Legal Definitions - lettre

The term "lettre" (pronounced "let-ruh") is a historical legal term referring to a formal written document issued by a sovereign, government, or other high authority. Its purpose was to officially grant a specific power, right, privilege, or authorization to an individual or entity. These documents served as official instruments to confer authority or establish a particular status.

• Granting a Royal Charter

  Imagine a monarch in the 17th century issuing a "lettre" in the form of a royal charter to a group of merchants. This charter would formally grant them the authority to establish a trading company, explore new territories, and govern any settlements they founded in the name of the crown.

  Explanation: This illustrates "lettre" as a formal instrument (the charter) issued by a high authority (the monarch) that grants significant authority (to form a company, explore, and govern) to a specific group.

• Issuing Letters of Marque

  During a historical period of naval conflict, a government might issue a "lettre" known as "Letters of Marque and Reprisal" to a private ship owner. This document would formally authorize the privateer to attack and seize enemy merchant vessels, effectively granting them the authority to engage in acts of war on behalf of the state, without being part of the official navy.

  Explanation: Here, the "lettre" is the official document from the government, conferring the authority (to attack enemy ships) upon a private individual, which would otherwise be an act of piracy.

• Conferring a Title or Office

  Consider a historical instance where a king wished to appoint a new governor for a distant province. He would issue a "lettre" that formally designated the individual to that office, outlining their powers, duties, and the extent of their authority within the province. This document served as the official proof of their appointment and the scope of their granted power.

  Explanation: This example shows the "lettre" as a formal instrument from a sovereign that grants the authority (to govern a province) and defines the scope of that power to a specific individual.