Page "Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet" Paragraph 3

Bossuet was born at Dijon.

He came from a family of prosperous Burgundian lawyers-on both his paternal and maternal side, his ancestors had held legal posts for at least a century.

He was the fifth son born to Beneigne Bossuet, a judge of the parlement ( a provincial high court ) at Dijon, and Marguerite Mouchet.

His parents decided on a career in the church for their fifth son, so he was tonsured at age 10.