Produced by David Widger
I went this summer to Forges, to try, by means of the waters there, toget rid of a tertian fever that quinquina only suspended. While there Iheard 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 byhis desire for the grandeur of the illegitimate children, to acquire newadvantages which were suffered because the others shared them. This wasthe case in question.
After the elevation of the mass—at the King's communion—a folding-chairwas 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 thePater the chaplain rose and whispered in the King's ear the names of allthe 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 thecommunion of the priest the King rose, and went and knelt down on thebare floor behind this folding seat, and took hold of the cloth; at thesame 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 ofthe other two corners of the same cloth, on the side of the altar, allfour kneeling, and the captain of the guards also kneeling and behind theKing. The communion received and the oblation taken some momentsafterwards, the King remained a little while in the same place, thenreturned to his own, followed by the two Dukes and the captain of theguards, 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; andwhen 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 bloodwere alone present, however, he held the cloth, but a Duke was calledforward 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 thedistinction accorded to M. d'Orleans, and wished to put themselves on thesame footing. Accordingly, at the Assumption of this year, they managedso well that M. le Duc served alone at the altar at the King's communion,no Duke being called upon to come and join him. The surprise at this wasvery great. The Duc de la Force and the Marechal de Boufflers, who oughtto have served, were both present. I wrote to this last to say that sucha thing had never happened before, and that it was contrary to allprecedent. I wrote, too, to M. d'Orleans, who was then in Spain,informing him of the circumstance. When he returned he complained to theKing. But the King merely said that the Dukes ought to have presentedthemselves and taken hold of the cloth. But how could they have done so,without being requested, as was customary, to come forward? What wouldthe king have thought of them if they had? To conclude, nothing could bemade of the matter, and it remained thus. Never then, since that time,did I go to the communions of the King.
An incident occurred at Marly about the same time, which made much stir.The ladies who were invited to Marly had the privilege of dining with theKing. Tables were placed for them, and they took up positions accordingto their rank. The non-titled ladies had also their special place. Itso happened one day; that Madame de Torcy (an untitled lady) placedherself above the Duchesse de Duras, who arrived at table a mom