Chronologie de la vie de Louis XIV, November 1664

1 November, All Saints’ Day, his Majesty, wearing the Grand Collier de l’Ordre, receives communion at the Feuillants, after which he attends mass celebrated by the Bishop d’Uzés. His Majesty then attends to the ill to cure them with his touch. Le Roi te touche et Dieu te guérit. Their Majesties attend the sermon of Côme du Bosc at Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois, as well as evensong, after which they proceed to Val-de-Grâce to visit her Majesty, la Reine-Mére. Monseigneur celebrates his third birthday today and is, by the grace of God, in very good health.

3 November, Saint-Hubert, his Majesty, in company of the Duc d’Enghien and various gentlemen, sets out for Saint-Germain-en-Laye for the hunt, after which his Majesty invites the gentlemen to dinner.

4 November, his Majesty receives the nuncio, Monsieur Carlo Roberti, and a gentleman from the Palatine.

7 November, his Majesty receives pére Antoine Carpendulo, général des Capucins, for his audience of leave.

10 November, his Majesty receives the Comte de Dieterichstein, extraordinary envoy of his Imperial Majesty Leopold I, who comes to talk of the peace recently concluded by his master. His Majesty, her Majesty la Reine-Mére and Monsieur attend mass at the Oratoire and intend to do so every day to pray for her Majesty, who is unwell, and their Majesties unborn child.

12 November, his Majesty orders, by a decree of the council, that the import and export of goods is to be significantly reduced from now on.

14 November, Monsieur Fouquet was brought before his judges for the first time today.

16 November, the physicians were called to her Majesty’s chambers. It is said she is in great agony. His Majesty and Monsieur entered shortly after as well. Her Majesty has gone into labor prematurely and was delivered of a little Princesse, who was at once brought away to be baptised by the Curé of Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois and thus named Marie-Anne. Her Majesty’s condition is said to be critical, some even say she stands at Heaven’s door. The little Princesse, it is said, is not of good health either. His Majesty has ordered daily masses to be held for her Majesty.

17 November, her Majesty’s condition remains unchanged. His Majesty is constantly at her bedside. Vile talk reigns the day. It is said the little Princesse Anne-Marie was born deformed and was covered with dark hair, with her skin being of a strange colour.

18 November, some vile individuals claim the Princesse Marie-Anne was born of an affair of her Majesty and her page Nabo, who Monsieur de Beaufort had brought. His Majesty has ordered to put an end to this detestable talk. The viaticum was administered to the her Majesty, her condition still having not improved. His Majesty is constantly at prayer.

19 November, Madame de Maupeou, mother of Monsieur Fouquet, who is well known for her charity towards the ill and poor, was called to her Majesty’s bedside and applied a paste upon her Majesty’s person at her request.

20 November, his Majesty, having received the nuncio, proceeds to the Abbaye Sainte-Geneviéve to pray and ask the patroness saint of Paris to restore her Majesty’s health. Nabo, her Majesty’s page, has been removed from service and was not seen since. Some still claim he is the father of the little Princesse Marie-Anne, but the physicians ensure her Royal Highness was discolored at birth due to a lack of air and not deformed.

21 November, his Majesty sets out for the Abbaye Sainte-Geneviéve again to pray for her Majesty’s recovery.

22 November, his Majesty rides to Notre-Dame to attend mass held to pray for her Majesty’s recovery.

24 November, his Majesty sets out to hunt in the surroundings of Paris.

25 November, her Majesty is still feeling very weak, but her condition is improving slowly.

26 November, his Majesty travels to Abbaye de Saint-Germain-des-Prés to attend mass held in honour of Saint Germain.

28 November, it is said, from someone close to her Majesty, his Majesty swore to never see Mademoiselle de La Vallière again, if the Queen will recover fully. Mademoiselle de La Vallière, it is said, is currently expecting another child.

29 November, his majesty receives the Comte de Dieterrichstein, envoy of his Imperial Majesty, for his audience of leave.

30 November, premier dimanche de l’avent, his Majesty attends mass at the Oratoire du Louvre.