Boisleve, Pierre

Boisleve, Pierre a French theologian, was born at Saumur, Sept. 12, 1745. He received the degree of doctor of law after having embraced the ecclesiastical profession; and, invested with the vicariate of St. Michael of Angers, he showed a remarkable talent in examining the proceedings which the presidial of that city forwarded to him. He was afterwards appointed canon of the collegiate Church of St. Martin, and vicepromoter of the diocese. During the Revolution he refused to take the required oath, left Angers, and went to Passy to dwell in a house furnished by his old schoolfellow, M. de Maille, bishop of St. Papoul. After the conclusion of the Concordat, he was appointed honorary canon of Notre Dame. Boisleve pronounced the sentence of divorce between Napoleon and Josephine, Jan. 16, 1810. He became afterwards titular canon, vicargeneral, and director of the monks of the Hotel-Dieu and the nuns of the Congregation. He died at Paris, Dec. 3, 1830. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.