I will not be abbess; I hear that abbesses will give an account to GOD of the souls under their care, and I have been considering that I shall have enough to do to take care of my own."

"Not I," said the future reformer, the little Angélique, who was following her, "I for my part will be abbess; and I will take good care, grandpapa, to make my nuns thoroughly do their duty."

CHAP. II.

MAUBUISSON. MADAME D'Etrées.

MEANWHILE, the fame of Port Royal, and of the M. Angélique, extended itself over all France. Numbers of pious individuals, in different convents, had long been mourning in secret over the relaxation of their own communities, earnestly desiring a restoration of the ancient discipline, but knowing not where to begin.

In this perplexity they applied to the M. Angélique. Petitions were sent from various convents to the abbess of Port Royal; she was entreated to undertake the establishment of the reform they so anxiously wished for. At first, she replied that she had no authority to quit her own monastery. Requests were, however, presented by such a multiplicity of houses, that she was at length ordered, by the General of Citeaux, either to go in person, or to send some of her community, in order to establish the reform wherever it was desired.

The M. Agnès had now been for some years initiated into the plans of her sister. She was at this time equally competent with herself, either to supply her place at Port Royal, or to carry on the reform elsewhere.

These ladies, therefore, or some of their principal assistants, successively visited the monasteries of Maubuisson, Lys, St. Aubin, St. Cyr, Gomerfontaine, Tard, the Isles d'Auxerres, and many other places.

In several of these houses they met with rencounters, which might furnish the subject of volumes. In none did they meet with more difficulties than at Maubuisson.

It was in the year 1619, that the M. Angélique received an order from the General of the order of Citeaux, to undertake the superintendence of the monastery of Maubuisson, whose abbess had been

*

*The Royal Abbey of Maubuisson, is one of the most opulent and ancient of the order of Citeaux. Many royal personages are buried there, and its antiquities render it an object of curiosity. It possessed a very considerable number of Baronies and Seigneuries, which extended to a considerable distance; many villages were also included under its domination. Throughout the districts appertaining to each, the jurisdiction of the lady abbess extended; and the whole civil authority was vested in courts of her appointment, and all the subordinate officers derived their authority from her. The extent of power of these courts, so far exceeded those of courts leet, and courts baron, in England, that they might, in comparison, be termed absolute. The superiority of this monastery was eagerly sought, even by personages of the blood royal.

lately expelled, on account of her irregular conduct.

The M. Angélique was therefore commissioned to take the temporary direction of that richly endowed abbey, in order to establish a solid and permanent reformation, before a new superior was nominated.

The causes of the abbess of Maubuisson's expulsion were as follows: This lady was sister to the celebrated Gabrielle d'Etrées. She was at first abbess of Bertancourt, in the diocese of Amiens; but was afterwards, through the influence of her sister, translated by Henry IV.,* to the important

For a fuller account of this splendid establishment, its jurisdiction, the homage paid the abbess, its antiquities, and the intrigues formed to obtain it for Madame d'Orleans, we refer the reader to the Vie de la M. des Angès Suireau, abbesse de Maubuisson, et de Port Royal, par La Sœur Eustoquie de Flescelles de Bregy, religieuse du Monastère de Port Royal des Champs.

* The means of Madame d'Etrées' nomination to this important post, were not very creditable to the honour of Henry IV. It took place as follows:- Henry IV. being on a visit to Gabrielle d'Etrées, at the monastery of Bertancourt, where she resided with her sister the abbess, she asked the king to place her sister nearer Paris: the king replied he would take the matter into consideration; but that no monastery at that time occurred to his recollection, which would be proper. She replied, there was the magnificent abbey of Maubuisson the king answered, that could not be, since the superiority was not in the gift of the crown, but that the abbess there was always elected by the community he added, he would, however, see what could be done. Accordingly he shortly after took a hunting excursion, in the vast forests which surround this magnificent abbey, and form a part of its extensive domain; after which he

:

and lucrative post of abbess to the monastery of Maubuisson, which was one of the most powerful and opulent abbeys in the kingdom.

The conduct of Madame d'Etrées, during the five and twenty years she presided over this vast establishment, corresponded but too well with the unholy grounds of her nomination. The irregularities, and dissipation of the monastery of Maubuisson, were long the topics of public animadversion and censure. The infamy of their evil report spread throughout the land, and went on increasing, till its scandalous irregularities at length became a public disgrace to the order; so that Louis XIII. being informed of their proceedings, issued a peremptory order in 1617,

rode up to the abbatial lodge, asking to pay his respects to the lady abbess. The lady who then filled that place was Madame de Puisieux, who had been elected by the community on account of her piety and good conduct. In the course of conversation, the king, as though by accident, said to her, "Madame l'Abbesse, pray from whom is it that you hold your appointments to this abbacy?" The lady abbess, little suspecting treachery in the guest she was so hospitably entertaining, or dishonour in a royal personage, respectfully and cordially answered, " Sire, permit me to receive them from you, when it pleases your Majesty." The king, suddenly changing his tone, replied, "That I must first consider of." He then rose, and withdrew, sending word to this good nun, that he should bestow the abbey on another. He immediately sent for bulls from Rome, and shortly after himself took Madame d'Etrées to Maubuisson, held the chapter, and, citing the unadvised words of the abbess as a formal resignation, compelled the nuns to promise obedience to this lady, the details of whose scandalous conduct we shall not record. - See Relat. de la Vie de la Mère des Anges, p. 14.