"Old French" version
Plainte adressée au Capitaine de Saint Clair par
le Capitaine Duvignau (le pleynant)
Monsieur
de St Clair Capitaine des Vaisseaux du Roy, Commandant l'escadre qui est en
Plaisance. Le Sieur Duvignau capitaine de fregatte legere, commandant L'aigle,
Vous Declare sa plainte contre le nommé Detcheverry de Bidart Enseigne bleü sur
ladite fregatte l'aigle, de ce qu'il aurait abandonné lachement ledit vaisseau
du Roy L'aigle, le dixième Septembre Mil Six cent quatre vingt quatorze pendant
le combat du Forillon, ayant enlevé sa chaloupe, aussi bien que le nommé Tipitto
Daspicoüette de Hendaye, Lieutenant Bleü sur ledit vaisseau, avec une grande
partie de l'équipage de ladite fregatte, ce qui est un crime cy enorme, et
expressement deffendu par les ordonnances, le pleinant ayant été adverty que
ledit Detcheverry, pour salié sa lachepté, et son crime, aurait eu l'audace de
dire estant arrivé en ce lieu
[Plaisance]
a plusieurs Capitaines Basques, et parlant au
Sieur de Branga Bereau, qil ne fallait pas s'étonnér cy l'équipage avait
abandonné le vaisseau du Roy à lam[...]
des ennemis puisque les chefs et
commandants du vaisseau avaient abandonné eux méme, ce
[...]
faussetté et
calomnie qui doit estre punie conformement a la loy du tallion, oblige le
pleynant de vous porter sa plainte pour qu'il vous plaise ordonnér au Sieur
Major de[...]
dinformér incessament et sans nul dellai dufect et de la conduite
que ledit Sieur plainant et ses officiers ont tenu dans cette occasion,
l'information estant faitte et parfaitte est envoyée a la Cour, cependant
s[...]
des calomniateurs qui se trouveront c[...]
attendant la volonté du Roy,
ledit Sieur pleynant ce reservant de portér sa pleinte au Roy contre ledit Sieur
de Harismendy commandant le Favory, qui la abandonné en cette occasion ayant
recu et reffugié dans son bord les deserteurs de son Vaisseau, avec leurs armes
et partie de leurs bagages, lesquels il aurait renvoyé nuitament abord de
L'aigle a l'inceüe du pleynant, fait a Plaisance le quinzième Septembre Mil six
cent quatre vingts quatorze
Signé
Duvignau
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English
version
Complaint
addressed
to the Captain
de Saint Clair
by
Captain
Duvignau
(the
plaintiff)
Monsieur
de St. Clair, Captain of
the King's vessels, commanding the squadron in Placentia:
Sieur Duvignau, Frigate Captain commanding
the Aigle, declares to you his complaint against
the here-named Detcheverry
from Bidart,
Blue Ensign on the said frigate the
Aigle;
that he
[Detcheverry]
cowardly abandoned the said
vessel of the King,
the Aigle, on
September 10, 1694, during the battle of Ferryland, having
taken away its
long-boat,
along with the here-named Tipitto Daspicoüette from Hendaye,
Blue
Lieutenant on the said vessel,
and a large number of the crew of
the said frigate;
which is a crime so enormous,
and expressly
prohibited by
ordinance;
the plaintiff having been
warned
that the said Detcheverry,
to justify his cowardice and his crime,
had the audacity to say, upon arrival at this place
[Placentia],
to several
Basque Captains, and speaking to Sieur de Branga Bereau,
that he must
not be surprised
if the crew abandoned the
vessel of the King to the
[...]
of the enemies, since
the vessel's chief
officers and commander had left the ship themselves;
th[is]
falsehood
and
calumny, which must be punished
in accordance with the Talion law (*), obliges the plaintiff to bring you this
complaint, that you would please order the Sieur Major of
[...]
to
inquire, immediately and without delay, into the actions and
conduct of the said Sieur plaintiff and his officers
on this occasion;
the investigation
once totally completed
to be sent to the Court;
however
[...]
some slanderers
[...]
awaiting
the
decision of the
King, the said Sieur plaintiff
reserves the right
to
present his complaint directly to the King against
the said
Sieur de Harismendy
commanding the Favory,
who deserted it
on this occasion, having
received and given refuge to the
deserters aboard his ship,
with their weapons and some of their
baggage, which he returned by night aboard the
Aigle, unknown to the plaintiff.
Statement made at
Placentia, September 15, 1694
[Signed]
Duvignau
(*)
"Talion law" is the ancient legal principle by
which
a criminal is punished with exactly the same injury as he has caused to his
victim. This principle is enshrined in the phrases "As you have done, so it
shall be done unto you" and "An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth". The
English word "retaliate" expresses the same principle.
In effect, Duvignau proposes as punishment for the
so-called mutineers:
"You abandoned the Aigle in a long-boat, therefore you will be abandoned in a long-boat."
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