A Kent Squire; Being a Record of Certain Adventures of Ambrose Gwynett, Esquire of Thornhaugh

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XLV UNCLE AND NEPHEW THE marquis learned later that the little dauphin had been unceasingly ill for several days past, and that, by a curious fatality, three successive bulletins to this effect had failed to reach him--the first messenger having fallen ill on the road, and the two later ones having passed the marquis on his return journey without knowing it. The death of a third heir to the monarchy was the signal for a vehement renewal of the attacks upon the due d'Orleans, which emanated from the party of madame de Maintenon and the due de Maine, and the court was assiduously plied with rumors that the chambre ardente was to be reconstituted to inquire into the unparalleled fatalities which had overtaken the royal family. The chambre ardente was a renewal by Louis XIV. of an old tribunal, employed at intervals since the time of Francis I. for the discovery and extirpation of heresy. The last court had been established in 1677 to investigate the widespread crimes which had followed upon the career of the notorious marquise de Brinvilliers, and which were chiefly associated with the equally notorious Catherine Montvoysin, nee Deshayes, usually called la Voysin. To this woman half of the court and the parliament seemed at one time or other to have resorted, either to obtain poisons, to get rid of children whose impending arrival was inconvenient, or to have celebrated the famous messes noircs which were to secure the good offices of the Power of Evil in furtherance of their ambitions, their jealousies, or their hatreds. A perfect epidemic of murder, sorcery, and sacrilege raged through the fashionable world at this period under the auspices of the la Voysin gang. The peeresses de Vivonne (sister-in-law of madame de Montespan), de Bouillon, de Soiss...