A VOYAGE MADE TO THE STE. CROIX RIVER, AND THE DEATH OF THE
SAGAMORE, MEMBERTOU.
TOWARD the end of the month of August of the same year, 1611, sieur
de Biencourt having heard that the ship of Captain Plastrier,
from the town of Honfleur, was engaged in fishing at the Port
aux Coquilles,[36] twenty-one leagues Westward from Port Royal,
decided to go and find him, to recommend to him one of his men,
whom he wished to send back to France with letters, [156] to urge
the expected help, and to represent their pitiable condition.
Father Biard accompanied him, and they encountered this ship so
opportunely, that if they had been eight minutes later, their
chance would have been lost; for already it was unfurling its
sails to return to France. When we had boarded it, we learned that
Captain Platrier had decided to pass the Winter on the Island
of sainte Croix, and that he [Sieur de Biencourt] would get his
fifth therefrom. This news made sieur de Biencourt resolve to go
to Sainte Croix at once, before Captain Platrier had means of
fortifying himself: for he wished to collect from him the Fifth of
all his merchandise and trade, for wintering in the country. The
Island of Sainte Croix is six leagues from Port aux Coquilles, in
the middle of a river.
[157] Doncques le sieur de Biencourt y vint, accompagné de huict
personnes, & y entra en armes, ayant laissé le P. Biard en vn bout
de l'Isle, sur des roches attendant l'euenement, parce que ledict
Pere auoit conuenu auec ledict sieur, qu'en cas d'aucune inuasion, ou
actes de guerre, ou force contre les François, il seroit delaissé en
quelque lieu à l'escart, en telle façon, qu'vn chacun peust sçauoir,
qu'il estoit amy de tous les deux partys, & qu'il s'entremettroit fort
volontiers pour accorder les differents, mais nullement pour estre
partialiste.
[157] Accordingly sieur de Biencourt went to this place,
accompanied by eight people, and, well-armed, marched into the
place, having left Father Biard in one end of the Island upon the
rocks, awaiting the outcome; because the Father had arranged with
the sieur, that in case of any invasion, or warlike act or force
against the French, he should be left in some place apart, so that
every one might know that he was a friend of both parties, and
that he would very willingly interpose to make peace between those
at variance, but under no circumstances would he take sides with
either.
Dieu mercy, tout passa heureusement: Platrier nous traicta le mieux
qu'il peut: Et à son ayde le sieur de Biencourt recouura vne barque,
laquelle estoit à Port aux Coquilles, auec laquelle il s'en retourna à
Port Royal, où [158] on trouua nouuelle besongne: car Henry Membertou,
le Sagamo de Sauuages, qui premier d'iceux auoit receu le S. Baptesme,
estoit venu de la Baye saincte Marie, pour se faire penser d'vne
maladie, qui l'auoit surprins. Le pere Enemond Massé l'auoit logé dans
sa petite Cabane, au lict mesme du P. Biard, & là le seruoit comme
vn sien pere & domestique. Le P. Biard trouuant ce malade dans son
lict, fut bien ayse de l'occasion de charité, que Dieu luy enuoyoit:
Et tous deux se mirent à le seruit de iour, & de nuict, sans qu'autre
quelconque les y soulageast, hors l'Apoticaire Hebert, qui apportoit
des medecines, & viandes qu'il luy falloit dõner. Vne de leurs plus
grandes peines estoit de tãt couper & aporter de bois qu'il en falloit
pour le iour, & la nuict: Car la nuict commençoit à estre [159] bien
frilleuse, & tousiours il falloit bon feu, à cause de la mauuaise
senteur, d'autant que c'estoit la dysenterie. Au bout de cinq, ou six
iours de tel seruice, la femme, & la fille dudict Membertou vindrent à
luy, à cause dequoy le P. Biard pria le sieur de Biencourt de faire
changer le malade en quelque autre des cabanes de l'habitation, puis
qu'il y en auoit deux ou trois vuides; parce qu'il n'estoit ny beau, ny
bien seant que des femmes fussent iour, & nuict en leur cabane: & moins
encores qu'elles n'y fussent, estans la femme, & la fille du malade.
D'autre part, la cabane estoit si petite, que quand on y estoit quatre
assemblez, lon ne s'y pouuoit tourner.
Thank God, all passed off happily: Platrier treated us as well
as he could: and with his aid, sieur de Biencourt recovered a
barque, which was at Port aux Coquilles, with which he returned
to Port Royal, where [158] a new duty awaited them: for Henry
Membertou, the Sagamore of the Savages who was the first to receive
Holy Baptism, had come from the Baye sainte Marie to have himself
treated for a disease which had overtaken him. Father Enemond
Massé had put him in his little Cabin, even in Father Biard's
bed, and was there taking care of him like a father and servant.
Father Biard, finding the patient in his bed, was very glad of
this opportunity for charity, which God had sent him; and both
set to work to attend him day and night, without any one else to
relieve them in the work, except the Apothecary Hebert,[37] who
brought medicines and food which were to be given him. One of
their greatest hardships was to cut and carry all the wood that
was needed day and night: for the nights began to be [159] quite
chilly, and there always had to be a good fire on account of the
bad odor, for the disease was dysentery. At the end of five or
six days of such service, the wife and daughter of Membertou came
to stay with him, and so Father Biard begged sieur de Biencourt
to have the invalid moved to some of the other cabins of the
settlement, since there were two or three of them empty; for it was
neither good nor quite seemly that there should be women in the
cabin day and night; and still less that they should not be there,
being the wife and daughter of the sick man. On the other hand, the
cabin was so small, that when four persons were in it; they could
not turn around.
Ces raisons estoient par trop euidentes, mais ledict sieur ne fut
pas d'aduis, qu'on remuast le malade en aucune des cabanes de [160]
l'habitation, ains luy en fit dresser vne au dehors, où le malade
fut transporté. Ce changement ne luy profita point: car il deteriora
déslors manifestement, & mourut quatre ou cinq iours apres. Ce
neantmoins les Iesuites ne mãquer[~e]t iamais de l'aider, & assister,
luy fournissants toutes choses à leur possible: & le seruants iusques
à sa mort. Ce bon Sauuage s'estant confessé, & receu l'extreme-onction
dit au sieur de Biencourt, qu'il vouloit estre enterré auec ses
peres & progeniteurs. Le P. Biard resista fort à ceste proposition,
l'admonestant ne luy estre loisible estant Chrestien de vouloir
estre enterré auec des Pay[~e]s damnés; veu mesmes qu'en cela il
bailleroit vn grand scandale, d'autant que les Sauuages oyants, &
voyants qu'il n'auroit voulu estre enterré auecques nous; facilem[~e]t
[161] entreroyent en soupçon qu'il n'auroit esté Chrestien, que par
apparence. En tout cas, que tout cela sembleroit tousiours vn mespris
de la sepulture Chrestienne, &c. Le sieur de Biencourt repliqua pour
Membertou qu'on feroit benir le lieu, & qu'on l'auoit ainsi promis
audit Membertou. Le P. Biard respondit, que cela ne se pouuoit faire:
d'autant que pour benir ledit lieu il faudroit deterrer les Payens y
enseuelis, ce qui seroit pour se faire abominer de tous les Sauuages, &
sentiroit par trop son impieté. Les raisons ne seruoyent de rien, parce
que le malade estimant que le sieur de Biencourt fust de son costé,
persistoit en sa deliberation. Le P. Biard pour leur donner à entendre
que cest affaire estoit plus important, qu'ils ne pensoyent, leur
denonça, que cest enterrement se feroit [162] sans luy, & qu'il le leur
donnoit à entendre dés lors, protestant qu'il renonçoit à tous tels
conseils, & resolutions, & sur ce s'en alla. Toutesfois, à ce que le
malade ne pensast, que ce qu'estoit deuoir & charité ne fust cholere;
il reuint en moins d'vn' heure apres, & retourna seruir le malade comm'
au parauant. Dieu fauorisa son bon dessein, car le matin suiuant le
Sauuage de soy mesme changea d'aduis, & dit vouloir estre enterré au
commun cemetiere des Chrestiens, à fin de tesmoigner à tous sa foy,
& pouuoir estre participãt des prieres, qu'il y auoit veu faire. Il
mourut en fort bõ Chrestien, & son decés contrista fort les Iesuites,
car ils l'aimoyent, & estoyent aimés de luy reciproquement. Souuent
il leur disoit: Apprenés tost nostre langage: car quand vous l'aurés
apprins vous [163] m'enseignerez, & moy enseigné deuiendray prescheur
cõme vous autres, nous conuertirons tout le pays. Les Sauuages n'ont
pas memoire d'auoir eu iamais vn plus grand Sagamo ny plus autorisé.
Il estoit barbu comm'vn François. Et pleust à Dieu, que tous les
Frãçois fussent autãt auisés & discrets comm'il estoit. Tel est le
recit veritable de la maladie, & mort de Membertou. Sur lequel ie ne
m'amuseray pas plus long temps à refuter les calomnies du factieux;
estant assez & icy, & par tout conuaincu. Parquoy ie raconte la verité
du faict sans perdre le temps à combattre les larues.
These considerations were only too evident, but the sieur
was not inclined to have the patient removed to any of the cabins
of [160] the settlement; but he had one put up outside, where the
invalid was taken. This change did not do him any good, for he
became evidently worse from that time on, and died four or five
days later. Nevertheless, the Jesuits never failed to aid and
attend him, furnishing everything they could, and waiting on him up
to the time of his death. This good Savage, having confessed and
received extreme unction, told sieur de Biencourt that he wished
to be buried with his fathers and ancestors. Father Biard was very
much opposed to this proposition, admonishing him that it was not
lawful for him, a Christian, to wish to be buried with Heathen
whose souls were to be lost; especially as in doing so he would
cause great scandal, inasmuch as, when the Savages heard and saw
that he had not wanted to be buried with us, they would readily
[161] entertain the suspicion that he had been a Christian only
in appearance. In any case, that all this would always seem like
contempt for Christian burial, etc. Sieur de Biencourt replied for
Membertou that they would have the burial place blessed, and that
such a promise had been made to Membertou. Father Biard answered
that that would not do; for, in order to bless the said place, they
would have to disinter the Pagans who were buried there, which
would cause them to be abominated by all the Savages, and would
savor too much of impiety. These reasons did not avail, because
the sick man, believing that sieur de Biencourt was on his side,
persisted in his determination. In order to make them understand
that this affair was of greater importance than they thought,
Father Biard informed them that the interment would take place
[162] without him, and he wanted them to understand it from that
time on, protesting that he would have nothing to do with any such
counsels and decisions, and thereupon he departed. However, so the
sick man would not think that what was mere duty and charity was
anger, he returned less than an hour afterwards, and began again to
wait upon him as before. God looked kindly upon his good intention,
for the next morning the Savage, of his own free will, changed his
mind, and said that he wanted to be buried in the common burying
ground of the Christians, to prove his faith to all, and to be able
to participate in the prayers which he had there seen offered. He
died a very good Christian, and his death greatly saddened the
Jesuits, for they loved him, and were loved by him in return. He
often said to them; "Learn our language quickly, for when you have
learned it, you [163] will teach me; and when I am taught I will
become a preacher like you, and we will convert the whole country."
The Savages have no recollection of ever having had a greater or
more powerful Sagamore. He was bearded like a Frenchman; and would
to God that all the French were as circumspect and prudent as he
was. Such is the true story of the sickness and death of Membertou.
With it I shall no longer waste time in refuting the calumnies
of the factionist, he being sufficiently convicted both here and
elsewhere. Therefore I tell the truth of the thing, without losing
time in fighting larvæ.[38]
CHAPITRE XVIII. [i.e., xvii.]
[164] LE VOYAGE À LA RIUIERE S. IEAN: & LA QUERELLE QUI Y SURUINT.
I'AY dict cy deuant que le sieur de Biencourt auoit amené vne barque
du Port aux Coquilles, à fin qu'auec icelle il peust faire vn voyage
iusques aux Armouchiquois. Ainsi lon appelle les peuples, qui sont
dés le quarentetroisiesme degré en bas vers le Sur-oüest. Leur
commencem[~e]t est dés Chouacoët, & à ce qu'on dit, ils sont en grand
nombre. La disette pressoit le sieur de Biencourt à ce voyage; parce
que ces peuples labourãts, & faisants prouision de grains, il esperoit
par le moyen de la trocque, ou autrement tirer d'eux quelque secours
pour se munir contre la famine [165] qui nous attendoit au pas de
l'Hiuer. Sa barque fut trop tard equippée pour vne si longue traicte:
car nous ne fusmes prests qu'au troisiesme d'Octobre; & encores
voulust-il aller à la riuiere Sainct Iean auant que de pr[~e]dre ceste
route.