Dangeau’s Diary, August 1686
1st. — The King has presented Villa-Cerf with an employment to which no name has yet been given. It is partly that of comptroller-general of buildings under Monsieur de Louvois, who thereby will be relieved from many tedious details, at present too much for him. His Majesty has attached a salary of sixteen thousand francs to the office. There were already three comptrollers extraordinary, Chausy, Mansard and La Mothe.
3d. — Intelligence has arrived from Rome, that several stubborn Quietists have lately been arrested there. The King had commissioned the cardinal d’Estrees to speak to the Pope upon the subject last year, and, in consequence of his remonstrances, his Holiness was obliged to commence a prosecution against their chief, Molinos, for whom, it is asserted, that the Pope had a particular esteem. He had even given a bishopric to Pétruzzi, who has followed Molinos very closely in his writings, and who is considered in Rome as the first of his disciples, and it is asserted, that the Pope would have been much averse to their prosecution, had not the King, extending his zeal against the heretics beyond the limits of his kingdom, commanded the cardinal d’Estrees to represent to him the necessity of opposing so insinuating a heresy. It was in consequence of these representations, that the Holy office has been ever since last year engaged in the prosecution of Molinos. The cardinal d’Estrees, one of its members, exposed, with much learning and zeal, the dangers of this doctrine, and was so successful, that the Inquisition imprisoned Molinos together with some of his followers, and afterwards condemned twenty propositions extracted from his works.
14th. — Father Mainbourg died yesterday at Paris of apoplexy. He was a Jesuit, and had composed numerous works, chiefly upon heresies.
22d. — Madame, when dining with the Dauphine, expressed some displeasure that Madame de Biron, in saluting her yesterday, did not kiss the hem of her robe. Since the Dauphine has been in France, Madame does not salute ladies of quality who are not Duchesses, following in this the example of the Dauphine.
31st. — About four o’clock in the morning, the Dauphine was taken in labour. The King was instantly called up, as well as Monsieur and Madame, and all the princes and princesses of the blood, who have the right of being present at the accouchement of Queens.
