THE COMPLETE PROJECT GUTENBERG
HISTORIC COURT MEMOIRS OF FRANCE

AN ON-LINE INDEX

Various Authors

Edited by David Widger

Project Gutenberg Editions

Click on the ## before each title to go directly to a
linked index of the detailed chapters and illustrations

BOOKS

[## ] [ MEMOIRS OF MARGUERITE DE VALOIS QUEEN OF NAVARRE]
[## ] [ MEMOIRS OF JEAN FRANCOIS PAUL de GONDI, CARDINAL DE RETZ]
[## ] [ MEMOIRS OF MADAME LA MARQUISE DE MONTESPAN]
[## ] [ MEMOIRS OF THE COURT OF LOUIS XIV.AND OF THE REGENCY,
By the Duchess D'Orleans]
[## ] [ MEMOIRS OF LOUIS XIV AND HIS COURT AND OF THE REGENCY,
By the Duke of Saint-Simon]
[## ] [ MEMOIRS OF LOUIS XV. AND XVI.,
By Madame du Hausett, Princess Lamballe, and an Unknown English Girl]
[## ] [ MEMOIRS OF THE COURT OF MARIE ANTOINETTE, QUEEN OF FRANCE,
By Madam Camapn]
[## ] [ MEMOIRS COURT OF ST. CLOUD,
By Lewis Goldsmith]
[## ] [ MEMOIRS OF COUNT GRAMMONT,
By Anthony Hamilton]

CHAPTERS and ILLUSTRATIONS

[ MEMOIRS OF MARGUERITE DE VALOIS QUEEN OF NAVARRE]

[Quotes & Images]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

[Marguerite de Valois]—Etching by Mercier [Bussi d' Amboise]—Painting in the Versailles Gallery [Duc de Guise]—Painting in the Versailles Gallery [Catherine de' Medici]—Original Etching by Mercier [Henri VI. and La Fosseuse]—Painting by A. P. E. Morton [A Scene at Henri's Court]—Original Photogravure

LETTERS

[LETTER I.]

Introduction.—Anecdotes of Marguerite's Infancy.—Endeavours Used to Convert Her to the New Religion.—She Is Confirmed in Catholicism.—The Court on a Progress.—A Grand Festivity Suddenly Interrupted.—The Confusion in Consequence.

[LETTER II.]

Message from the Duc d'Anjou, Afterwards Henri III., to King Charles His Brother and the Queen-mother.—Her Fondness for Her Children.—Their Interview.—Anjou's Eloquent Harangue.—The Queen-mother's Character. Discourse of the Duc d'Anjou with Marguerite.—She Discovers Her Own Importance.—Engages to Serve Her Brother Anjou.—Is in High Favour with the Queenmother.

[LETTER III.]

Le Guast.—His Character.—Anjou Affects to Be Jealous of the Guises.—Dissuades the Queen-mother from Reposing Confidence in Marguerite.—She Loses the Favour of the Queen-mother and Falls Sick.—Anjou's Hypocrisy.—He Introduces De Guise into Marguerite's Sick Chamber.—Marguerite Demanded in Marriage by the King of Portugal.—Made Uneasy on That Account.—Contrives to Relieve Herself.—The Match with Portugal Broken off.

[LETTER IV.]

Death of the Queen of Navarre—Marguerite's Marriage with Her Son, the King of Navarre, Afterwards Henri IV. of France.—The Preparations for That Solemnisation Described.—The Circumstances Which Led to the Massacre of the Huguenots on St. Bartholomew's Day.

[LETTER V.]

The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day.

[LETTER VI.]

Henri, Duc d'Anjou, Elected King of Poland, Leaves France.—Huguenot Plots to Withdraw the Duc d'Alencon and the King of Navarre from Court.—Discovered and Defeated by Marguerite's Vigilance.—She Draws Up an Eloquent Defence, Which Her Husband Delivers before a Committee from the Court of Parliament.—Alencon and Her Husband, under a Close Arrest, Regain Their Liberty by the Death of Charles IX.

[LETTER VII.]

Accession of Henri III.—A Journey to Lyons.—Marguerite's Faith in Supernatural Intelligence.

[LETTER VIII.]

What Happened at Lyons.

[LETTER IX.]

Fresh Intrigues.—Marriage of Henri III.—Bussi Arrives at Court and Narrowly Escapes Assassination.

[LETTER X.]

Bussi Is Sent from Court.—Marguerite's Husband Attacked with a Fit of Epilepsy.—Her Great Care of Him.—Torigni Dismissed from Marguerite's Service.—The King of Navarre and the Duc d'Alencon Secretly Leave the Court.

[LETTER XI.]

Queen Marguerite under Arrest.—Attempt on Torigni's Life.—Her Fortunate Deliverance.

[LETTER XII.]

The Peace of Sens betwixt Henri III. and the Huguenots.

[LETTER XIII.]

The League.—War Declared against the Huguenots.—Queen Marguerite Sets out for Spa.

[LETTER XIV.]

Description of Queen Marguerite's Equipage.—Her Journey to Liege Described.—She Enters with Success upon Her Mission.—Striking Instance of Maternal Duty and Affection in a Great Lady.—Disasters near the Close of the Journey.

[LETTER XV.]

The City of Liege Described.—Affecting Story of Mademoiselle de Tournon.—Fatal Effects of Suppressed Anguish of Mind.

[LETTER XVI.]

Queen Marguerite, on Her Return from Liege, Is in Danger of Being Made a Prisoner.—She Arrives, after Some Narrow Escapes, at La Fere.

[LETTER XVII.]

Good Effects of Queen Marguerite's Negotiations in Flanders.—She Obtains Leave to Go to the King of Navarre Her Husband, but Her Journey Is Delayed.—Court Intrigues and Plots.—The Duc d'Alencon Again Put under Arrest.

[LETTER XVIII.]

The Brothers Reconciled.—Alencon Restored to His Liberty.

[LETTER XIX.]

The Duc d'Alencon Makes His Escape from Court.—Queen Marguerite's Fidelity Put to a Severe Trial.

[LETTER XX.]

Queen Marguerite Permitted to Go to the King Her Husband.—Is Accompanied by the Queenmother.—Marguerite Insulted by Her Husband's Secretary.—She Harbours Jealousy.—Her Attention to the King Her Husband during an Indisposition.—Their Reconciliation.—The War Breaks Out Afresh.—Affront Received from Marechal de Biron.

[LETTER XXI.]

Situation of Affairs in Flanders.—Peace Brought About by Duc d'Alencon's Negotiation.—Marechal de Biron Apologises for Firing on Nerac.—Henri Desperately in Love with Fosseuse.—Queen Marguerite Discovers Fosseuse to Be Pregnant, Which She Denies.—Fosseuse in Labour. Marguerite's Generous Behaviour to Her.—Marguerite's Return to Paris.

[ MEMOIRS OF JEAN FRANCOIS PAUL de GONDI, CARDINAL DE RETZ]

[Quotes & Images]

BOOKS

[BOOK I.]
[BOOK II.]
[BOOK III.]
[BOOK IV.]
[BOOK V.]

ILLUSTRATIONS

[Cardinal de Retz]——Photogravure from an Old Painting
[Turenne]——Photogravure from an Old Painting
[Richelieu]——Engraving by Lubin
[Anne of Austria]——Original Etching by Mercier
[Louis XIII]——Painting in the Louvre
[Conde']——Painting in Versailles Gallery

[ MEMOIRS OF MADAME LA MARQUISE DE MONTESPAN]

[Quotes & Images]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

[Madame de Montespan]——Etching by Mercier
[Hortense Mancini]——Drawing in the Louvre
[Madame de la Valliere]——Painting by Francois
[Moliere]——Original Etching by Lalauze
[Boileau]——Etching by Lalauze
[A French Courtier]——Photogravure from a Painting
[Madame de Maintenon]——Etching by Mercier from Painting by Hule
[Charles II.]——Original Etching by Ben Damman
[Bosseut]——Etching by Lalauze
[Louis XIV. Knighting a Subject]——Photogravure from a Rare Print
[A French Actress]——Painting by Leon Comerre
[Racine]——Etching by Lalauze