Read The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV Online
Authors: Anne Somerset
Tags: #History, #France, #Royalty, #17th Century, #Witchcraft, #Executions, #Law & Order, #Courtesans, #Nonfiction
The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV
CONTENTS
8. Accusations Against Mme de Montespan
For Ella, with much love
PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS
Alluye, Bénigne, Marquise de
Friend of Comtesse de Soissons who accompanied her on her visit to la Voisin. Fled France with Comtesse de Soissons January 1680
Amy, Monsieur D’
Officer in Provençal
Parlement,
posthumously alleged to have wanted to poison Colbert
Aubray, Antoine Dreux d’
Civil Lieutenant of the city of Paris. Father and first victim of Mme de Brinvilliers. Died 10 September 1666
Aubray, Antoine d’
Eldest brother and second victim of Mme deBrinvilliers. Succeeded father as Civil Lieutenant of the city of Paris. Died 17 June 1670
Aubray, François d’
Conseiller
in Paris
Parlement.
Younger brother and third victim of Mme de Brinvilliers. Poisoned September 1670
Bachimont, Roger, Seigneur de
Alchemist and associate of Vanens arrested May 1678. Suspected of poisoning Duke of Savoy. Imprisoned for life
Bachimont, Mme Marie de
Wife to the above
Barenton, Mathurin
Accused of having traded in poisons and being involved in plot to poison King. Executed September 1681
Belleguise
Clerk of Pennautier and associate of Sainte-Croix. Went missing after the arrest of Mme de Brinvilliers, but arrested August 1676. Though he was widely suspected of having acted as an intermediary between Pennautier and Sainte-Croix he was convicted only of handling counterfeit money and banished for a short period
Bellière, la
Divineress. Allegedly Mme Chapelain had wanted to send her to the Caribbean to commune with the devil. La Bellière alleged that la Filastre had offered her large sum of money to deliver something to Mme de Montespan, but she had refused, fearing hanging
Belot, François
Member of the royal guard, convicted of having tried to poison M. de Poulaillon’s silver cup. Executed June 1679
Bergerot, Martine
Illiterate divineress alleged to have arranged for pact drawn up by la Filastre for Duchesse de Vivonne to be signed by spirit
Bertrand
Friend of Romani, alleged to have been his accomplice in plot to poison Mlle de Fontanges
Bezons, Louis Bazin, Seigneur de
Commissioner of
Chambre Ardente
who served alongside La Reynie as investigating magistrate in the Affair of the Poisons, and
rapporteur
to the Chamber
Blessis, Denis Poculot, Sieur de
Alchemist lover of la Voisin. In late 1678 the Marquis de Termes had detained Blessis in his chateau in hopes that Blessis would furnish him with the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone. The petition which la Voisin sought to present to the King in March 1679 requested that Termes be ordered to release Blessis. Condemned to galleys by Chamber
Bonnard, Pierre
Man of business to Maréchal de Luxembourg. In bid to recover documents for his master, employed Lesage to cast spells. Sent to galleys by Chamber, May 1680
Bosse, Marie
Divineress arrested January 1679 after boasting at a dinner party that she had grown rich from supplying poison. Burnt May 1679
Bossuet, Jacques Bénigne
Bishop of Condom, preceptor of Dauphin and celebrated preacher
Bouillon, Marie-Anne, Duchesse de
Sister of the Comtesse de Soissons and wife of King’s Great Chamberlain. Visited la Voisin and Lesage, and alleged to have expressed wish that her husband would die
Briancourt, Jean-Baptiste
Tutor to Mme de Brinvilliers’s children who became her lover. Subsequently testified against her at her trial
Brinvilliers, Marie Madeleine, Marquise de
Murderess executed July 1676 for poisoning her father and two brothers
Brissart, Mme Marie
Widow of
Conseiller
in
Parlement.
Alleged by la Voisin to have wanted to poison her sister. Lesage performed magic spells on her behalf to enable her to capture the heart of Captain Rubantel
Broglio, Mme de, formerly Marquise de Canilhac
Alleged to have poisoned first husband with aid of la Voisin. Never arrested as had left France
Bussy, Roger de Rabutin, Comte de
Cousin of Mme de Sévigné exiled from Paris 1666 for having written scurrilous novel. Kept in touch with friends at court by letter
Cadelan, Pierre
Banker associate of Vanens. Suspected of involvement in international poisoning conspiracy. Died in prison September 1684
Carada, Anne
Executed June 1681 for having poisoned her lover’s wife
Cessac, Louis de Guilhem de Castelnau, Marquis de
Courtier who had to leave France after caught cheating at cards 1671. Returned to France 1674. Implicated in Affair of the Poisons after Lesage alleged he had sought to kill his brother so that he could marry his sister-in-law. Fled the country to escape trial. Permitted to return to France 1691
Chanfrain, Jeanne
Mistress of Guibourg
Chapelain, Mme Magdelaine
Divineress and former employer of la Filastre. Suspected of being responsible for several poisonings. Sent la Filastre to see Galet. Imprisoned for life
Chasteuil, François-Galaup de
Major in White Cross Regiment at Turin. Referred to as ‘the author’ by Vanens, who said he knew secret formula for an oil which converted base metal into gold. Died before arrest of Vanens
Cheron, Anne
Fruit seller alleged to have supplied toad to be used to poison cup belonging to M. de Poulaillon. Executed June 1679
Choisy, Abbé de
Author of memoirs
Colbert, Jean-Baptiste
Controller-General of Finance
Cotton, Jacques
Priest who conducted black mass attended by la Filastre. Burnt October 1680
Dalmas, P.
Blind associate of La Chaboissière, arrested February 1678
Davot, Gilles
Priest alleged by Lesage to have performed black masses for la Voisin. Executed July 1681
Debray, Étienne
Associate of Deschault who revealed details of plot to assassinate King. Executed September 1681
Delaporte, Marguerite
Divineress, alleged to have purchased poisons from Maître Pierre. Supposedly present at black masses celebrated in presence of Mme de Montespan. Imprisoned for life without trial
Deschault, Jacques
Shepherd alleged to have performed spells and supplied poison to Mme Carada. Executed June 1681
Desmaretz, Mme
Widowed client of Lesage who asked him to devise spells to persuade her lover Gontier to marry her
Dreux, Mme Françoise de
Client of la Voisin, arrested April 1679. Alleged to have sought to kill her husband and to have asked la Voisin to supply her with poisoned bouquet. Admonished by Chamber 1680 and freed. New warrant issued for arrest July 1681 after named as client of la Joly. Alleged she had sought to kill Duchesse de Richelieu. Fled country to avoid trial
Duplessis, Claude
Lawyer and legal adviser to Colbert who drew up memoranda defending Mmes de Montespan and de Vivonne
Dusoulcye, Louise
Mistress of Dalmas alleged to have poisoned a woman with plums
Exili, Egidio
Italian in service of Queen Christina of Sweden, arrested in Paris February 1663. In Bastille at same time as Sainte-Croix. Alleged to have been great expert on poisons
Ferry, Mme
Client of la Bosse and la Voisin. Executed May 1679 for having poisoned her husband
Feuquières, Antoine de Pas, Marquis de
Courtier alleged to have been client of la Vigoreux. Present at encounter between Luxembourg and Lesage. Alleged by Lesage to have sought death of a relative of a woman he wished to marry
Filastre, Françoise
Sorceress, aged thirty-five in 1680. She claimed to have drawn up satanic pact for Duchesse de Vivonne. At time of arrest planning to obtain position in household of Mlle de Fontanges. Under torture admitted having sacrificed her own child. Also confessed to having purchased aphrodisiacs and poisons on behalf of Mme de Montespan. Retracted claims before being burnt
Fontanges, Marie-Angélique de Scorailles, Mlle de
Maid of honour to Duchesse d’Orléans, who became King’s mistress probably late 1678. Had miscarriage January 1680 and never really recovered health. Created Duchesse de Fontanges, April 1680. Died June 1681. Some people suspected poison responsible
Fontet, Marquise de
Hostess at whose Paris house Luxembourg and Feuquières met Lesage.
Fouquet, Nicolas
Surintendant
of Finance who was arrested by King 1661 and charged with financial corruption and treason. Imprisoned for life in fortress of Pignerol. Subsequently it was claimed that some years before had sent Christophe Glaser to Florence to research poison
Galet, Philippe
Norman peasant alleged to have supplied la Filastre and Mme Chapelain with poisons and aphrodisiacs. According to la Filastre, Galet boasted that Mme de Montespan was a client of his
Gassilly, Comte de
Client of la Bosse and la Vigoreux. Alleged to have requested Lesage to arrange death of his uncle. Never questioned by Chamber
Glaser, Christophe
Swiss chemist who held positions of apothecary-in-ordinary to Louis XIV and the Duc d’Orléans, and resident lecturer at the Royal Botanical Garden in Paris. Alleged to have supplied Sainte-Croix with poison made to his own special formula. Exact date of death unknown but certainly died before Sainte-Croix’s death in 1672
Guesdon, Mme
At one point employed by Mme de Brinvilliers and Sainte-Croix. Imprisoned for life on suspicion of having poisoned M. Violet on orders of Maillard
Guibourg, Abbé Étienne
Elderly priest who claimed to have performed black masses for Mme de Montespan. Confessed to having performed child sacrifice
Joly, Marguerite
Divineress and alleged poisoner. Executed December 1681
La Chaboissière
Name adopted by Jean Barthominat, valet to Louis Vanens. Arrested December 1677, he was the last person executed during the Affair of the Poisons, 16 July 1682
La Chausée
Name adopted by Jean Hamelin, a barber and servant employed by Sainte-Croix and Mme de Brinvilliers. Infiltrated into service of Mme de Brinvilliers’s younger brother, who lived with Antoine d’Aubray and his wife. On orders of Mme de Brinvilliers and Sainte-Croix poisoned both brothers. Confessed after torture. Broken on wheel March 1672
La Fare, Marquis de
Author of memoirs
La Ferté, Madeleine, Maréchale de
Famously promiscuous court lady who gave evidence before Arsenal Chamber after being named as having visited a divineress
La Grange, Magdelaine de
Divineress arrested February 1677 on suspicion of having poisoned her lover Jean Faurye and forged a marriage contract. While in prison warned La Reynie and Louvois that the King was at risk of poisoning. Hanged February 1679. Later alleged to have supplied la Voisin and la Bosse with poisons
Lamoignon, Guillaume
Premier Président
of Paris
Parlement
during trial of Mme de Brinvilliers. Died suddenly December 1677. Subsequently reported to have been poisoned
La Reynie, Nicolas-Gabriel de
Lieutenant-General of the Paris Police, commissioner and
rapporteur
to Arsenal Chamber
La Rivière, M. de
Self-styled ‘Marquis’ who was lover of Mme de Poulaillon. Left Paris after her arrest and became friend and correspondent of Comte de Bussy
Latour
Stone mason and associate of la Voisin’s. Alleged by Lesage to have been involved in plot to supply Mlle des Oeillets with poison to kill King
La Vallière, Louise de, later Duchesse de Vaujours
Became mistress of King 1661. Entered convent 1674
Le Boultz, M.
Conseiller
in Paris
Parlement
and member of powerful legal dynasty. As the brother-in-law of Pennautier, Le Boultz was suspected of using his influence to secure Pennautier’s release