Memoirs of Louis XIV, vol 1 | Page 6

Madame de Maintenon.
CHAPTER XLIV
Tremendous Cold in France.--Winters of 1708-1709--Financiers and the Famine.--Interference of the Parliaments of Paris and Dijon.--Dreadful Oppression.--Misery of the People.--New Taxes.--Forced Labour.--General Ruin.--Increased Misfortunes.--Threatened Regicide.--Procession of Saint Genevieve.--Offerings of Plate to the King.--Discontent of the People.-- A Bread Riot, How Appeased.
CHAPTER XLV
M. de Vendome out of Favour.--Death and Character of the Prince de Conti.--Fall of Vendome.--Pursegur's Interview with the King.--Madame de Bourgogne against Vendome.--Her Decided Conduct.--Vendome Excluded from Marly.--He Clings to Meudon.--From Which He is also Expelled.--His Final Disgrace and Abandonment.--Triumph of Madame de Maintenon.
CHAPTER XLVI
Death of Pere La Chaise.--His Infirmities in Old Age.--Partiality of the King.--Character of Pere La Chaise.--The Jesuits.--Choice of a New Confessor.--Fagon's Opinion.--Destruction of Port Royal.--Jansenists and Molinists.--Pascal.--Violent Oppression of the Inhabitants of Port Royal.

VOLUME 7.
CHAPTER XLVII
Death of D'Avaux.--A Quarrel about a Window.--Louvois and the King.-- Anecdote of Boisseuil.--Madame de Maintenon and M. de Beauvilliers.-- Harcourt Proposed for the Council.--His Disappointment.--Death of M. le Prince.--His Character.--Treatment of His Wife.--His Love Adventures.-- His Madness.--A Confessor Brought.--Nobody Regrets Him.
CHAPTER XLVIII
Progress of the War.--Simplicity of Chamillart.--The Imperialists and the Pope.--Spanish Affairs.--Duc d'Orleans and Madame des Ursins.--Arrest of Flotte in Spain.--Discovery of the Intrigues of the Duc d'Orleans.--Cabal against Him.--His Disgrace and Its Consequences.
CHAPTER XLIX
Danger of Chamillart.--Witticism of D'Harcourt.--Faults of Chamillart.-- Court Intrigues against Him.--Behaviour of the Courtiers.--Influence of Madame de Maintenon.--Dignified Fall of Chamillart.--He is Succeeded by Voysin.--First Experience of the New Minister.--The Campaign in Flanders.--Battle of Malplaquet.
CHAPTER L.
Disgrace of the Duc d'Orleans.--I Endeavor to Separate Him from Madame d'Argenton.--Extraordinary Reports.--My Various Colloquies with Him.--The Separation.--Conduct of Madame d'Argenton.--Death and Character of M. le Duc.--The After-suppers of the King.
CHAPTER LI
Proposed Marriage of Mademoiselle.--My Intrigues to Bring It About.--The Duchesse de Bourgogne and Other Allies.--The Attack Begun.--Progress of the Intrigue.--Economy at Marly.--The Marriage Agreed Upon.--Scene at Saint-Cloud.--Horrible Reports.--The Marriage.--Madame de Saint-Simon.-- Strange Character of the Duchesse de Berry
CHAPTER LII
Birth of Louis XV.--The Marechale de la Meilleraye.--Saint-Ruth's Cudgel.--The Cardinal de Bouillon's Desertion from France.--Anecdotes of His Audacity.
CHAPTER LIII
Imprudence of Villars.--The Danger of Truthfulness.--Military Mistakes.-- The Fortunes of Berwick.--The Son of James.--Berwick's Report on the Army.--Imprudent Saying of Villars.--"The Good Little Fellow" in a Scrape.--What Happens to Him.
CHAPTER LIV
Duchesse de Berry Drunk.--Operations in Spain.--Vendome Demanded by Spain.--His Affront by the Duchesse de Bourgogne.--His Arrival.-- Staremberg and Stanhope.--The Flag of Spain Leaves Madrid.--Entry of the Archduke.--Enthusiasm of the Spaniards--The King Returns.--Strategy, of Staremberg.--Affair of Brighuega.--Battle of Villavciosa.--Its Consequences to Vendome and to Spain.

VOLUME 8.
CHAPTER LV
State of the Country.--New Taxes.--The King's Conscience Troubled.-- Decision of the Sorbonne.--Debate in the Council.--Effect of the Royal Tithe.--Tax on Agioteurs.--Merriment at Court.--Death of a Son of Marechal Boufflers.--The Jesuits.
CHAPTER LVI
My Interview with Du Mont.--A Mysterious Communication. --Anger of Monseigneur against Me.--Household of the Duchesse de Berry.--Monseigneur Taken Ill of the Smallpox.--Effect of the News.--The King Goes to Meudon.--The Danger Diminishes.--Madame de Maintenon at Meudon.--The Court at Versailles.--Hopes and Fears.--The Danger Returns.--Death of Monseigneur.--Conduct of the King.
CHAPTER LVII
A Rumour Reaches Versailles.--Aspect of the Court.--Various Forms of Grief.--The Duc d'Orleans.--The News Confirmed at Versailles.--Behaviour of the Courtiers.--The Duc and Duchesse de Berry.--The Duc and Duchesse de Bourgogne.--Madame.--A Swiss Asleep.--Picture of a Court.--The Heir- Apparent's Night.--The King Returns to Marly.--Character of Monseigneur. --Effect of His Death.
CHAPTER LVIII
State of the Court at Death of Monseigneur.--Conduct of the Dauphin and the Dauphine.--The Duchesse de Berry.--My Interview with the Dauphin.-- He is Reconciled with M. d'Orleans.
CHAPTER LIX
Warnings to the Dauphin and the Dauphine.--The Dauphine Sickens and Dies.--Illness of the Dauphin.--His Death.--Character and Manners of the Dauphine.--And of the Dauphin.
CHAPTER LX
Certainty of Poison.--The Supposed Criminal.--Excitement of the People against M. d'Orleans.--The Cabal.--My Danger and Escape.--The Dauphin's Casket.

VOLUME 9.
CHAPTER LXI
The King's Selfishness.--Defeat of the Czar.--Death of Catinat.--Last Days of Vendome.--His Body at the Escurial.--Anecdote of Harlay and the Jacobins.--Truce in Flanders.--Wolves.
CHAPTER LXII
Settlement of the Spanish Succession.--Renunciation of France.--Comic Failure of the Duc de Berry.--Anecdotes of M. de Chevreuse.--Father Daniel's History and Its Reward.
CHAPTER LXIII
The Bull Unigenitus.--My Interview with Father Tellier.--Curious Inadvertence of Mine.--Peace.--Duc de la Rochefoucauld.--A Suicide in Public.--Charmel.--Two Gay Sisters.
CHAPTER LXIV
The King of Spain a Widower.--Intrigues of Madame des Ursins.--Choice of the Princes of Parma.--The King of France Kept in the Dark.--Celebration of the Marriage.--Sudden Fall of the Princesse des Ursins.--Her Expulsion from Spain.
CHAPTER LXV
The King of Spain Acquiesces in the Disgrace of Madame des Ursins.--Its Origin.--Who Struck the Blow.--Her journey to Versailles.--Treatment There.--My Interview with Her.--She Retires to Genoa.--Then to Rome.-- Dies.
CHAPTER LXVI
Sudden Illness of the Duc de Berry--Suspicious Symptoms.--The Duchess Prevented from Seeing Him.--His Death.--Character.--Manners of the Duchesse de Berry.
CHAPTER LXVII
Maisons Seeks My Acquaintance.--His Mysterious Manner.--Increase of the Intimacy.--Extraordinary News.--The Bastards Declared Princes of the Blood.--Rage of Maisons and Noailles.--Opinion of the Court and Country.
CHAPTER LXVIII
The King Unhappy and Ill at Ease.--Court Paid to Him.--A New Scheme to Rule Him.--He Yields.--New Annoyance.--His Will.--Anecdotes Concerning It.--Opinions of the Court.--M. du Maine
CHAPTER LXIX
A New Visit from Maisons.--His Violent Project.--My Objections.--He Persists.--His Death and That of His Wife. --Death of the Duc de