His life remains rather obscure; he was born in Bourges and we know that he entered the Paris Oratory on 26 November1616. The second Assembly of the Order charged him with the task of improving the singing of the Oratorians and publishing a collection along these lines, which suggests that he was a singer of his church. This evolution of the chant had been desired by Cardinal Pierre de Bérulle, and bore fruit since the house on rue Saint-Honoré, which was quite frequented by the court, became famous for the quality of the chant heard there. On 12 August 1636, François Bourgoing was transferred to the house ofLa Rochelle. On 5 October 1639, already excluded several times for misconduct and just recovered from an illness, he promised to amend his conduct against a pension paid by the Order. Shortly afterwards, while he became chaplain to the nuns of Picpus, his pension was reduced to the strict necessities. The end of his ecclesiastical career is not known.
Works
Brevis psalmodiæ ratio, ad usum presbyterorum Congregationis Oratorii... authore P. Francisco Bourgoing. Paris: Pierre I Ballard, 1634. 8°. . Guillo 2003 n° 1634-B, Mariolle 1997 n° 3, RISM B-VI p. 173.
Le David françois, ou traité de la saincte psalmodie, contenant plusieurs advis ou enseignemens méthodiques pour ceux qui sont appliquez par estat à chanter les louanges de Dieu, avec un petit traité touchant la saincte messe. Paris: Sébastien Huré, 1641. 8°. Mariolle 1997 n° 4, RISM B-VI p. 173. Paris BNF, Bordeaux BM.
Le David françois, ou traité chronologique contenant plusieurs remarques sur les sacerdoces des lois de nature, de Moïse, et de grâce... Seconde partie. Paris: Louis Boulanger, 1641. 8°. Paris BSG.
A treatise containing several comments on the secular and political state of the Church; and particularly on the sacred persons of the kings and monarchs, both Old and New Testament, who are the leaders and moderators of the Church, and who can by their piety, zeal and great power greatly help the ecclesiastical state. This discourse can be used as an interview for a young prince, to animate him to virtue and follow in the footsteps of his predecessors.. Paris: Boulanger, 1643.8°. Munich UB.
