure to be forged and adhibited thereto, the words
' Caron Saint Estienne,' meaning the same to pass for, and be received
as, the genuine subscription of some person to the Prosecutor unknown,
or of a fictitious person ; which writing, last above libelled, to which the
said subscription was so adhibited, being translated into English, is of
the following or similar teuor, import, and effect : —
' The above note is precious. I can certi% that it gives lu few words
' an extremely correct idea of the wonderful charter in question. As to
• the copy of this charter, it is attested by the Keeper of the Records
' (I'archiviste) and the Acadian witnesses, and must be in entire confor-
' mity with the Register of Port Royal. While at Quebec I had heard
' of the grants to the Earl of Stirling, but my friend M. Mallet was the
' tirst who procured me a perusal of the charter. This extraordinary
' document extends over fifty pages of writing, and the Latin any thing
' but classical; still, as a Canadian, somewhat interested in its contents,
' I am bound to say, that 1 read it from end to end with as much curio-
' sity as satisfaction. The late M. Mallet was a man whose good qualities
' and rare understanding make us regret a death which snatched him so
' suddenly from his friends. He had foreseen that the copy would not
' make the charter known in France. Hence he conceived the idea of
' writing, on one of the beautiful maps of Guillaume de 1' Isle, a note
• which all the world might read with interest. Had he lived long
' enough, he would have added to this interest, for he wished to obtain
' information in England as to the then situation of the descen-
' dants of the Earl who obtained the grants; and all the information
' which he might have received respecting them he would have trans-
' ferred to this very Map. But, after all, with the two documents which
' he has left to us, no person in France can question the existence of
' such a charter.
' Li/ons, 6. April, 1 707.'
AND, .
Time and place last above libelled,
you, the said Alexander Humphreys or Alexander, did wickedly and