Original Manuscript Petition, in both Latin and English, signed twice by Pierre Huet de La Valinière, “Solitarius Presbiter”, a lengthy account “of the abuse of authority that is committed against me”, providing a dated account of his travels from 1779, his disgraceful treatment at the hands of the tyrannical clerical authorities, confirming his loyalty to the Crown, requesting restitution, and much else

Parish of St. Suplice [Lower Canada],1 January 1798. 4 pp., about 12 x 8 inches, legible, folds, central scorch marks, otherwise good. See the Dictionary of Canadian Biography for the adventurous missionary career of Pierre Huet de La Valinière (1732-1806), Roman Catholic priest and Sulpician. In 1786 La Valinière published in New York a controversial catechism, Curious and interesting dialogue between Mr. Goodwish and Dr. Breviloq . . . , in both French and English. Two years later he brought out at Albany a 50-page fascicle entitled Vraie histoire, ou simple précis des infortunes, pour ne pas dire, des persécutions qu’a souffert & souffre encore le révérend Pierre Huet de La Valinière. . . . In this publication, as indeed in the first one, the author portrays himself as a martyr to the American cause at the time of the invasion of Canada in 1775–76. La Valinière’s rights as a British subject were finally restored in 1798. But on the ecclesiastical side he was denied any clerical office. He lived in poverty first at Saint-Sulpice, then at Repentigny. Having succeeded in borrowing money from a member of the parish of Saint-Sulpice, he bought a piece of land at L’Assomption.