THE OPPOSITIONS, AND DIFFICULTIES, WHICH AROSE AT DIEPPE: AND HOW
THEY WERE OVERCOME.
THE persecuted and triumphant Woman, whom St. John saw in his
Revelation, namely, the Church of God, or more mystically,
any heroic soul, _Cruciatur_ [131] _ut pariat_; endures many
convulsions and pains, in order that it may bear fruit. So the
conception and development of every good work requires grace. For,
in fine, without this celestial seed and germ, our hearts could
not conceive nor fashion a living and fruitful organism. But when
it comes time for the good work to ripen, I mean when the time
of this pious birth of virtue approaches, then it seems that all
conspire for the suffocation of this divine creature, then it seems
necessary to experience the pains and torments which Satan arouses,
and to fear a fruitless abortion, rather than to hope for a happy
deliverance. The Jesuits have experienced this everywhere, and
especially in regard to the beneficial results which they wished
to obtain by the conversion of new France. We [132] have said
before that the rendezvous had been appointed for them at Dieppe
the 24th of October, for at that time the ship would be like the
bird upon the branch, only waiting to fly. But very far from this;
they found at Dieppe that the ship had not even been repaired.
Furthermore, at their arrival there was great excitement among
those of the Reformed Religion. For sieur Robin, who (as we have
said) took entire charge of the shipping, had given a commission
to two merchants of the Pretended[31] Faith, called du Chesne and
du Jardin, to attend to the repairing and loading of the ship,
under promise to remunerate them for their time and expense, and
to form a partnership with them to divide the profits which would
be derived from the trade in skins, and from the cod fisheries.
Now the Merchants had, [133] up to that time, advanced but little
in the work, I know not why: and from then on they began to delay
more than ever. For they were very obstinate, swearing with their
loudest oaths, that, if the Jesuits had to enter the ship, they
would simply put nothing in it; that they would not refuse all
other Priests or Ecclesiastics, and would even support them, but as
to the Jesuits, they would not abide them.
On escriuit de cecy en Cour: & la Royne mãda au sieur de Cigoigne,
Gouuerneur de Dieppe, qu'il fit sçauoir aux surintendans Consistoriaux
estre de sa volonté, ce que son feu Seigneur, & mary auoit projetté de
son viuant, sçauoir est, que les Iesuites allass[~e]t en ses terres
de la nouuelle France, & partant, que s'ils s'opposoyent à ce voyage,
ils se bandoyent contre [134] son intention, & bon plaisir. Mais
pauure esperon. Nos Marchands n'en auãcerent point d'vn pas, & à faute
d'argent les sieurs Biencourt, & Robin estoyent cõtraincts de passer
sous leur barre: qui à ceste cause leur promirent, & iurerent, que
iamais les Iesuites n'entreroyent dans leur nauire. Sous ceste promesse
les Marchãds se mirent à equipper, veu mesmement, que les Iesuites
n'estoyent plus deuant leurs yeux, car ils s'estoyent retirez à leur
College d'Eu.
The Court was informed of this, and the Queen ordered sieur de
Cigoigne, Governor of Dieppe, to signify to the superintendents
of the Consistory,[32] that she desired what her deceased Lord
and husband had planned in his lifetime, namely, that the Jesuits
should go to the countries of new France; and therefore, if they
opposed this voyage, they were opposing [134] her purpose and good
pleasure. But this was a poor spur to action. Our Merchants would
not advance one step, and for lack of money sieurs Biencourt and
Robin were obliged to pass under their rod; and for this reason
they promised and swore to them, that the Jesuits should never
enter their ship. Under this promise, the Merchants set to work
to equip it, especially as the Jesuits were no longer under their
eyes, having retired to their College at Eu.
Or madame la Marquise de Guercheuille ayant ouy ce mespris formel des
volontés de la Royne, comme ell'est d'vn coeur genereux, s'indigna que
des petits mercadants fussent esté si outrecuidés; & partant estima
qu'il les falloit punir iustement en ce qu'ils ont de plus sensible,
c'est [135] qu'on se passast d'eux. Ayant dõscques sceu, que tout ce
que lesdits Marchands pourroy[~e]t auoir fourni n'eust sceu monter plus
haut de quatre mille liures, elle ne se desdaigna point (à fin que
plusieurs eussent part à la bonne oeuure) de faire vne queste par tous
les plus grands Princes, & Seigneurs de la Cour; moyennant laquelle
ceste dicte somme de quatre mille liures fut bien-tost cueillie.
Now madame la Marquise de Guercheville, having heard about
this open contempt for the wishes of the Queen, as she is a
generous-hearted woman, was indignant at seeing some insignificant
peddlers so overbearing: and so she decided justly that they ought
to be punished in a way that would hurt them most; namely, [135]
that they should be set aside. Now having learned that all the
Merchants could have furnished, would not amount to more than four
thousand livres, she did not disdain (to the end that many might
participate in the good work) to ask a contribution from all the
greatest Princes and Grandees of the Court; in this way, the sum of
four thousand livres was soon collected.
Or ladicte Dame s'auisa, comm'ell'est fort prudente, que ceste-dicte
somme en payant les Marchands, qui auoyent faict la carguaison, & les
deboutant de toute association, pourroit encores faire deux grands
biens pour la nouuelle France. Le premier que ce seroit vn bon fonds
pour y perpetuellem[~e]t entretenir les Iesuites, sans qu'ils fussent
à charge au sieur de Potrincourt, ou autre [136] quelconque, où qu'il
fallust tous les ans retourner pour eux à la queste. Le second que par
ainsi le profit des pelleteries, & pesche, que ce nauire rapporteroit,
ne reuiendroit point en France pour se perdre entre les mains des
Marchands, ains redonderoit sur Canada, & là veu qu'il demeuroit en la
possessiõ, & puissance des sieurs Robin, & Potrincourt, & s'employeroit
à l'entretien de Port Royal, & des François y residants. A ceste cause
fut conclud, que cest argent ayant esté mis, & employé au profit de
Canada, les Iesuites auroyent part, & associatiõ auec les sieurs
Robin, & Bi[~e]court, & partageroyent auec eux les emolum[~e]ts, qui
en prouiendroy[~e]t; le gouuernement & debite desdictes marchandises
demeurant riere lesdits Robin, & Biencourt, ou leurs Agents. Voila
le contract [137] d'associatiõ, duquel l'on a tãt crié iusques à
l'enrouëment, si auec cause, on le peut voir. Dieu face, qu'on ne crie
iamais contre nous auec plus de raison.
Now this Lady, being very discreet, considered that this sum, in
paying the Merchants who had furnished the cargo, and in dismissing
them from all association, would also accomplish two great benefits
for new France. The first was, that this would always be a good
fund with which to maintain the Jesuits there, so that they would
not be a burden to sieur de Potrincourt, or any [136] one else,
nor would it be necessary to repeat every year the taking up of
collections for them. The second was, that by this arrangement
the profit from peltries and fish, which this ship would bring
back, would not return to France to be lost in the hands of the
Merchants, but would redound to the interests of Canada, and there
would remain in the possession and power of sieurs Robin and
Potrincourt, and would be used for the maintenance of Port Royal
and the French residing there. For this reason, it was concluded
that this money, having been applied and used for the benefit of
Canada, the Jesuits should participate in the business with sieurs
Robin, and Biencourt, and should share with them the profits
which would be derived therefrom; the management and sales of
said merchandise to remain with said Robin and Biencourt or their
Agents. This was the contract [137] of partnership,[33] over which
they have cried until they are hoarse, whether or not with reason,
may be seen. God grant, that they never have greater cause to rail
at us.
CHAPITRE XIV. [i.e., xiii.]
LE VOYAGE, & L'ARRIUÉE À PORT ROYAL.
IAMAIS forte marée n'arriua plus à propos à nauire assablé pour le
degager des basses eaux, & le remettre en haute mer pour gaigner païs,
que l'associatiõ des Iesuites se rencontra propice au sieur Robin, pour
auoir cõmodité de fournir sõ vaisseau de Canada, & le deliurer des
barres, entre lesquelles il se trouuoit arresté. Car il estoit fils de
famille, & partant vous pouuez estimer qu'il n'auoit pas les millions
à commãdement; [138] son pere aussi n'auoit que faire d'entendre aux
nauigations d'outre-mer, ayãt tout fraischement entrepris le grand
party du sel, qui requiert vn fonds, & vne occupatiõ si grande, que
chacun sçait. Ie dis cecy, parce que le factieux escriuain, iugeãt mal
des benefices de Dieu, impute aux Iesuites, que le sieur de Bi[~e]court
ne partit plustost de Dieppe pour la nouuelle France, estãt neatmoins
le contraire: car à leur occasion lon trouua de l'arg[~e]t pour mettre
viste la voile au vent: ce qu'on ne pouuoit faire sans cela. On desmare
donques le vingt sixieme de Ianuier l'an 1611, auec d'autãt plus de
reiouissance, que les disputes & l'attente auoyent causé d'ennuy.
Encores partit-on trop tost, pour arriuer si tard: car on cõsuma quatre
moys en la nauigation; & alla on surgir premierement [139] à Campseau,
à cause de quoy on fut contraint puis apres de costoyer la terre auec
surseance en plusieurs endroits. Ceste coste iusques à Port Royal est
d'enuiron six vingts lieües.