DONATIEN ALPHONSE FRANÇOIS, MARQUIS DE SADE (1740-1814) Autograph letter signed “de Sade”.

Paris, 2 January 1771. 1 p. in-8. In French. By that date, the marquis de Sade had already become a writer, had already given free rein to his sulphurous inclinations, and had already tasted prison. «I recognize that I owe to gentlemen Cavillier brothers [merchants drapiers] the sum of two hundred thirty-seven pounds for remaining supplies that concern me, without prejudice to those he made for Madame [Sade’s wife] that I promise to pay him in the course of next July... ”. Apostille signed by one of the creditors, dated November 3, 1778 in Paris: "Received the contents of the first memoir from the hands of the president of Montreuil in the acquit of the marquis de Sade...”. Mother-in-law of the marquis de Sade, the president of Montreuil first maintained a romantic friendship with him before becoming his worst enemy.