386 
Tothe Editor of the Monthly. Magazine. 
SIR, tha 
S I do not remember to have ever 
seen in print the mode adopted in 
regard to persons incarcerated in the 
famous Bastille of Paris, I remit you 
the enclosed; which, as an historical 
document, may not perhaps prove un- 
acceptable to the numerous readers of 
your valuable Miscellany. 
Many years have now transpired 
since Mr. Christopher, more com- 
monly known by the name of Ait 
Potter, then Member of Parliament, 
made a great noise in the world, parti- 
cularly in regard to a speculation, 
wherein he embarked, haying for its 
object the sale of bread at a reduced 
price; which proving unsuccessful, he 
became involved, and fled to France. 
At Paris the same speculative ideas 
occupying this gentleman’s mind, he 
became the proprietor of a most exten- 
sive porcelain manufactory, in which 
situation he was visited by the writer 
of the present article, just at the break- 
ing out of the French revolution. 
Upon the taking of the Bastille, 
which was of course ransacked by the 
enfuriated populace, the Convention, 
being apprehensive least the contents 
of the archives should be of a nature 
to exasperate still more the general 
feeling, adopted every possible means 
to collect these documents, by offering 
pecuniary rewards to all persons who 
should bring in such books and manu- 
scripts. as might have been obtained ; 
and so fortunate was the government, 
that it appears every vestige was pro- 
cured by this means, excepting the 
volume of which we are going to speak. 
Among the countless visitors who 
repaired to the fortress Mr. Potter 
was among the foremost; when, on 
examining the chamber which had 
contained the archives, he stiil found 
a book, behind some shattered wains- 
cotling, where it had fallen in the 
general scramble, and had remained 
unnoticed. This precious document 
he carefully secreted under his coat, 
unobserved ; and, after a lapse of time, 
remitted the same to his brother, Mr. 
Potter, of Charing Cross, by whom it 
was prized at five hundred pounds, as 
the only remaining vestige of the daily 
mode of issuing orders respecting per- 
sons incarcerated in that abominable 
edifice of tyranny. 
' The volume in. question, which was 
for some time in the hands of the 
writer; was in quarto, bound in green 
Letters found in the Bastille. 
{June 1, 
parchment, and lettered. in gold upon 
red leather as:follows :—., 
“< BASTILLE. 
Lettres de MM, les Magistrats, M. Le 
Noir. 1781.—Tom. LX.” 
The first letter was dated January 
the 2d, 1781, and the last the 31st 
of December, of the same year, making 
in the whole 232 letters ; from which it 
appeared that the number of prisoners 
confined in that fortress during those 
twelve months amounted to thirty-five, 
It is much to be regretted that. the 
volume in question did not. contain 
any documents relating to personages 
of particular notoriety: from its con- 
tents, however, the ensuing letters are 
extracted verbatim, being, in the 
writer’s. estimation, the most. curious 
specimens contained in the book; nor 
can he help figuring to his imagination, 
what would have been the value of such 
a volume had it chanced to have been 
at the period of the mysterious con- 
finement of the man with the iron 
mask, if indeed any notes were regu- 
larly recorded of that mysterious in- 
dividual. 
NO, 1, 
I beg, sir, that you will cause to be con-. 
fined, in one of the chambers of the Bastille, 
the Sieur Bellot, one of the turnkeys, until 
the regular order arrives; which I shall for- 
ward, with an elucidation of the cause 
that has led to this proceeding. 
This 6 February, 1781. Le Noir. 
NO. II. 
Paris, 28th February, 1781. 
From the representation, sir, which I 
have made to Mr. Amelot, respecting the 
affair of Sieur Capin, otherwise Bellot, a 
turnkey of the Bastille, the minister has 
authorized me to beg you will set him at 
liberty, after causing him to sign his sub- 
mission, at the bottom of the present let- 
ter, never to approach Paris within a dis- 
tance of twenty leagues, under pain of 
disobedience. I have the honour to re- 
main, &c. Le Noir. 
The undersigned ancient turnkey of the 
Bastille promises to obey conformably to 
the above order, in fifteen days, under 
pain of disobedience, having regained my 
liberty; in confirmation of which I have 
signed the present, as an attestation of the 
same. At the Royal Chateau of the Bas- 
tille, this Wednesday, the 28th of Fe- 
bruary, 1781. 
CAPpin, otherwise BELLOT. 
NO. Itt. 
I beg the Major of the Bastille- to 
transmit to the Sieur de Paradés the maps 
accompanying the present. 
This 8th Feb. 1781. Le Noir. 
I have receiyed the five geographical 
charts, DE PARADES, 
NO. 
