Chronologie de la vie de Louis XIV, August 1661

3 August, his Majesty sets out to hunt in the forests of Fontainebleau, before the Ballet des Saisons is performed once more in the evening.

4 August, his Majesty invites to a promenade at the canal and is happily joined by the court and its beauties.

7 August, the ladies often promenade by carriage in the evenings, when the air is cooler, his Majesty is often seen riding alongside the carriages and in a merry mood.

11 August, the Ballet des Saisons is performed again. The King’s interest in Mademoiselle de La Vallière is difficult to miss.

12 August, Nicolas Fouquet sells his office of procureur to Achille de Harlay.

12 August, his Majesty grants the government of Loches to Francois de Beauvillier, Comte de Saint-Aignan and first gentleman of the King’s chamber.

15 August, l’Assomption de Marie, their Majesties join the court in the chapel of Fontainebleau in the afternoon. They take part in the vesper and listen to the sermon of Abbe Le Favre.

16 August, the Ballet des Saisons is performed again, the court has not grown bored of it yet.

17 August, his Majesty, accompanied by his mother and brother, travels to Vaux for the entertainment planned by Monsieur Fouquet.

17 August, their Majesties and Monsieur are warmly greeted by Monsieur Fouquet upon their arrival at his splendid château.

17 August, Monsieur Fouquet invites their Majesties and Monsieur to stroll the gardens, before a large meal is served which is supervised by François Vatel, a master of entertainments.

17 August, Monsieur Fouquet is eager to please and invites to a play after supper. Monsieur Molière and his troupe perform a new comedie called Les Fâcheux. His Majesty enjoys the performance greatly.

17 August, their Majesties and Monsieur are invited to step outside again, to behold a magnificent display of fireworks and an artificial whale in the canal, from which more fireworks were set up.

17 August, their Majesties and Monsieur are surprised with another grand firework display as they are about to step back inside. This time the fireworks are fired from the dome of the château.

17 August, although Monsieur Fouquet has prepared such a great spectacle for his King, the mood of the latter is not the best. He appears greatly displeased by something.

18 August, the King’s mood declines further the more Monsieur Fouquet is praised for the entertainments and his château, which is truly more beautiful than any other.

18 August, their Majesties, the King and his mother, are observed in heated conversation.

18 August, Monsieur Fouquet is shocked as their Majesties and Monsieur depart suddenly around two o’clock in the morning. The King is in a very foul mood and her Majesty, his mother, had to calm him.

18 August, the États de Bretagne open council, which has been requested by the King in July.

18 August, his Majesty remains in a foul mood. Rumour has it he suspects Monsieur Fouquet has used money meant for the State to build his château and if it had not been for her Majesty, his mother, he would have arrested him on the spot.

20 August, the États de Bretagne ask the commissioners of the King to revoke the exclusive privilege granted to Nicolas Gargot de La Rochette, a friend of Fouquet, to for cod in Newfoundland.

20 August, Franz-Georg and Johann-Philipp von Schönborn-Buchheim, nephews of the électeur de Mayence, take leave from the King after spending three years in Paris.

22 August, the King enjoys to promenade with the ladies in the park of Fontainebleau. In the evening, he attends a Spanish comedie performed in the rooms of the pregnant Queen.

circa 22 August, his Majesty receives the provost of the merchants as well as representatives of the city of Paris and their new aldermen, Monsieur de Mouhére and Monsieur de Faverolles, who have come to take their oaths.

23 August, his Majesty grants an audience to the Marquis Durazzo, envoy of Genoa. The Ballet des Saisons is performed again in the evening.

circa 24 August, the King receives Francesco Ghiron Villa, ambassador of Savoy.

24 August, the King visits the Queen in her rooms, where a French comedie is performed. Her Majesty is, by the grace of God, in splendid health.

25 August, the King proposes during council to remove the so-called dépenses secrètes.

25 August, Fête de la Saint Louis, the ballet, which was performed in presence of the King at Vaux, is performed again at Fontainebleau.

28 August, Monsieur Fouquet, accompanied by his wife and Monsieur de Lionne, leaves Fontainebleau for Nantes to attend the états de Bretagne.

28 August, the King receives the Dutch ambassadors Coenraad van Beuningen, Johann van Gent van Oosterweide and Justus de Huybert for an audience.

29 August, around nine o’clock in the morning, the King leaves Fontainebleau on horseback. He is accompanied by Monsieur le Prince, Monsieur le Duc, Monsieur le Duc de Beaufort, Monsieur le Comte d’Armagnac, Monsieur le Comte de Saint-Aignan and the Maréchal de Turenne.

29 August, the King and the gentlemen accompanying him stop briefly in Orléans.

29 August, his Majesty will spend the night in Saint-Dye, where he arrives in gallop at around ten o’clock in the evening.

30 August, his Majesty attends mass at around five o’clock in the morning at the chapel of Saint-Dye, before he and the gentlemen continue their journey.

30 August, the King stops at the chateau d’Onzain for lunch and to change horses, before he continues towards Amboise.

30 August, the King dines in a neighboring hostelry and continue his journey without entering the city.

31 August, after travelling all day, his Majesty spends the night in Ancenis.