Saint-Évremond, “Stances à Ninon.”
[208] Louise Marie de Gonzague. She had married in 1645 Ladislas IV. King of Poland, and, after his death, she became wife of his brother, John Casimir.
[209] Letters of 28 September, 7 and 8 October, published by the Duc d’Aumale.
[210] “Gazette de France,” 17 January, 1671.
[211] By a separate deed, the princess was permitted to dispose as she wished of her jewels and plate.
[212] Roger de Rabutin, Comte de Bussy (1618–1693), the celebrated letter-writer and author of the scandalous “Histoire amoureuse des Gaules,” which procured him a year in the Bastille and a sixteen years’ exile from the Court.
[213] Letter of 23 January, 1671.
[214] The best informed of all, the Duc d’Aumale, adopts a neutral attitude, being of opinion that there is not sufficient evidence to condemn either Condé or his wife.
[215] “Life of Louis, Prince of Condé, surnamed the Great.” It should be mentioned that the distinguished historian declines to believe that the princess had as yet exhibited any signs of insanity, but in this he is quite mistaken.
[216] The seigneurie of Châteauroux was in 1497 erected into a county in favour of André de Chauvigny. In 1613 it was acquired by Henri II., Prince de Condé, who, three years later, obtained letters-patent evicting it into a duchy-peerage.