360 
SIMON MORIN. 
incorporated in Morin himself ; and that for the execution of the 
events to which he was destined, he was to be attended with a great 
number of perfect souls, and such as participated in the glorious 
state of Jesus Christ, whom he therefore called the champion > of 
glory. 
■ For this publication Morin was denounced to the lieutenant of the 
police, and thought proper to withdraw into concealment. Not- 
withstanding all his precautions, h9wever, the place of his retreat 
was discovered, and he was a second time imprisoned in the Bastile, 
where he continued till the beginning of the year 1649. He then 
purchased his deliverance by a solemn abjuration of his errors, which 
he published the same year ; and followed it by a printed declara- 
tion, some months afterwards, to the same purport, and professed 
unreserved submission to the dogmas of the church. It was not long 
after this that he retracted his abjuration, and again attempted to 
make converts to his opinions by private persuasions, and the writings 
of one of his disciples, published in 1650 and 1651, which were 
attributed to his own pen. Upom this the parliament of Paris gave 
directions for his arrest, and sentenced him by an arret to spend the 
remainder of his days in a house of confinement for lunatics. This 
sentence was revoked in 1656, upon his making a second abjuration ; 
and he was again set at liberty. Still the frenzy of his mind was 
unsubdued, and he continued in secret to propagate his former 
opinions. He also composed, in 1661, with the design of its being 
circulated among his adherents through the instrumentality of Marets, 
apiece entitled, A Proof of the Second Advent on the Son of Man, and 
the Son of God in him. This agreement was so very satisfactory 
to our visionary, that he placed his entire confidence in Des Marets, 
and communicated to him all his secret opinions ; conferring upon 
him at the same time, as a mark of special favour, the offer of his 
forerunner, calling him a true John the Baptist risen again. 
Having thus obtained the evidence which he wanted, Des Marets 
basely impeached Morin of dangerous heresy ; in consequence of 
which, he was taken into custody, just as he had put the finishing 
hand to a discourse which he was desirous of presenting to the king, 
beginning with these words: — “The Son of Man to the King of 
France.” He was now again committed prisoner to the Bastile, 
whence he was afterwards brought to the Chatelet for trial, and there, 
on the deposition of Des Marets, was pronounced guilty of the 
charge preferred against him, and condemned to be burnt alive. 
Against this cruel sentence he appealed to the parliament, but with- 
out success; and it was carried into execution in 1663, when he was 
about forty years of age. It would have reflected greater honour on 
the justice and humanity of the parliament, if they had sent him 
once more to bedlam instead of the stake. At his execution his 
accomplices were condemned to be present, and then to be sent to 
the galleys for life, having been first whipped by the hangman, and 
branded with fleurs de-lis on the right and left shoulders. In this 
number there were two priests, and others of education superior to 
that of the vulgar. Those who have any curiosity to meet with 
further particulars concerning this fanatic, may be gratified by 
