MAINTENON, Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de (1635-1719). Autograph letter (unsigned) to her man of business at Maintenon, M. de Guignonville, Versailles, 12 June n.y. [1681/2], giving directions concerning the conversion of local Huguenots and their children, 'Quand aux autres huguenots ie suis ravie qu'ils quittent s'ils ne se veulent convertir ... le Roy a fait depuis peu une ordonnance que les enfants pourront apres sept ans declarer de quelle religion ils veulent etre, ainsy prenes en le plus que vous pourres et songes que ce sont autant d'ames que vous sauvez', two pages, 4to, integral address panel, signet seal on red wax; [with] a letter signed by HENRI III to the Marquis de Pisani, his ambassador in Rome, 11 September 1587, asking him to press for preferment for the Chevaliers de Lesches and de Pyennce, one page, folio, seal slits, with a separate transcription; all three items framed and glazed.
Madame de Maintenon was herself from a distinguished Huguenot family (her grandfather, Agrippa d'Aubigné was a close friend of Henri IV) but she was baptised a Catholic and, although her early education was as a Protestant, she was reconverted to the Catholic faith under the influence of her godmother, the Comtesse de Neuillant. (3)
MAINTENON, Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de (1635-1719). Autograph letter (unsigned) to her man of business at Maintenon, M. de Guignonville, Versailles, 12 June n.y. [1681/2], giving directions concerning the conversion of local Huguenots and their children, 'Quand aux autres huguenots ie suis ravie qu'ils quittent s'ils ne se veulent convertir ... le Roy a fait depuis peu une ordonnance que les enfants pourront apres sept ans declarer de quelle religion ils veulent etre, ainsy prenes en le plus que vous pourres et songes que ce sont autant d'ames que vous sauvez', two pages, 4to, integral address panel, signet seal on red wax; [with] a letter signed by HENRI III to the Marquis de Pisani, his ambassador in Rome, 11 September 1587, asking him to press for preferment for the Chevaliers de Lesches and de Pyennce, one page, folio, seal slits, with a separate transcription; all three items framed and glazed.
Madame de Maintenon was herself from a distinguished Huguenot family (her grandfather, Agrippa d'Aubigné was a close friend of Henri IV) but she was baptised a Catholic and, although her early education was as a Protestant, she was reconverted to the Catholic faith under the influence of her godmother, the Comtesse de Neuillant. (3)
