Memoirs of Louis XIV, vol 6 | Page 4

bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of the
file for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making
an entire meal of them. D.W.]

MEMOIRS OF LOUIS XIV AND HIS COURT AND OF THE
REGENCY
BY THE DUKE OF SAINT-SIMON
VOLUME 6.
CHAPTER XXXIX
Precedence at the Communion Table.--The King Offended with
Madame de Torcy.--The King's Religion.--Atheists and
Jansenists.--Project against Scotland.--Preparations.--Failure.--The
Chevalier de St. George.--His Return to Court.
CHAPTER XL
Death and Character of Brissac.--Brissac and the Court Ladies.--The
Duchesse de Bourgogne.--Scene at the Carp Basin.--King's
Selfishness.-- The King Cuts Samuel Bernard's Purse.--A Vain
Capitalist.--Story of Leon and Florence the Actress.--His Loves with
Mademoiselle de Roquelaure.-- Run--away Marriage.--Anger of
Madame de Roquelaure.--A Furious Mother.-- Opinions of the
Court.--A Mistake.--Interference of the King.-- Fate of the Couple .
CHAPTER XLI

The Duc d'Orleans in Spain.--Offends Madame des Ursins and
Madame de Maintenon.--Laziness of M. de Vendome in
Flanders.--Battle of Oudenarde. --Defeat and Disasters.--Difference of
M. de Vendome and the Duc de Bourgogne.
CHAPTER XLII
Conflicting Reports.--Attacks on the Duc de Bourgogne.--The
Duchesse de Bourgogne Acts against Vendome.--Weakness of the
Duke.--Cunning of Vendome.--The Siege of Lille.--Anxiety for a
Battle.--Its Delay.--Conduct of the King and Monseigneur.--A Picture
of Royal Family Feeling.--Conduct of the Marechal de Boufflers.
CHAPTER XLIII
Equivocal Position of the Duc de Bourgogne.--His Weak Conduct.--
Concealment of a Battle from the King.--Return of the Duc de
Bourgogne to Court.--Incidents of His
Reception.--Monseigneur.--Reception of the Duc de Berry.--Behaviour
of the Duc de Bourgogne.--Anecdotes of Gamaches.-- Return of
Vendome to Court.--His Star Begins to Wane.--Contrast of Boufflers
and Vendome.--Chamillart's Project for Retaking Lille.--How It Was
Defeated by 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.
CHAPTER XXXIX
I went this summer to Forges, to try, by means of the waters there, to
get rid of a tertian fever that quinquina only suspended. While there I
heard of a new enterprise on the part of the Princes of the blood, who,
in the discredit in which the King held them, profited without measure
by his desire for the grandeur of the illegitimate children, to acquire
new advantages which were suffered because the others shared them.
This was the case in question.
After the elevation of the mass--at the King's communion--a
folding-chair was pushed to the foot of the altar, was covered with a
piece of stuff, and then with a large cloth, which hung down before and
behind. At the Pater the chaplain rose and whispered in the King's ear
the names of all the Dukes who were in the chapel. The King named
two, always the oldest, to each of whom the chaplain advanced and
made a reverence. During the communion of the priest the King rose,
and went and knelt down on the bare floor behind this folding seat, and
took hold of the cloth; at the same time the two Dukes, the elder on the
right, the other on the left, each took hold of a corner of the cloth; the
two chaplains took hold of the other two corners of the same cloth, on
the side of the altar, all four kneeling, and the captain of the guards also
kneeling and behind the King. The communion received and the

oblation taken some moments afterwards, the King remained a little
while in the same place, then returned to his own, followed by the two
Dukes and the captain of the guards, who took theirs. If a son of France
happened to be there alone, he alone held the right corner of the cloth,
and nobody the other; and when M. le Duc d'Orleans was there, and no
son of France was present, M. le Duc d'Orleans held the cloth in like
manner. If a Prince of the blood were alone present, however, he held
the cloth, but a Duke was called forward to assist him. He was not
privileged to act without the Duke.
The Princes of the blood wanted to change this; they were envious of
the distinction accorded to M. d'Orleans, and wished to put themselves
on the same footing. Accordingly, at the Assumption of this year, they