QUEBEC-RESEARCH-L Archives

From:
Subject: History Facts
Date: Sat, 2 Jul 2005 19:35:16 EDT

" In France, the brand mark was at first the fleur de lis. Later this was
replaced by the letters "TF", indicating travaux forces, (hard labour). A
different punishment was ordained for the Comtess Jeanne de La Motte Valois. In
1786 she stole and sold a magnificent diamond necklace that Louis XV had
ordered, before his death, for his mistress Madame du Barry. She was sentenced to
be birched naked in public, and then branded on each shoulder with the letter
"V", for voleuse(thief). However, after one shoulder had been marked she
twisted violently, and the hot iron fell on her naked breast."

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