French Revolutionary pamphlet: “Army of Beguines flogged” in Paris. 1 U.S. copy.

[French Revolution]. Détail de la defaite d’une armée de béguines, fouettées hier au soir sur le quai des Théatins: Amende honorable et flagellation d’un aristocrate qui a meprisé les ordres du peuple. S.l.: s.n., “L’an second de la liberté 1791.” 8vo [21.4 x 13.9 cm], [8] pp. Unbound, uncut. Somewhat toned, minor spotting.
 
 
Rare (1 U.S. copy: NYPL) first and only edition of this French Revolutionary pamphlet reporting (and reveling in) the flogging of “an army of Beguines” on 11 April 1791 at church on Quai des Théatins (today Quai Voltaire). 
 
The anonymous pamphleteer claims that a secret “anti-constitutional” meeting was called by the former curate of Saint-Sulpice and that this meeting was attended by pious aristocratic women (pejoratively called “Béguines”). A group of “Dames-Patriotes” broke up the assembly and spanked the women (“a été fouetter les culs de ces pieuses Dames”).
 
In 1887 Victor Pierre, a historian sympathetic to the Old Regime, recounted the incident of 11 April 1791 as follows (in translation):

“On the quai des Théatins, (today Voltaire), stood a large church which had just been confiscated. M. de Pancemont, legitimate priest of Saint-Sulpice, chased from his parish by the Constitutionalists, had rented this church to the Parisian municipality to practice the Catholic religion there. The opening had been set for April 11. That day, at seven o’clock in the morning, apostates insulted the Catholics who showed up to attend mass. A bundle of rods was even hung on the door to show the faithful the fate awaiting them. Bailly and La Fayette intervened with an energy that was not usual for them: It is true that Mesdames Bailly and La Fayette were clients of this oratory. The municipality issued a decree to maintain order. It had a large placard posted above the door on which these words were inscribed: ‘Peace and Liberty.’ The crowd tore it down and a popular orator declared that women should be flogged, and priests should be lampooned. The church and convent of the Théatins were located between the rue de Beaune and the rue des Saints-Pères, almost opposite the street” (Victor Pierre, L’Église St Thomas d’Aquin pendant la Révolution 1791-1802, d’après des documents inédits, p. 26).
 
 
OCLC and KVK locate one U.S. copy of this pamphlet: NYPL.
 
*Collated with the BnF copy; Victor Pierre, L’Église St Thomas d’Aquin pendant la Révolution 1791-1802, d’après des documents inédits, p. 26.