produced an immense quantity of manuscript, barristers and attorneys
greatly distinguishing themselves in their calling. After an
interminable hearing, and pleadings longer and more complicated than
ever, which however did not bamboozle the court, judgment was pronounced
in Conformity with the summing up of the attorney-general, thus--
"That passing over the petition of Mesdames Marie de la Guiche and
Eleonore de Bouille, on the grounds," etc. etc.;
"Evidence taken," etc.;
"Appeals, judgments annulled," etc.;
"With regard to the petition of the late Claude de la Guiche and Suzanne
de Longaunay, dated 12th August 1658,"
"Ordered,
"That the rule be made absolute;
"Which being done, Bernard de la Guiche is pronounced, maintained, and
declared the lawfully born and legitimate son of Claude de la Guiche and
Suzanne de Longaunay; in possession and enjoyment of the name and arms
of the house of Guiche, and of all the goods left by Claude de la
Guiche, his father; and Marie de la Guiche and Eleonore de Bouille are
interdicted from interfering with him;
"The petitions of Eleonore de Bouille and Marie de la Guiche, dated 4th
June 1664, 4th August 1665, 6th January, 10th February, 12th March, 15th
April, and 2nd June, 1666, are dismissed with costs;
"Declared,
"That the defaults against la Pigoreau are confirmed; and that she,
arraigned and convicted of the offences imputed to her, is condemned to
be hung and strangled at a gallows erected in the Place de Greve in this
city, if taken and apprehended; otherwise, in effigy at a gallows
erected in the Place de Greve aforesaid; that all her property subject
to confiscation is seized and confiscated from whomsoever may be in
possession of it; on which property and other not subject to
confiscation, is levied a fine of eight hundred Paris livres, to be paid
to the King, and applied to the maintenance of prisoners in the
Conciergerie of the Palace of justice, and to the costs."
Possibly a more obstinate legal contest was never waged, on both sides,
but especially by those who lost it. The countess, who played the part
of the true mother in the Bible, had the case so much to heart that she
often told the judges, when pleading her cause, that if her son were not
recognised as such, she would marry him, and convey all her property to
him.
The young Count de la Palice became Count de Saint-Geran through the
death of his father, married, in 1667, Claude Francoise Madeleine de
Farignies, only daughter of Francois de Monfreville and of Marguerite
Jourdain de Carbone de Canisi. He had only one daughter, born in 1688,
who became a nun. He died at the age of fifty-five years, and thus this
illustrious family became extinct.
----