Charpy, Nicolas

Charpy, Nicolas (surnamed Sainte - Croix), a French adventurer and visionary, was born at Sainte Croix (Bresse), and died about 1670. Mezerai says that he had been secretary of M. de Cinq-Mars some time before the latter was arrested at Narbonne. Charpy lay hid for a month, and then escaped to Savigny. Afterwards he returned to France, and fell into a religious frenzy in which he pretended to utter prophecies. Charpy published Le a Herault de lha Fin des Temps (Paris, 1657, 8vo), in which he advances absurd chiliastic- notions concerning the speedy coming of Christ and the end of the world, similar to the frequent delusions on that exciting subject. It was refuted by Arnauld, in Remarques, etc., published at Paris (1665, 8vo [very rare], and 1735, 12mo). There is also under the name of Sainte-Croix Charpy,

Cathichisme Euchasistique en deux Journees (Paris, 1668, 8vo). See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.