This is a secret letter written by Charles-Francois D’Iberville, marquis de La Bonde, and addressed to an individual addressed as “Monseigneur” on September 19th, 1715. In the letter, the writer illustrates how they are a double agent posing as a Jacobite in order to gain access to crucial information about the movements of other key Jacobite figures. To maintain their facade, the author describes how they have fed misinformation to their Jacobite correspondents. The letter is written in French and features a series of numbers forming a cypher underneath each line; no doubt to hide their actions from prying eyes. The author concludes that the Jacobite uprisings pose a serious risk to the Hanoverian regime and “that fires will alight all of a sudden in diverse parts of England and throughout the court…”. This letter illuminates a complex world of political intrigue and subversion that reveals the sheer complexity and depth of the Jacobite Rebellions.

Charles-Francois D'Iberville. Intelligence Letter. September 19, 1715.15 p. ; 34 cm Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library (XS1 MS A203 Scottish Collection Boxed with XS1 MS A082)

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