II. Signed "CARON SAINT ESTIENNE," and dated "_Lyons_, 6th April 1707," announcing the sudden death of the aforesaid M. Mallet, whose loss was, it seems, an irreparable one to his friends, from his "good qualities and rare understanding." He it was who "first procured M. Saint Estienne a perusal of the charter--an extraordinary document extending over fifty pages," and the "unclassical Latin" of which shocked the accomplished reader. He says that "the above note of M. Mallet is _precious_--giving in few words an extremely correct idea of the wonderful charter in question." "As to the _copy_," which M. Mallet had "taken the precaution of having duly attested," M. Estienne informs us by whom it had been attested--viz. by the Keeper of the Records, and the Acadian witnesses--and it, (the copy) must be in entire conformity with the register of Port Royal."--"M. Mallet had foreseen," observes his friend St Estienne, "that the _copy_ would not make _the charter_ known in France, hence he conceived the idea of writing, ON ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL MAPS OF GUILLAUME DE L'ISLE, a note which all the world may read with interest. Had he lived long enough"--poor soul--"he could have added to this interest; for _he wished to obtain information in England_ as to the then situation of the descendants of the Earl who had obtained the charter; and all the information which he might have received respecting them, he would have transferred to this very map." M. St Estienne, however, concludes with the consolatory assurance--"But, after all, with the two documents [_i. e._ the duly attested copy, and his own memorandum on the map] "which he has left to us, no person in France _can question the existence of such a charter_." Here then were two gentlemen who had been actually favoured with a sight of the _ipsissima charta_; had obtained a copy of it from a third (M. Lacroix)--himself, doubtless, similarly privileged; had taken the precaution of having that copy officially attested; and had given accurate extracts of its essential provisions. We are, however, under still farther obligations to the solicitous vigilance of St Estienne; for two months afterwards he procured no less a person than Flechier, the eminent Bishop of Nismes, to add the sanction of his eminent name to the authenticity of his--St Estienne's--memorandum. Accordingly, the obliging Bishop wrote on the map the following certificate:--