SOME MIRACLES WHICH GOD PERFORMED IN THE CURE OF THE SAVAGES.
BUT as God, being merciful and gentle, calls this nation of Savages
according to their capacity and needs, so he has been pleased
to show himself kind and helpful to them. I shall call to your
attention here three proofs of this, very evident and sure, which
were shown in the cure of bodily ills.
La premiere soit ceste-cy. Le P. Biard estant allé à la riuiere de
l'Eplan (ainsi qu'a esté dit cy-dessus,) on luy dit, qu'à deux lieües
[313 i.e., 315] de là en la Baye S. Marie y auoit vne femme proche
de la mort, laquelle desiroit fort de le voir, & luy parler. Le Pere
pria vn certain nommé la Pierre, de l'y conduire: ce qu'il fit. Ils
treuuerent ceste femme selon la coustume de leurs malades, estenduë au
long du feu, & trauaillée de mal despuis trois sepmaines. Le Pere la
Catechise du mieux qu'il peut, & l'encourage, faisant quelques prieres,
puis s'en reuint, luy laissant vne croix penduë au col, par ce qu'il
ne l'estima point estre si bas, qu'il la fallust baptiser, seulement
il aduertit les assistants, que si elle continuoit en maladie trois
ou quatre iours, ou qu'elle empirast, qu'õ le vint appeller. Il n'en
fut pas de besoin: car le iour suiuant laditte femme se leua saine, &
gaillarde, & s'en alla trouuer son mary chargée d'vn pesant sac, & sa
croix au [314 i.e., 316] col; iusques à quatre lieües de là. Celuy qui
premier la vit fut vn huguenot de Dieppe, appellé Ieã Bachelard, qui en
vint porter les nouuelles au susdit Iesuite.
Let the first be this one. Father Biard having gone to the river
of Smelts[9] (as has been said before), was told, that two leagues
[313 i.e., 315] from there at the Baye Ste. Marie, there was a
woman very near death, who had a strong desire to see and speak
with him. The Father begged a certain man named Pierre to accompany
him thither, which he did. They found this woman, who had been
afflicted by disease for three weeks, stretched out by the fire,
according to the custom of their sick people. The Father Catechized
her as well as he could, and encouraged her, offering some prayers:
then he returned, leaving a cross hanging around her neck, for he
did not consider her so low that it was necessary to baptize her;
he only advised those present that if she continued ill three or
four days, or if she became worse, they should summon him. There
was no need, for the next day this woman arose healthy and happy,
and, laden with a heavy bag, went to find her husband four leagues
away, with her cross hanging around her [314 i.e., 316] neck.
The one who first saw her was a huguenot of Dieppe, called Jean
Bachelard, who came to bring the news to the Jesuit.
La seconde fut à Pentegoet: le Pere Biard y estant en la compagnie du
Sieur de Biencourt, & selon sa coustume visitant les malades du lieu,
& recitant sur eux les saincts Euangiles, on luy en monstra vn, duquel
on n'attendoit plus vie, malade despuis trois mois. Il estoit pour lors
en vn fort accez, ne parlant qu'à grande peine, & suant d'vne suëur
froide, presage de la mort. Le Iesuite luy fit baiser par plusieurs
fois vne croix, qu'il luy attacha au col, luy annonçant le mieux qu'il
pouuoit les bonnes nouuelles du salut acquis en icelle; il y auoit
bonne compagnie de Sauuages, qui escoutoyent, & à leur contenance
monstroyent [315 i.e., 317] grand contentement en ce qui se disoit: le
Pere les laissa ainsi bien affectionnés, & s'en reuint à la barque. Or
ce que Dieu fit en son absence apparoit, de ce que nous vismes vn iour
apres. Car le Sieur de Biencourt faisant la trocque en sa barque, ce
Sauuage y vint auec les autres, sain, & gaillard portant sa croix en
parade, & fit recognoissance au Pere Biard deuant tous auec grande ioye.
The second was at Pentegoet; Father Biard being there in company
with Sieur de Biencourt, and, according to his custom, visiting the
sick people of the place, and reciting over them passages from the
holy Gospels, they showed him a certain one who was not expected
to live, having been sick for three months. He was then having a
violent attack, speaking only with great difficulty, and bathed
in a cold perspiration, the forerunner of death. The Jesuit had
him kiss a cross several times, which he attached to his neck,
announcing as well as he could the good tidings of the salvation
acquired thereby; there were a number of Savages present, who
listened, and, by their countenances, showed [315 i.e., 317] great
satisfaction in what was being said. The Father left them thus
kindly disposed, and returned to the barque. Now what God did in
his absence was apparent from what we saw a day later. For when
Sieur de Biencourt was trading in his barque, this Savage, with
several others, came there healthy and happy, parading his cross,
and, with great demonstrations of joy, expressed his gratitude to
Father Biard before them all.
La tierce est bien signalée, & partant ie la deduiray au long. Comme
nous auons raconté cy-deuant le Sieur de la Mote, Simon l'interprete,
& le Pere Biard estoyent allés visiter le lieu de S. Sauueur, pour
recognoistre s'il seroit bon pour leur demeure. Or reuenants de ceste
visite, & retournants aux Cabannes des Sauuages, ils ouyrent de bien
loin, deux ou trois fois vn grand, & [316 i.e., 318] lamentable
hurlement, & demandans au Sauuage, qui les conduisoit, qu'est-ce
que cela pourroit estre: le Sauuage leur respondit: que quelqu'vn
estoit mort: & que c'en estoit les plaintes, qui fut cause, que nous
ne nous en mismes point en esmoy. Or comme nous estions ja fort à la
portée de la voix, voicy que ce mugissement s'entend de nouueau; &
de fortune vn ieune garçon Sauuage se rencontrant sur le chemin, la
curiosité poussa le P. Biard à luy demander, qui estoit ce mort, que
l'on lamentoit? Le garçon respondit, que ce n'estoit pas vn mort,
ains vn mourant: & adiouste de soy-mesme: court viste, à laduenture
le pourras-tu baptiser auant qu'il meure tout à faict; lors comme si
Dieu l'eust dit de sa bouche, nous nous mismes à courir de tout nostre
possible. Arriués, nous [317 i.e., 319] trouuasmes tous les Sauuages
hors de leurs Cabannes rangés en haye comme des soldarts en vne perte
de ville, au milieu se promenoit vn miserable Pere tenant son enfant,
qui se mouroit entre ses bras. Or quand l'enfant venoit à ietter des
sanglots croyant qu'il vouloit rendre l'Ame, le Pere se prenoit à
hurler pitoyablement, & toute la compagnie le suiuoit de mesme ton;
car telle est leur coustume. Doncques le P. Biard voyant ce spectacle,
s'adressa au desconforté Pere, & luy demanda s'il luy plairoit bien,
qu'il baptisast son fils: le bon homme, qui estoit presque hors de soy,
ne luy respondit rien de parole; mais en effect il luy mit son enfant
entre les bras. Le P. cria que tost lon apportast de l'eau, ce qu'on
fit, & remettant l'enfant entre les mains du Sieur de la Mote (qui de
grand [318 i.e., 320] zele desiroit d'en estre parrain, le baptisa,
l'appellant Nicolas, du nom dudict Sieur. Les Sauuages attendants
quelque grand effect, se presserent pour voir ce qu'en aduiendroit.
Or le P. Biard apres auoir recité quelques oraisons à ce qu'il pleust
a Dieu d'illuminer ces pauures Payens, print le baptisé des mains du
Sieur de la Mote, & le donna à sa mere, qui estoit là, qui comme Mere,
presenta incontinent le tetin a son fils, lequel teta de bon appetit.
Quand les Sauuages virent ainsi cet enfant pendu aux mamelles de sa
mere; si la terre eust fondu dessous leurs pieds, ie ne sçay s'ils
eussent esté plus estonnés. Ils demeuroyent là fixes, & immobiles,
sans sonner mot comme des Engelés. Le Pere leur dit quelques paroles
d'edification, puis leur signifia de se retirer en leurs Cabanes.
Et sçauez [319 i.e., 321] vous, s'il fut obey? Ces bonnes gens le
regardoient lors comme s'il eust esté plus qu'homme, tremblants deuant
luy, auec demonstration d'estre grandement touchez de Dieu. Cest enfant
estoit encores sain & dispos vn mois apres ceste sienne guerison,
peu auant nostre prinse par les Anglois: car sa mere l'apporta à nos
tentes, & fut veu de la pluspart de nos gens. Voyla comme Dieu ne
laisse point sa loy sans authentique tesmoignage; ny sa bonté sans
admirables effects.
The third is very remarkable and therefore I shall tell it at
length. As we have related above, Sieur de la Mote, Simon the
interpreter, and Father Biard had gone to visit the place called
St. Sauveur, to find out whether it would be suitable for a
settlement. Now coming back from this visit, and returning to the
Cabins of the Savages, they heard two or three times cries and [316
i.e., 318] lamentations in the distance, and, asking the Savage
who guided them what this might mean, he answered that some one
was dead and this was the mourning; hence we did not hasten our
footsteps. Now as we were already within easy hearing distance of
the voice, lo, this howling begins anew; and, by chance, a young
Savage boy being met upon the way, curiosity impelled Father Biard
to ask him who this dead person was that was being mourned. The
boy answered that no one was dead, but that some one was dying,
and added, of his own accord, "Run fast, perhaps you can baptize
him before he really dies;" then, as if God had said this with his
own lips, we began to run with all our might. When we arrived we
[317 i.e., 319] found all the Savages outside their Huts, drawn up
in line like soldiers on the surrender of a city; in front of them
walked an unhappy Father holding his child, who was dying, in his
arms. Now when the child happened to sob, the Father, supposing
that its Life was departing, began to groan pitifully; and the
whole company followed him in the same tone, for such is their
custom.[10] Accordingly, when Father Biard saw this spectacle, he
addressed the disconsolate Father, and asked him if he would be
glad to have his son baptized; the poor simple fellow, who was
almost beside himself, answered him not a word, but put the child
in his arms. The Father cried that they should bring him some
water immediately, which was done, and putting the child in the
arms of Sieur de la Mote (who was very [318 i.e., 320] zealous to
be its godfather, baptized him, calling him Nicolas, the name of
the said Sieur. The Savages, expecting some great results, crowded
round to see what would happen. Now Father Biard, after having
recited some prayers to the effect that God might be pleased to
enlighten these poor Heathen, took the baptized child from the
hands of Sieur de la Mote, and gave him to his mother, who was
there; she, as Mother, immediately offered the child the breast,
and he received nourishment with great eagerness. When the Savages
saw this child thus hanging upon the mother's breasts, if the earth
had sunk beneath their feet, I do not think they could have been
more astonished. They remained there, fixed and immovable, without
saying a word, and as if Frozen. The Father uttered a few words of
instruction to them and then motioned to them to return to their
Cabins. Do you [319 i.e., 321] know whether he was obeyed or not?
These good people looked upon him as though he were more than man,
trembling before him, and seeming to have been strongly touched by
God. This child was still healthy and active a month after this,
its recovery, a little while before we were taken by the English;
for the mother brought him to our tents, and was seen by the
greater part of our people. See now that God does not leave his law
without authentic testimonies, nor his goodness without admirable
results.
CHAPITRE XXXVII. [i.e., xxxvi.]
LES RAISONS DES FRANÇOIS, PAR LESQUELLES ILS S'APPROPRIENT À BON DROICT
LES TERRES DE LA NOUUELLE FRANCE, CONTRE LA PRETENSION DES ANGLOIS.
MAINTENANT, que i'ay satisfaict aux deux premieres [320 i.e., 322]
parties de ma promesse, sçauoir est, que i'ay faict ma Relation du
naturel des terres & des habitans de la nouuelle France: & vous ay
raconté les comportem[~e]s des Iesuites, & les accidents, qui leur y
sont suruenus; Reste la tierce, d'exposer en quoy consiste la dispute,
qui est ores suruenuë entre les François, & Anglois, touchant ces
contrées, & les raisons de l'vn & de l'autre party. Car le curieux
Lecteur, à mon aduis, sera bien aise, d'entendre en quoy gist ce poinct
cõtentieux: & les raisons qu'on apporte de part & d'autre; mesmes
que cela appartient à l'honneur des François, de faire cognoistre à
toutes nations à combien iustes tiltres, pertinentes raisons, & syncere
conscience, nos Roys se sont faits Maistres, & ont possedé ces terres
iusques à ce temps.