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Belsunce de Castel Moron Henri Francois Xavier de

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a French prelate, was born at the Chateau of La Force, in Perigord, Dec. 4, 1671. He entered the Jesuit order, and became grand-vicar of Agen, and finally bishop of Marseilles in 1709. He signalized his zeal and charity during the pestilence which desolated that city in 1720 and 1721. He died there, June 4, 1755. Millevoye has celebrated him in a poem entitled Belsunce, or La Peste de Marseille. The king, in order to recompense Belsunce, appointed him, in 1723, bishop of Laon; but he refused this in order to devote his life to the Church. He also refused, in 1729, the archbishopric of Bordeaux. He was indemnified by two rich abbeys, and the privilege of carrying to the grand-chamber of Parliament all the affairs concerning the benefices of his diocese. But to the close of his life Belsunce entertained, without doubt, a strong attachment for the Jesuits, and persecuted as Jansenists the faithful whom he had saved from the pestilence. This is the only blemish on his life, otherwise so glorious and virtuous. He published a large number of works, among which we cite L'Antiquite de l'Eglise de Marseille, et la Succession de ses Eveques (Marseilles, 1747-51). See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.