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Title: The Memoirs of Louis XIV., Volume 1 And His Court and of The Regency

Author: Duc de Saint-Simon

Release Date: December 3, 2004 [EBook #3860]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MEMOIRS OF LOUIS XIV., ***

Produced by David Widger

MEMOIRS OF LOUIS XIV AND HIS COURT AND OF THE REGENCY

BY THE DUKE OF SAINT-SIMON

CONTENTS OF THE 15 VOLUMES

VOLUME 1.

CHAPTER I

Birth and Family.—Early Life.—Desire to join the Army.—Enter the
Musketeers.—The Campaign Commences.—Camp of Gevries.—Siege of Namur.
—Dreadful Weather.—Gentlemen Carrying Corn.—Sufferings during the
Siege.—The Monks of Marlaigne.—Rival Couriers.—Naval Battle.—
Playing with Fire-arms.—A Prediction Verified.

CHAPTER II

The King's Natural Children.—Proposed Marriage of the Duc de Chartres.— Influence of Dubois.—The Duke and the King.—An Apartment.—Announcement of the Marriage.—Anger of Madame.—Household of the Duchess.—Villars and Rochefort.—Friend of King's Mistresses.—The Marriage Ceremony.— Toilette of the Duchess.—Son of Montbron.—Marriage of M. du Maine.— Duchess of Hanover.—Duc de Choiseul.—La Grande Mademoiselle.

CHAPTER III

Death of My Father.—Anecdotes of Louis XIII.—The Cardinal de
Richelieu.—The Duc de Bellegarde.—Madame de Hautefort.—My Father's
Enemy.—His Services and Reward.—A Duel against Law.—An Answer to a
Libel.—M. de la Rochefoucauld.—My Father's Gratitude to Louis XIII.

CHAPTER IV

Position of the Prince of Orange.—Strange Conduct of the King.—Surprise
and Indignation.—Battle of Neerwinden.—My Return to Paris.—Death of La
Vauguyon.—Symptoms of Madness.—Vauguyon at the Bastille.—Projects of
Marriage.—M. de Beauvilliers.—A Negotiation for a Wife.—My Failure.—
Visit to La Trappe.

CHAPTER V

M. de Luxemhourg's Claim of Precedence.—Origin of the Claim.—Duc de
Piney.—Character of Harlay.—Progress of the Trial.—Luxembourg and
Richelieu.—Double-dealing of Harlay.—The Duc de Gesvres.—Return to the
Seat of War.—Divers Operations.—Origin of These Memoirs.

CHAPTER VI

Quarrels of the Princesses.—Mademoiselle Choin.—A Disgraceful Affair.—
M. de Noyon.—Comic Scene at the Academie.—Anger and Forgiveness of
M. de Noyon.—M. de Noailles in Disgrace.—How He Gets into Favour Again.
—M. de Vendome in Command.—Character of M. de Luxembourg.— The Trial
for Precedence Again.—An Insolent Lawyer.—Extraordinary Decree.

CHAPTER VII

Harlay and the Dutch.—Death of the Princess of Orange.—Count Koenigsmarck.—A New Proposal of Marriage.—My Marriage.—That of M. de Lauzun.—Its Result.—La Fontaine and Mignard.—Illness of the Marechal de Lorges.—Operations on the Rhine.—Village of Seckenheim.—An Episode of War.—Cowardice of M. du Maine.—Despair of the King, Who Takes a Knave in the Act.—Bon Mot of M. d'Elboeuf.

CHAPTER VIII

The Abbe de Fenelon.—The Jansenists and St. Sulpice.—Alliance with
Madame Guyon.—Preceptor of the Royal Children.—Acquaintance with Madame
de Maintenon.—Appointment to Cambrai.—Disclosure of Madame Guyon's
Doctrines.—Her Disgrace.—Bossuet and Fenelon.—Two Rival Books.—
Disgrace of Fenelon.

VOLUME 2.

CHAPTER IX

Death of Archbishop Harlay.—Scene at Conflans.—"The Good Langres."—
A Scene at Marly.—Princesses Smoke Pipes!—Fortunes of Cavoye.—
Mademoiselle de Coetlogon.—Madame de Guise.—Madame de Miramion.—Madame
de Sevigne.—Father Seraphin.—An Angry Bishop.—Death of La Bruyere.—
Burglary by a Duke.—Proposed Marriage of the Duc de Bourgogne.—The
Duchesse de Lude.—A Dangerous Lady.—Madame d'O.—Arrival of the
Duchesse de Bourgogne.

CHAPTER X

My Return to Fontainebleau.—A Calumny at Court.—Portrait of M. de La
Trappe.—A False Painter.—Fast Living at the "Desert."—Comte
d'Auvergne.—Perfidy of Harlay.—M. de Monaco.—Madame Panache.—The
Italian Actor and the "False Prude".

CHAPTER XI

A Scientific Retreat.—The Peace of Ryswick.—Prince of Conti King of
Poland.—His Voyage and Reception.—King of England Acknowledged.—Duc de
Conde in Burgundy.—Strange Death of Santeuil.—Duties of the Prince of
Darmstadt in Spain.—Madame de Maintenon's Brother.—Extravagant Dresses.
Marriage of the Duc de Bourgogne.—The Bedding of the Princesse.—Grand
Balls.—A Scandalous Bird.

CHAPTER XII

An Odd Marriage.—Black Daughter of the King.—Travels of Peter the
Great.—Magnificent English Ambassador.—The Prince of Parma.—
A Dissolute Abbe.—Orondat.—Dispute about Mourning.—M. de Cambrai's
Book Condemned by M. de La Trappe.—Anecdote of the Head of Madame de
Montbazon.—Condemnation of Fenelon by the Pope.—His Submission.

CHAPTER XIII

Charnace.—An Odd Ejectment.—A Squabble at Cards.—Birth of My Son.—
The Camp at Compiegne.—Splendour of Marechal Boufflers.—Pique of the
Ambassadors.—Tesse's Grey Hat.—A Sham Siege.—A Singular Scene.—
The King and Madame de Maintenon.—An Astonished Officer.—
Breaking-up of the Camp.

CHAPTER XIV

Gervaise Monk of La Trappe.——His Disgusting Profligacy.—The Author of
the Lord's Prayer.—A Struggle for Precedence.—Madame de Saint-Simon.—
The End of the Quarrel.—Death of the Chevalier de Coislin.—A Ludicrous
Incident.—Death of Racine.—The King and the Poet.—King Pays Debts of
Courtiers.—Impudence of M. de Vendome.—A Mysterious Murder.—
Extraordinary Theft.

CHAPTER XV

The Farrier of Salon.—Apparition of a Queen.—The Farrier Comes to
Versailles.—Revelations to the Queen.—Supposed Explanation.—
New Distinctions to the Bastards.—New Statue of the King.—
Disappointment of Harlay.—Honesty of Chamillart.—The Comtesse de
Fiesque.—Daughter of Jacquier.—Impudence of Saumery.—Amusing Scene.—
Attempted Murder.

CHAPTER XVI