2992. memoirs of madame de Mainienon. 3355 
* This madame de Villette refused, alleging that ma- 
dame d’Aubigné could not pofsibly support her. But to: 
obviate the objection, madame de Nuillant, another rela- 
tion, in easy circumstances, obtained an order to have her 
delivered to her, withing to bring her back to the catho- 
lic religion ;. fhe attempted that at first by gentle and fair. 
means, but when these did not succeed, had recourse to se- 
verity: Frances was confounded with the servants, and 
degraded to the meanest tafks. about the family, the: 
kitchen and the court yard.. She went every morning; 
with a mask on her face, to preserve her fine-complexion,, 
a straw hat on her head, a bafket under her arm, and a 
switch in her hand, to watch the turkies; with orders not 
to touch her breakfast, which fhe carried in the bafket un- 
der her arm, till the had first got by memory five stanzas of 
sacred poetry. Ill treatment had no effect to make her 
gratify the wilhes of madame de Nuillant, flie therefore 
placed her among the Ursuline nuns of Niort, where ma- 
dame de Villette agreed to pay her board; but after her 
conversion, that lady withdrew her kindnefs, and the young. 
catholic then returned to madame de Nuillant. 
‘ This lady went occasionally to Paris in a sedan chair, 
carried by two mules, on one of which mademoiselle d’Au- 
bigné used to ride. She introduced her to the company 
with which fhe herself used commonly to afsociate, boasted 
in public of her growing charms, and-in private exercised 
over her all the tyranny which dependants are liable to 
suffer from their benefactors. ‘The young lady was al- 
ready charming, and promised to become completely beau- 
tiful ; her figure and her understanding were both above 
her years. She was about thirteen when madame de Nuil- 
Jant took her to communicate for the first time with the 
Ursuline nuns in St James’s street. Frances continued 
with them, except when fhe went to see her mother, who: 
