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Post by Louis XIV on Jun 15, 2023 1:42:27 GMT
Legal Affairs by Jerome de Masse, esq.
Following the arrest of the Minister of Justice, a trial will be convened in the first week of March. The charge is that the Minister of Justice did attempt to bribe the Commissioner for Public Safety, which is a low crime. Instead of the Governor of Paris, Cardinal Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu, Minister of State, will preside as judge. Legal briefs and witness lists must be filed by the end of the month
(OOC: Witnesses must declare themselves for the Prosecution or Defense in the Announcements by June 19th.)
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Post by Louis XIV on Jun 15, 2023 1:43:48 GMT
The Social Whirlwind by Sieur Matheus Mallette
February turned into an especially dreary month as the Royal Court was devoted to government meetings for most of the month, breaking only for the St Denis Stakes in the fourth week.
Cardinal Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu returned to his position as Minister of State after His Majesty apparently tired of the Grand Duc de Deols’ counsel, the efforts of Mlle Bougiedure notwithstanding. Lord Balls was missing as he resigned as Secretary of State in favor of his role as Impressario of the Theatre Johi, but more on that later.
Lord De’Ath, newly installed as Commission for Public Safety gave a long winded speech (some were heard to call it a “diatribe”) in the first week of government meetings about His Majesty’s various “enemy” including the reappointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lord Nicholas Lyon and Comte de Clermont, the father of Lord De’Ath’s own paramour, Mlle Chabert. Applause was constrained and the Commissioner appeared to draw the ire of the Minister of State himself.
The second week of government meeting was much less stimulating as even Lord De’Ath stuck to a tedious recitation of crime statistics but he was only lulling the assembled ministers in to a false sense of certainty. For in the final week of the meetings, right in the middle of the Minister of Justice’s speech, the Commissioner for Public Safety served that Minister with an arrest warrant on the charge of bribery. The Council of Ministers immediately descended into chaos with the Minister of State positively incendiary. The King, however, was quite diverted.
The rest of Paris was positively staid by comparison.
Parisian flocked to the Opening Night of The Worst Play Ever at the Theatre Johi as the threat of disease waned in Paris. Lord de Berne escorting Lady de Lyon were hosted by Lord Balls in his private box while Fabian Fabrezan and Fathers Adam and Vincent sat in the orchestra. All attended the after party at the Fleur-de-Lys, where a visibly exuberant Lord Balls and his Prima Donna Johi drank deeply and socialized freely.
Father Adam, seeking to announce his emergence from seclusion in a grand manner, hosted a party at the Rose and Crown. Both he and Father Vincent arrived in rented carriages but attendees noted that Father Adam’s conveyance was not as fancy as his fellow Curia member’s. Regardless, he was quiet eloquent on the subject of sin in his discourse with his guests, including Subaltern Boisson and Private Fabrezan. The recitation appears to include the avoidance of gluttony as Father Adam did not provide refreshment.
In the last week of February, Lords de Bearne and Balls met with each other at the St Denis Stakes despite neither having a horse entered in the race. Also at the race was Mlle d’Armagnac, who met with a bottle of wine in the refreshment tent.
Across town, Lord De’Ath celebrated his arrest of the Minister of Justice the previous week with Mlle Chabert at the Fleur-de-Lys club.
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Post by Louis XIV on Jun 15, 2023 1:44:42 GMT
A Romantic Interlude by Comtessa Yvonne De Villepin
Young Gentlemen take note! Newly arrived in Paris, Norbert Boisson, made securing the affections of Charlotte Favre a priority! He visited the debutante at her home in the first week of February. She was so impressed by the figure that he cut in his new regimental uniform that she immediately agreed to enter into a relationship with him.
Lady Jeanne-Baptiste de Lyon, Viscomtessa de Pontoise, was twice seen in the company of the Grand Duc de Deols, at the Theatre Johi and at the St Denis Stakes. Mlle Bougiedure would be wise to quit her post as the King’s unofficial mistress before Lady de Lyon secures a proposal of marriage.
Lord De’Ath’s was able to find time in his busy schedule to escort Gisla Chabert to his club but I would caution him that the days to secure the young lady in marriage are swiftly passing by.
Clement Cadieux was seen carousing at one of Paris’ less reputable brothels. I imaging that his purse does not allow him to court a proper young women. Perhaps he should secure a profession rather than spend his days at the Academy of Art.
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Post by Louis XIV on Jun 15, 2023 1:46:19 GMT
Limelight
I confess that I was somewhat unsure of what to expect of a theatrical production dubbed by the playwright himself as The Worst Play Ever. What I did not expect was the best night of theatre I have seen in ages. Lord Auguste Balls' newest effort is hilarious, bawdy and thoroughly enjoyable. Judging by the standing ovation, I am not alone in this opinion.
The premise looks like one of his Perry Mason plays, a murder mystery set in an isolated castle in a dreadful rain storm. That would be a ho-hum show, and that is not what we get. Instead, we see a play within a play. The murder mystery is a play to be put on by local tradespeople to celebrate their lord's wedding day and Lord Balls lets us into both the dress rehearsal and the final performance. And the tradesmen are truly in over their heads. Lines are botched, entrances missed, the corpse moves, and as the play progresses the set begins to fall apart.
Lady Balls, to whom the years have been kind, appears as the female lead, a woman of easy virtue, but her performance is a chaste one. The real bawdy parts feature Jacques Blaque, one of the funniest men in the Balls Players, as a Lutheran priest who simply cannot get enough of what Catholic priests deny themselves. One notice more than one man of the cloth in the audience being won over by the twist. Lord Balls made a bawdy farce an attack on Protestantism! And the crowd has never laughed so hard.
The only thing I regret is that His Lordship will have a hard time equaling it in his future writings. This may be the capstone of his career.
5/5 – Genevieve DuPoint
The Baron de Torcy clearly reads La Voix de Paris on a regular basis as he took my advice to go “back to his roots” to heart. His latest endeavor is a knee-slapper that will tickle the fancy of all but the most pretentious theater goer. I have only two critiques.
First, there were far too many words for a self-described bawdy piece. Mdm DuPont used words like “nuanced” and “layered” during the after party at the Fleur-de-Lys to which I respond “just stick to the comedy!” The innuendo was lost on most the audience, myself included.
Second, was the lack of attractive actresses. Lady Balls, whose figure was enhanced by two pregnancies, is all well and good but none of the other actresses in the troupe comes close to matching her. Hire more attractive birds and you'll have a timeless classic!
4/5– Gerard Bushell
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Post by Louis XIV on Jun 15, 2023 1:47:32 GMT
Financial News by Comte de Money
Investors were once again disappointed by the returns generated by the Ile de France Investment Company. The Controller-General of Finance is exercising measures to stabilize the Company’s investments for the upcoming summer campaign and investors can only hope that it will have a beneficial effect on their fortunes.
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Post by Louis XIV on Jun 15, 2023 1:48:20 GMT
An Ecumenical Matter by Bishop Henry Defour
Although it does not rank the same as the Second Coming of Christ, Father Adam de la Bassee has returned from an extended seclusion to resume his duties as a Curia member in the Diocese of Premy. We are heartened by the restoration of such a promising young cleric as so many who depart Paris are never heard from again.
Congratulations are duly giving to Father William Souris on his promotion to Parish Priest for Saint Josse. It was with great anticipation that we awaited his first sermon to his flock but it was not forthcoming. Father William instead spend the entire month studying scripture in the Diocese library. I shall pray for the souls of the parishioners and the constitution of the lone Curate who attended to their spiritual needs in Father William’s absence.
Little was seen (in church at least) of Father Vincent who had to be reminded of his obligations to sacred duties.
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Post by Louis XIV on Jun 15, 2023 1:52:15 GMT
Reports from the Front by General Georges Boulle (rtd.)
The ranks of the Dragoon Guards swelled this month with the inclusion of the newly purchased Subaltern Nobert Boisson. Readers will know of my distaste for those who would spend their way to the top but I shall withhold judgment. Perhaps the young cavalryman will excel on merits as others before him have. And he may get the chance sooner than expected.
After Lord Lyon was reappointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, he resumed his feud with the Spanish Minister by escalating hostilities on that frontier, a proposition that the Castilian returned in kind. Hostilities are on the rise in Flanders as well. Poor Lady Bougiedure will be without her husband for another season and a call for volunteers by the Minister of War is fully expected.
Flanders Frontier
The Flanders Frontier Regiment scattered an enemy patrol in a brief skrimish.
Lorraine Frontier
Hapsburgian forces surprised the Lorraine Frontier Regiment in their garrison.
Savoy Frontier
Lord Bougiedure’s division closed out the season by driving the Savoy rebels out of their mountain stronghold and back across the Milanese border. Rarely is the Grand Duc de Chevreuse out done by his subordinates but the frontier brigade commander has been carefully observing his commander and executed a masterstroke of his own. Medals and brevet promotions were freely awarded with Lord Bougiedure earning two mentions in dispatch and a fourth bar for his Criox de la Cite. Oh and some loot as well.
Spanish Frontier
The Spanish Frontier Regiment is unable to goad the Spanish into a stand-up battle.
Next Month
Flanders Frontier HL 5 Guerrilla War Field Ops
Lorraine Frontier HL 3 Alert Defense
Savoy Frontier HL 1 Peace Garrison
Spanish Frontier HL 7 Incursion Field Ops
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Post by Louis XIV on Jun 15, 2023 1:55:04 GMT
Court Circular
March
Location - Louvre
Week 1 – Royal Ball with titling ceremony for Lords de Bearne, Bougiedure, and Balls
Week 2 – The Downs
Week 3 – Parlement
Week 4 – Minor Envoy from the Neatherlands
April
Location - Fontainebleu
Week 1 – The Paris Derby
Week 2 – Hunt
Week 3 – None
Week 4 – Hunt
May
Location - Louvre
Week 1 – Royal Ball
Week 2 – Royal Envoy from the Papal States (with Royal Ball)
Week 3 – None
Week 4 – None
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