Silk Crisis continues to grow

Auriane Delaunay showing off the lacework of Madam Yar

The cries of distress from most of the ladies of Paris can even be heard in the royal palaces. Almost no new silk dresses can be obtained after the audacious theft of several gowns from the establishment of Marie Àpropos on the Île-de-la-Cité. About the only lady sporting the latest fashion is Gisèle Barthélemy, whose latest dress was a gift from her beau, Phillipe Lemoine. Although being denied by the Guild of Tailors, rumours persist that there is a huge stockpile of silk being hoarded by a rich client of the Guild.

One other lady that doesn't seem to be concerned about the shortage is Auriane Delaunay who has been sporting some intricate lace work in place of her linen ruff. This is the work of Aline Yar's Italian Mother and apparently took many hours of patient work. Whether this is the start of a new fashion trend remains to be seen. Madam Àpropos has expressed the view that, unlike the ruff, it fails to encourage the correct posture - though as the ruff can, in general, be only used once, she may have a business reason to support its continued use!

Flora Pernet showing that the silk crisis is requiring some sacrifices.

Meanwhile Cochon de Lait and Marius Thibodeaux have assiduously worked to distract their companions from the crisis. M. de Lait has ensured his continued following of the rules of floral etiquette by presenting Flora Pernet with a bouquet of asters while M. Thibodeaux has presented Émilie Beaufils with the season's finest pruneaux d’Agen fourrés, which were quickly gobbled up!

All of the above were much luckier than Fourier Transformée who was wooing Brigitte Silvestre. When he arrived with a large box, she admitted him at once but when she discovered that the box did not contain the expected silk dress he was quickly shown the door and told to remove the painting kit he had brought. Better luck next month!

Billiards match between Hunter's and Bothwell's

After the successful indoor billiards tournament at Hunter's last month, Phillipe Lemoine was invited to give a demonstration at the prestigious Bothwell's club. With an enthusiastic reception there (possibly aided by some of the worst octobre weather making the billiards pitch at Bothwell's completely waterlogged), a competition match between Hunter's and Bothwell's has been set up for the end of novembre. Members of the Hunter's team will be invited into Bothwell's for the event.

Victoria Gainsbourg fickle affections

With the departure of Jean Huile for the frontier, it seems that Victoria Gainsbourg has been quick to forget him and has been seen in the company of Omer Dalors. M. Huile has cause to issue a challenge to a duel, but does not need to do so until his return from frontier.

Continued slide of Henry Lightfoot

It seems that M. Lightfoot has been somewhat distracted by the continued political turmoil in London. Word has reached us that his father had invested in the play A Game of Chess which played in August until a prosecution against the play was brought by the Privy Council (the pretext being the portrayal of a living king rather than the political content of the play). As a result M. Lightfoot has not been seen around Paris this month and is steadily losing social status.

Roget Thésaurus scares off muggers

After watching one of the many plays of the month, Roget was accosted by a small group of gentlemen who suggested that he might like to have them accompany him on his way home for his own safety. Roget quickly demonstrated how he on his duel against Jean Huile earlier this year to show that he was perfectly safe thank you!

Army planning major siege at Namur

In a clear follow up to last season's successful siege at Château de Montaigle, the army is planning a major advance to the city of Namur next year. All regiments apart from the 69^th Arquebusiers and the Gascon Regiment will be required to join the army during julliet, août and septembre 1625. Investors in arms companies receive a payout of 80%, while those investing in finance need to find an additional 60% to keep their investments afloat. Those investing in commerce receive a 10% payout.

As part of the preparation for next year's campaign, the frontier regiments welcome Jean Huile who has decided to spend the autumn season helping them.

Le Perche du Coudray Updates

Congratulations to OMer Dalors, Cochon de Lait and Phillipe Lemoine who have completed courses in Rapier, Cutlass and Sabre respectively. M. Dalors' Rapier skill is now rated as 10, M. de Lait's Cutlass skill at 11 and M. Lemoine's Sabre skill at 8.

Regimental News

Grand Duke Maxmillian Dragoons

Roget Thésaurus is promoted to subaltern.

Royal Marines

Sir Alex Kuzbidon is promoted to captain of C company.

Picardy Musketeers

Aline Yar is promoted to captain of C company.

Les Boutons Manquant a great success!

Backstage at Les Boutons Manquant

Most of Paris was captivated by Guillame De Batz's production of Les Boutons Manquant, a farce set in London and whose plot includes King John, Queen Mathilda, and three courtiers Edmund, Percival and Thomas (together with their long-suffering boy (called Boy to avoid confusion, although the character's ambition is to One day have a name)).

The plot revolves around a bejewelled stud belonging to the Queen but gifted to a young man, Wilhelm, for undisclosed services. However the King is expecting to see the studs at the following night's Grand Ball, so Queen Mathilda tasks the courtiers to retrieve the stud. The courtiers accidentally get Wilhelm arrested as an Austrian spy. It turns out he actually is an Austrian spy, and they manage to retrieve the stud. Boy gets the stud to Queen Mathilda in the ballroom (Your Majesty, you dropped this.) when it turns out that the three don't have invitations. King John is awfully pleased (awfully pleased), and rewards Boy for his... services.

PERCIVAL: Well, it could be worse?

EDMUND: We have an hour to find where the Queen's stud has been hidden by someone who has been mistaken for an Austrian spy. Things could in no way be worse.

BOY [rushing on-stage]: Milord, there's a problem.

EDMUND: I stand corrected.

Attendees at the opening gala included Guillame de Batz (of course), Phillipe Lemoine, a (yet again) bemused descartes, Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Iverson, Sir Henri Boyson (the Commissioner for Public Safety), Marius Thibodeux, Cochon de Lait, Jean Huile and Aline Yar. The appearance of the Commissioner for Public Safety (whose job includes the seeking out of traitors) was a cause for concern for all the other attendees. Rumours suggest he was hunting for information on the whereabouts of the Transformée family.

Promotion for Omer Delors

As a part of the successful Siege at Château de Montaigle, Omer Delors was forced to step into command of his battalion when the major in charge of his battalion was felled by shrapnel from a cannon shot from the Château's defences. Quickly realising the danger posed by simple confusion Captain Delors quickly ordered both his own A company and that of B company to get under the ramparts of the wall to avoid the fire of the cannon. A second quick dash to the already breached main gate of the castle brought the battalion to inside of the gates and acted as a relief to the 2^nd battalion allowing it to head further inside the buildings of the Château. As a part of the gate garrison, Major Delors' stable mysteriously expanded in number to include a total of 3 horses and a large amount of supplies...

Bemused Jean Huile

Jean Huile's duel with Fourier Transformée was a somewhat confused affair after only Jean Huile and the local surgeon for gardens of the Palais Royale turned up at the appointed location and time. The absence of both M. Transformée and the putative second, Roget Thésaurus was a surprise but leads to a victory for Jean Huile¹.

Silk prices soar

A busy milliner

The cost of keeping up with fashion could be about to significantly increase causing consternation amongst the ladies and gentlefolk of Paris. The problem is being put down to a dramatic increase in demand for silk across the whole of Paris causing the price of all clothing and, in particular, dresses. The tailor's guild denies that it has been responsible for the hoarding of the fabric, saying only that several recent commissions have used up almost all of the available fabric. An anonymous gentleman has already been overheard complaining about the demands for new dresses from his erstwhile companions, apparently saying These women are very expensive.....

New Table Billiards proving to be a success

Despite the criticisms of old fogeys at Hunter's, Phillipe Lemoine new sport of table billiards is proving to quite popular. An initial championship contest organised by M. Lemoine covered its costs with Guillame De Batz being the surprised winner after his triple carom after two balls bounced off of the edging used to prevent the balls rolling off of the table was ruled as a valid score by the watching Sir Alex Kuzbidon, who is yet to pass his opinion on the game²

Lucky in love

Gladioli presented by Cochon de Lait

Despite the difficulty of locating new fashionable clothing, Aline Yar appears to have successfully wooed Mlle. Delaunay to his side. The pair were seen at the end of septembre having a convivial tête-à-tête.

Suggestions that some of the other ladies of Paris may have playing the field have been firmly quashed by all concerned, with no untoward activities being noticed. Of course this could just mean that any putative lovers have been suitably discreet about their activities. M. Lightfoot has yet to successfully find a lady of substance who is willing to be seen with him³, could it be that he needs to take lessons from Cochon de Lait whose faithful adherence to floral etiquette is to be commended.

Meanwhile Marius Thibodeux has shown his continued love of poetry. Perhaps this one will convert Mlle. Beaufils to the joys of a good sonnet:

Superfluous physician, go, unpaid!
Apothecary, lock away thy wares,
And surgeon, of your goodness, sheath thy blade;
I have no need of thee to make repairs.
Though lately it were wounded to the quick
A heart shall heal, if time enough elapse.
What once entranced it, seemeth pale and sick;
Dismissed as boyish folly, youth’s mishaps.
Through wiser, older eyes I see the world,
And ‘tis revealed far finer than before.
And thankful tears hath those twin orbs impearled,
For she that hath the kindness to restore.
In gratitude for her benevolence
My loyalty shall be her recompense.

Le Perche du Coudray Updates

Congratulations to Albert Kestrel and Harry Lightfoot who have completed courses in Sabre and Rapier respectively. M. Kestrel's Sabre skill is now rated at 12, while M. Lightfoot's Rapier skill is rated at 10.

Regimental News

13^th Fusiliers

We are pleased to appoint Omer Delors to the rank of Major of the 1^st Battalion in recognition of his actions at the Château de Montaigle. In view of the pending investigation into possible misconduct earlier in the year, that investigation is temporarily suspended. The investigation and the appointment will be reviewed in septembre 1625⁴.