From the archives of The Missouri Historical Society
English text below
From the archives of The Missouri Historical Society
Copied March 11th, 1905 at St. Louis, MO by Theo Benoist
July 25, 1706
Louis by the grace of God king of France and Navarre, seal with our seal, that all the counsellors at our court and those of Paris, salute our beloved Antione Benoist who by his genius and his worth has made himself commendable in the in the beautiful art of painting; who has painted our portrait, also that of our dear daughter, also that of our grand-daughter the Duchess of Burgundy; also that of the King of Spain when he was the Duke of Aragon, the Duke du Berry and also that of our very honored spouse; and those of dear persons of our royal house and other princes and princesses of our court. He has shown us that he is of a noble and ancient race, that he is descended in direct line from Guilliaume Benoist his fouth grandfather, gentleman and valet de chambre of the King Charles 7th, which in the year 1437 married Catherine de Viel Chartel of noble family of this marriage was born Simon Benoist gentleman 3rd grandfather of the petitioner, who had a son Jean Benoist gentleman 2nd grandfather; the children of whom formed two branches. The eldest branch by Jean Benoist Sieur de Joinville, the grandson of whom obtained the 20th day of October 1668 an order from our counsellors by which he was recognized of a noble race. The cadet branch by Nicholas Benoist gentleman the grandfather of the petitioner who married Marie Anne de Flosseux and had a son Jean Benoist father of the petitioner, who having been left an orphan without fortune in his youth was obliged by the necessity in which he found himself of working, adopting the profession of wood carvings and architecture, he married Marie Hubert and had from her the petitioner, who by the excellence he has acquired in the works of wax, painting and sculpture and by the noble and virtuous way in which he has always employed himself; in repaying the debts of his father and following in the steps of his ancestors of noble and ancient extraction, has made himself illustrious and having married Antoinette Houdaille, they have three sons Gabriel, Louis and Antoine and one daughter Francoise all of whom direct themselves towards virtue. Therefore he has entreated in consideration of the nobility of his blood, for the agreeable services which he has rendered us, for a very long time by the excellence of his art, that it pleases us to releive the only derogance of Jean Benoist his father, which is not an objection to him and for him and his children to to enjoy the old nobility of his ancestors. Therefore wishing to give the petitioner a mark of satisfaction for the singular distinction that he has acquired by his paintings and works of wax, we haved judged that we cannot do better than to accord to him our letters of re-establishment in the rights and privileges of his birth, as he has humbly supplicated us For These Causes, and others known to us, we do order and enjoin you by these presents, signed by our own hand, that we consider as good veritable title and assignment the petitioner is issue of a noble and ancient race, that his father, grandfather, forefathers and all predecessors and ancestors were all noblemen; without other derogance than the one of Jean Benoist his father, in the function mechanic and wood carver which he has exercised. Therefore in this case you must maintain and hold the petitioner his children born and those that may be born in legitimate marriage in the quality of noblemen and its privileges and affranchisements and exemptions and to enjoy and use us well as the other noblemen of our Kingdom without hinderance or the derogance of his father of which we have by our special grace, full power, and royal authority, raised by these presents. By the contents of which we have given this order and arrest, because such is our great pleasure.
Given at Marle' The 25th day of July, year of grace 1706
By the King, Louis
Registry by the court by judgement ordered by the King ordering that the [unreadable] Antoine Benoist is declared as coming from a noble, illustrious race and order that he enjoy for himself and his children born of legitimate marriage the privinleges affranchisements exemptions of which enjoy the other noblemen of the Kingdom, for which this letter of nobility has been delivered in the court this 25th day of july 1706.
Louis