26 - DE BOURBON Louise-Bénédicte [1676–1753], Duchess of Maine. Daughter of Henri-Jules de Bourbon, Prince of Condé, and Princess Anne of Bavaria, Electress of the Palatinate, and granddaughter of the Grand Condé; she married (1692) Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, Duke of Maine (1670–1736), the legitimized son of Louis XIV; she gathered a small, brilliant court around her at the Château de Sceaux.

DE BOURBON Louise-Bénédicte [1676–1753], Duchess of Maine. Daughter of Henri-Jules de Bourbon, Prince of Condé, and Princess Anne of Bavaria, Electress of the Palatinate, and granddaughter of the Grand Condé; she married (1692) Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, Duke of Maine (1670–1736), the legitimized son of Louis XIV; she gathered a small, brilliant court around her at the Château de Sceaux. Autograph letter addressed to Her Ladyship the Princess of Conty. June 30, 2 pages, in-8°, with a black wax seal. “Mr. de Melezieu was in Paris today, my dear sister; he met with several of our judges, with whom he spoke wonderfully well; he did not forget a single thing you had instructed me to convey; it seems to me that people are counting on a new delay, but that they hope it will not be long. The Duke’s counsel is so untrustworthy, and we have gone so far in our diplomatic efforts that it seems to me we must handle matters strictly from now on, since it is certain that we will never be able to come to terms with such people. I have no doubt, my dear sister, that this latest affair has caused you a great deal of distress; and I am very sorry that I could not share it with you; not that I believe my presence would have been of any use, but I would have been delighted to take this opportunity to spend some time with you. Please be so kind as to have someone let me know what was decided at the hearing. I was unable to write to you sooner because I took my medicine today.”