DAUBENTON (William), who made so much noise early in this century, was born at Auxerre. He followed King Philip V. whose confessor he was, into Spain. He had the greatest influence with that prince until the courtiers, jealous of his power, prevailed upon the king to send him from court in 1706. By dint of solicitations, however, he was recalled in 1716, reinstated in his office, and then enjoyed more power than before. It is said, that when Philip V. disgusted with his throne, wished to abdicate it, he confided his design to Daubenton; that the latter, fearing that he should be obliged to follow him to his retreat, discovered this secret to the Duke of Orleans, regent of France, who was at that time projecting the double marriage of Mademoiselle de Montpensier his daughter, with the Prince of the Asturias, and that of Louis the XV. with the infanta, five years of age. It is added, that the Jesuit believed it would be for the interest of the Duke of Orleans to dissuade Philip from his purpose; that the Duke of Orleans sent the confessor's letter to the king, who showed it to Daubenton, without saying a single word; that the confessor put a very different construction upon it; that an apoplexy seized him on going out of the chamber; and that he died a short time after in 1723, in the 75th year of his age. This story (for the truth of which we will avouch still the less, that it is not mentioned by the Marshal de Noailles in his memoirs) is related by the author of the Age of Louis XV. who quotes the civil history of Bellando, page 306, Part IV. It is only clear from the memoirs of Noailles, that Daubenton opposed the abdication of the King of Spain. The Abbe Grosier, in a letter inserted in the Année Littéraire (1777, N° 18.), denies, 1mo, That Daubenton had revealed to the regent any secret entrusted to him by Philip V. in confession. 2do, That this Jesuit died, as Voltaire makes him from the authority of Bellando, an inaccurate historian, whose works were suppressed in Spain. 3to, He pretends that Daubenton, far from being a man of intrigue, an ambitious monk, and capable of opposing the abdication of Philip, in order to prevent himself from being removed from court, had solicited permission to leave
it several years before. We refer the reader to that letter, which deserves to be read for the sound criticism which it contains. This Jesuit had preached with some success. There are extant some tolerable funeral orations of his, and a life of St Francois Regis, 12mo.