CHARLES V: (1500-1558) Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria 1519-56, King of Spain (Castile and Aragon) 1516-56, and Lord of the Netherlands as titular Duke of Burgundy 1506-55. A very fine L.S., `Charles´, unusually signed with his name, instead of the usual "Yo el Rey", one page, 4to, Saint-Omer, 18th November 1540, to Charles I de Lalaing, in old French. The King sends an order reorganizing all legal and administrative matters of the city of Oudenaarde after the troubles that occurred there, stating in part `L'Empereur et Roy, Très cher et féal, désirant mettre ordre au fait de la justice, police et gouvernement de notre ville d'Audenarde, nous avons décerné et fait expédier et sceller certaine ordonnance, laquelle voulons et entendons être dorénavant observée en icelle ville ; et pour ce qu'il est requis de la faire publier, nous la vous envoyons avec ceste, vous ordonnant vous trouver devers les gens de la loi dudOudenaarde it Audenarde et appelez ceux du conseil et notables d'icelle ville qui feront appeler, faire lire et publier en leur présence ladite ordonnance, et en après la leur délivrer pour selon icelle leur régler et conduire, et en ce ne veuillez faire faute.´ (Translation: "The Emperor and King, Very dear and loyal, wishing to put in order the fact of justice, police and government of our city of Oudenaarde, we have issued and had sent and sealed a certain ordinance, which we wish and intend to be observed henceforth in said city; and for what is required to have it published, we send it to you with this, ordering you to appear before the people of the law of said Oudenaarde and call those of the council and notables of said city who will have said ordinance called, read and published in their presence, and afterward deliver it to them in order to regulate and conduct them according to it, and in this please do not make a mistake.") Countersigned at the base by the King´s secretary. Upper and right edge slighty uneven, with a tear to the bottom right edge, only affecting the secretary´s signature, otherwise G to VG

Charles II de Lalaing (1506-1558) Governor of Audenarde and grand-bailiff of Hainaut 1537-49.

Oudenaarde is a Belgian city in the Flemish province of East Flanders. In the 16th century, Oudenaarde was known as a centre of tapestry production. The town's name, meaning "old field", an obsolete English term for a kind of brown linen thread. In this city of Oudenaarde was born the illegitimate daughter of Charles V and Johanna Maria van der Gheynst, Margaret of Parma (1522-1586)