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Montchal, Charles de

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a French prelate, was born in 1589 at Annonay (Vivarais). His mother was Anne of Guillon. At first abbot of Saint-Amand-de-Boisse, in the diocese of Angouleme, and of Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte, in the diocese of Coutances, he became archbishop of Toulouse in 1627 by the resignation of Louis de Nogaret, cardinal of La Villette. The cardinal of La Villette had not received holy orders, and was not even a simple clerk. As for Montchal, he had not only been ordained, but he was that rare thing among ecclesiastics of quality, a theologian, and even an erudite theologian. He was consecrated in Paris January 9, 1628, and subsequently repaired to his metropolitan town. Toulouse then had a prelate who, clothed in his sacerdotal robes, officiated and preached, which was a great novelty. Charles de Montchal returned to Paris in 1635, and assisted at the assembly of the clergy, where he was one of the principal orators. In 1641 he was present at the assembly of Mantes, the history of which he wrote. In 1645 he again took his seat in the assembly of Paris, where he energetically pleaded the cause of ecclesiastical franchise. September 8, 1643, he consecrated the church of Soreze. Under his administration the Church of Toulouse prospered greatly, and became enriched by a considerable number of monasteries and convents. He died at Carcassonne Aug. 22, 1651. The zeal of Montchal for religion was that of an enlightened mind. He thought that the Church should be powerful, and was sensible enough to seek for the elements of that power in the example of good morals, the progress of ecclesiastical studies, and the noble triumphs of eloquence. He was the patron of a multitude of learned men, who dedicated their works to him; among them may be mentioned Etienne Molinier, Francois Combefis, Innocent Cironius, Casanova, Ravel, etc. He is the author of Memoirs (Rotterdam, 1718, 2 volumes, 12mo); in these Meloires is the Journal de l'Assemblee (de Mantes. See Gallia Christ. volume 13, col. 61; Du Mege,Hist. des Institut. de la ville de Toulouse, 3:126, 127.