Dangeau’s Diary, May 1691

17th. — The Duc de la Force, who has been for some time released from the Bastille, where he had completed his religious instructions, and had communicated, has received permission to return to court and has paid his duty to the King. His lady is still in the chateau d’Angers.

28th. — The King has funded a million at the Maison de Ville, at eighteen per cent. Besides which, he has created sixteen offices of King’s secretaries, which will be sold for 50,000 livres each. Other new appointments will be made, which, with the former, will produce him 25,000,000 livres.

30th. — The Countess of Errol, governess to the Prince of Wales, was presented to the King today. The Queen of England, not knowing that she had escaped from Scotland, and without even being aware of what she had suffered in the King of England’s cause, always spoke of her since the death of the Duchess of Powis, as the lady of all others she should wish to be her son’s governess; and, in fact, she escaped from Scotland just at the time the Queen wished for her so much.