Legal Definitions - letters secret

Letters secret refers to a historical type of governmental document that was issued confidentially to a specific private individual. Unlike public decrees, these documents were sealed and intended only for the recipient's eyes, ensuring their contents remained private and were not accessible for public review. They are also known as "letters close." This stands in contrast to "letters patent," which were open, public documents granting rights or privileges.

• Example 1: Confidential Diplomatic Instructions

  Imagine a monarch in the 16th century needing to send a trusted envoy to a neighboring kingdom with a delicate diplomatic proposal that, if publicly known, could provoke immediate conflict. The monarch would issue a "letters secret" to the envoy, detailing the exact terms of the proposal and the instructions for negotiation. This document would be sealed, ensuring only the envoy and the intended recipient in the foreign court would know its contents, thereby maintaining the secrecy crucial for the mission's success.

  This illustrates "letters secret" because it is a governmental document (from the monarch) issued to a private person (the envoy), closed and sealed, and specifically not made available for public inspection to prevent diplomatic complications.

• Example 2: Secret Appointment or Grant

  Consider a situation where a king wishes to secretly appoint a specific individual to a sensitive intelligence-gathering role or grant them a private, unannounced pension for services rendered, without public knowledge to avoid political backlash or jealousy among other courtiers. The king would issue a "letters secret" outlining the appointment or the terms of the private grant. This document would be personally delivered and sealed, ensuring the arrangement remained confidential between the king and the recipient.

  Here, the document is governmental (from the king), directed to a private individual (the appointee/recipient), closed and sealed, and kept from public view to manage political sensitivities.

• Example 3: Covert Orders During Rebellion

  During a period of civil unrest or rebellion, a ruling council might issue a "letters secret" to a loyal regional governor, instructing them on specific, covert measures to quell dissent or gather intelligence on rebel movements. These instructions would be highly sensitive and dangerous if revealed publicly. The document would be sealed and delivered by a trusted messenger, ensuring the governor received the confidential orders without public disclosure that could compromise the strategy or endanger the governor.

  This example demonstrates "letters secret" as a governmental document (from the ruling council) issued to a private person (the governor), closed and sealed, and not for public inspection due to the critical and sensitive nature of the information during a crisis.