Pierre Du Bois

Pierre du Bois (1740-) was a gutter journalist, smuggler, caricaturist, procurer, and owner of a gambling salon on the historical Rue de Neuve Saint-Eustache. He is the founder of the Le Pamphlétaire Cuirassè ou Anecdotes Scandaleuses de la Cour de France and the Le Tableau de France under the name Morande. He was nicknamed Le Roue by the Court and his cousin, Jacques de Bryas.

Life
Pierre was the second child of Marie du Bois (nee Bryas) and Alexandre du Bois, who belonged to an old noble family but impoverished. Smallpox ravaged and killed many members of his family, including his mother and older brother Alexandre II.

Education
When he was 16, he was sent to the Ecole Militaire, an elite school in Paris exclusive for sons of wealthy and poor nobility. There he was able to study philosophy and literature along with drinking with his school fellows. His father six months later and he decided to leave the school.

After Leaving the Ecole Militaire
Pierre spent the following years living off his inheritance, spending large sums of money of gambling, drinking, and luxuries. He went to his grandfather, the Marquis de Bryas, for money and got involved in gambling and procurering. Along with smuggling illegal books from England to France and counterfeiting.

Life in England
During his time smuggling he was introduced to London's Grub Street. There, he made some money by writing and drawing relatively harmless satires or caricatures where he made fun of the lifestyles of all social classes in London.

In Paris
After his time in London's Grub Street, he decided he wanted to write his own pamphlets as well, but with a more serious journalistic flair. He built his own ring of writers, printers, and distributors and has made his successful and somewhat monthly pamphlet Le Pamphlétaire Cuirassè ou Anecdotes Scandaleuses de la Cour de France.

Relationship with the Vicomte d'Arras and the Comte d'Artois
Deeply in debt, the Marquis de Bryas cut him off. Pierre turned to his next relative he could think of, his cousin and the new Vicomte d'Arras, Jacques de Bryas. Which he accepted out of perceived obligation. Under some other terms and conditions, the Vicomte de Bryas gives Pierre a monthly allowance in exchange for him helping his friend, the Comte d'Artois spread rumors.

The Death of Louis XV and Investigation
After the death of Louis XV, Pierre was commissioned by the Comte d'Artois, via his wife's femme de chambre, Victoire Arouet to write that Louis XV's death was really by poison.