François-Timoléon de Choisy

His father was attached to the household of the Duke of Orléans whilst his mother, who was on intimate terms with Anne of Austria, was regularly called upon to amuse Louis XIV.

[3] However, doubt has been cast upon the veracity of these allegations, with historian Paul Scott of the University of Kansas stating "if you regard it [the memoir] with any scrutiny, there are implausibilities, contradictions, anachronisms and no contemporary corroboration whatsoever.

"[5] De Choisy was made an abbé in his childhood, and poverty, induced by extravagance, drove him to live on his benefice at Sainte-Seine in Burgundy, where a kindred spirit was found amongst his neighbours in Bussy-Rabutin.

De Choisy is said to have burnt some of their indiscreet revelations, but left a considerable quantity of unpublished manuscripts.

[3] The Scottish philosopher David Hume (1711–1776) had de Choisy's Mémoires and account of Siam in his library.