▁noble w oman . ▁He ▁was ▁bapt ized ▁Francis ▁Bon av ent ura , ▁after ▁two ▁great ▁Francis can ▁sain ts . ▁His ▁father ▁wanted ▁him , ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁his ▁six ▁sons , ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁best ▁schools ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁a ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁magistr ate . ▁He , ▁therefore , ▁enjoyed ▁a ▁privile ged ▁education ▁in ▁the ▁nearby ▁town ▁of ▁La ▁Ro che - Sur - For on , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁eight ▁at ▁the ▁Cap uch in ▁college ▁in ▁Anne cy . ▁ ▁Education ▁and ▁conversion ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 5 8 3 , ▁De ▁Sales ▁went ▁to ▁the ▁Coll ège ▁de ▁Cl erm ont ▁in ▁Paris , ▁then ▁a ▁Jes uit ▁institution , ▁to ▁study ▁r het or ic ▁and ▁human ities . ▁As ▁a ▁no blem an , ▁he ▁was ▁accompanied ▁by ▁his ▁servant ▁and ▁by ▁a ▁priest ▁t utor , ▁Abb é ▁Dé age . ▁To ▁please ▁his ▁father , ▁he ▁took ▁less ons ▁in ▁the ▁gentleman ly ▁purs uits ▁of ▁r iding , ▁dan cing , ▁and ▁f encing . ▁De ▁Sales ▁is ▁described ▁as ▁intellig ent ▁and ▁hand some , ▁tall ▁and ▁well ▁built ▁with ▁blue - gre y ▁eyes , ▁somewhat ▁reserved ▁and ▁quiet , ▁and ▁a ▁welcome ▁guest ▁in ▁the ▁homes ▁of ▁the ▁nob ility ▁among ▁whom ▁his ▁father ▁had ▁connections . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 5 8 4 ▁Francis ▁de ▁Sales ▁attended ▁a ▁the ological ▁discussion ▁about ▁pred est ination , ▁convin cing ▁him ▁of ▁his ▁dam n