Several people, including Marie-Louis Denis [née Mignot] have corrected the MS, suggesting that it was a much-used prompt copy. There are errors in pagination throughout.

The poem has been heavily corrected by Voltaire. In his billet to Moncrif, Voltaire states that he will see why Voltaire did not send him the poem, adding that of the four published editions none satisfy him. He concludes by asking Moncrif to tell the queen that he is not easily satisfied when he works for her husband and son, and entreats Moncrif to love him.

Decroze asks the recipient to forgive a father in despair, and pleads for justice for his son who he says was attacked on 28 December last year. He notes that his son has been in danger of death because of blows he received to the head. Decroze then turns to the legalities of the case, saying that he is prevented from attaining justice in Gex as he is threatened, the witnesses bribed, and his daughter refused confession until she persuaded him to cease his pursuits. He says that in vain he has tried to defend his family and submit petitions, but that his depositions have been slowed down because he is poor and that Ancian exhausts his credit to overwhelm him financially after murdering his son. Decroze mentions that Ancian had previously assaulted Vuaillet with a stick and asks why he should not be found guilty of attacking his son, when he is already proven to be a violent man. He ends by begging the recipient to take up the case. The letter is followed by a secretarial copy of Mémoire de la façon que l’on a mené la procèdure criminelle, à l’occasion de l’assassinat arrivé le 28e Xbre sur la personne de Josephe de Croze. The memoire begins by noting that the father of Decroze brought his case to the Lieutenant on 31 December who called two witnesses that same day. The case was then passed to the public prosecutor of the King on 5 January for him to give his conclusions, but the prosecutor refused to take the case. Decroze’s father was was unhappy about this, saying that theft of a life was equitable to theft of property, and saying that he would issue a summons to the lieutenant which would oblige the public prosecutor of the King to give a verdict. He did this, but the prosecutor refused to take the case until 11 January, by which time the attackers had had time to flee to other countries.

Decroze asks the recipient to forgive a father in despair, and pleads for justice for his son who he says was attacked on 28 December last year. He notes that his son has been in danger of death because of blows he received to the head. Decroze then turns to the legalities of the case, saying that he is prevented from attaining justice in Gex as he is threatened, the witnesses bribed, and his daughter refused confession until she persuaded him to cease his pursuits. He says that in vain he has tried to defend his family and submit petitions, but that his depositions have been slowed down because he is poor and that Ancian exhausts his credit to overwhelm him financially after murdering his son. Decroze mentions that Ancian had previously assaulted Vuaillet with a stick and asks why he should not be found guilty of attacking his son, when he is already proven to be a violent man. He ends by begging the recipient to take up the case.

Voltaire details the attack on Decroze by Ancian, providing an account of when the attack happened, who was involved, and the injuries sustained by Decroze.

Voltaire certifies that on 4 January, Benoit Brochut, a carpenter’s boy at the Château de Ferney, stated that he was fetched on 28 December 1761 by Ancian who took him with several others to the house of Madame Burdet where the murder was committed. The boy was asked to sign this declaration and said that he could not write, but instead made his mark in the presence of witnesses. This declaration was sent to Vachat. Voltaire then goes on to discuss a previous case concerning Ancian in which Ancian was brought to trial for assaulting Vuaillet. He further certifies that Ancian had struck Gabriel Guet and his mother with a stick, and that the declaration concering this assault was signed in the presence of witnesses and given to Vuaillet. Another victim, Françoise Ferrou, claimed to have been beaten with sticks at the door of the Church of Colles on Easter day by Ancian, and Voltaire goes on to certify that Madame Burdet came to Ferney on 4 January with bruised cheeks which she said in the presence of witness had been given to her by Ancian. Voltaire concludes with a bid for justice, speaking of the fear in the neighbourhood of having a hot-headed and guilty man on their doorstep.

In this addition ot the Memoire, Voltaire describes having hear Francesco Algarotti speak about Sir Isaac Newton.

The poem has been heavily corrected throughout by Voltaire.