The author and publisher have provided this e-book to you for your personal use only. You may not make this e-book publicly available in any way. Copyright infringement is against the law. If you believe the copy of this e-book you are reading infringes on the author’s copyright, please notify the publisher at: us.macmillanusa.com/piracy. CONTENTS Title Page Copyright Notice Dedication Principal Characters Glossary Foreword 1. Mme de Brinvilliers 2. Louis XIV and his Court 3. Sex and the Sun King 4. The First Arrests 5. La Voisin 6. The Magician Lesage 7. A Court in Chaos 8. Accusations Against Mme de Montespan 9. The Chamber is Suspended 10. The End of the Affair 11. Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index Also by Anne Somerset Copyright 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