Charles d'Eon de Beaumont, descendant of a line of minor French aristocracy, was born in Tonnere in 1728. A law student, dandy, fencing master and diplomat, d'Eon also worked in the secret service of the King of France (Secret du Roi) which was more of a pro-Monarchy secret society than an intelligence service. He was soon recruited as Royal Censor and later, as secretary to Alexandre Mackenzie-Douglas, a Scottish Jacobite in French service. D ' Eon also fought in the Seven Years War and was wounded in action. The Chevalier resided in London during the 1760s, and in 1768 was initiated as a Mason in the Lodge Inmortality 376 which used to meet at the "Hope and Anchor" Tavern in London's Strand. He was raised to the third degree of Master Mason in 1769 and served the lodge in the office of Junior Warden. The Chevalier was involved in countless intrigues, and rubbed shoulders with influential people of the period such as the philosopher...