A spy named Fontauban was hanged at the northern city of Lille on this date in 1749.

From the scanty information to be had he appears among the more pathetic traitors. Disinherited by his father he had gone into his peculiar trade to great effect during the continent-spanning War of Austrian Succession.

Demobilization was a tough transition for spooks as for everyday soldiers; needing to maintain his income, he made an fatally unsuccessful attempt to engage service with the British — and not for any mere document-copying, but for betraying the king himself.

Despite having been open to outright regicide in exchange for a few grotes, Fontauban’s sentence was commuted to hanging (from the proposed burning and quartering) as a gesture of mercy.

On this day..

• 2020: Nathaniel Woods, #SaveNate
• 1291: Sa'ad al-Dawla, grand vizier
• 1733: Sarah Malcolm, murderer, and seven men
• 1858: Lucy, vengeful slave
• 1684: John Dick, Covenanter
• 1687: The first of the Martyrs of Eperjes
• 1780: Colonel Hamilton Ballendine, if that was his real name
• 1945: Lena Baker
• 1413: Francesco Baldovino, to enjoy the emoluments of office
• 1986: Mamman Jiya Vatsa, warrior-poet
• 1716: 100 Sikhs per day for a week
• 1644: Ferrante Pallavicino, more caustic than elusive