a French memoirist. He was the cousin and frequent correspondent of Madame de Sévigné. In the year 1659 he fell into disgrace for having taken part in an orgy at Roissy near Paris during Holy Week, which caused great scandal. Bussy was ordered to retire to his estates at Château de Bussy-Rabutin, and beguiled his enforced leisure by composing his famous Histoire amoureuse des Gaules (written in 1660) for the amusement of his sick mistress, Madame de Montglas. This book, a series of portraits and accounts of the intrigues of the chief ladies of the court, witty enough, but still more ill-natured, circulated freely in manuscript and had numerous spurious sequels.
