goodness and sound virtue. The four Elements of an Apostolic man
in New France are Affability, Humility, Patience, and a generous
Charity. Too ardent zeal scorches more than it warms, and ruins
everything; great magnanimity and compliance are necessary to
attract gradually these Savages. They do not comprehend our
Theology well, but they comprehend perfectly our humility and our
friendliness, and allow themselves to be won.
18 La Nation des Hurons se dispose [233] à receuoir la lumiere de
l'Euangile, & on espere vn bien incroyable en tous ces quartiers là:
mais il y faut deux sortes de personnes pour bien faire cela: les vns
en l'anciẽne France assistãt de leurs sainctes prieres, & de leur
charité; les autres en la Nouuelle, trauaillant auec grande douceur,
& infatigabilité de la bonté de Dieu, & de ce doux cõcert dépend la
conuersion de plusieurs milliers d'ames, pour chacune desquelles
Iesus-Christ a versé tout son pretieux sãg.
18 The Huron Nation is becoming disposed [233] to receive the light
of the Gospel, and inestimable good is to be hoped for in all those
regions; but two kinds of persons are necessary to accomplish
this,--those in old France, assisting by their holy prayers and
their charity; the others in the New, working with great gentleness
and tirelessness; on the goodness of God and on this sweet harmony
depends the conversion of many thousand souls, for each one of whom
Jesus Christ has shed all his precious blood.
19 Si on pouuoit fonder à Kebec vn petit Seminaire d'vne douzaine de
petits Hurons, dans peu d'années on en tireroit vn secours incroyable,
pour aider à conuertir leurs Peres, & planter vne Eglise fleurissante
dans la Nation des Hurons. Helas! combien y en a t'il en Europe qui
perdẽt à trois coups de dez, plus qu'il ne faudroit pour conuertir vn
monde.
19 If a small Seminary of a dozen little Hurons could be founded
at Kebec, in a few years incredible assistance could be derived
therefrom, to help in converting their Fathers, and in planting
a flourishing Church in the Nation of the Hurons. Alas! how many
there are in Europe who lose in three casts of the dice more than
would be needed to convert a world.
[234] 20 Vne des pensées qui pressent dauantage ceux qui sont si
heureux, que de seruir Dieu parmy ces forests, c'est d'estre indignes
d'vne vocation Apostolique, & si releuée, & auoir si peu de vertus
dignes d'vn bel employ. Qui ne void la Nouuelle Frãce que par les yeux
de chair & de nature, il n'y void que des bois & des croix: mais qui
les considere auec les yeux de la grace, & d'vne bonne vocation, il
n'y void que Dieu, les vertus, & les graces, & on y trouue tant & de
si solides consolations, que si ie pouuois acheter la Nouuelle France,
en donnant tout le Paradis Terrestre, certainement ie l'acheterois.
Mon Dieu qu'il fait bon estre au lieu où Dieu nous a mis de sa grace,
veritablement i'ay trouué icy ce que i'auois esperé, vn cœur selon le
cœur de Dieu, qui ne cherche que Dieu.
[234] 20 One of the thoughts which weigh most upon those who
are so fortunate as to serve God among these forests, is their
unworthiness of their Apostolic and so exalted calling, and that
they have so few of the virtues worthy of a noble work. He who sees
New France only through the eyes of the flesh and of nature, sees
only forests and crosses; but he who looks upon these with the eyes
of grace and of a noble vocation, sees only God, the virtues, and
the graces; and he finds therein so many and so firm consolations,
that, if I were able to buy New France by giving in exchange all
the Terrestrial Paradise, I would certainly buy it. My God! how
good it is to be in the place where God has placed us by his grace;
truly I have found here what I had hoped for, a heart in harmony
with God's heart, which seeks God alone.
[235] 21 On dit que les premiers qui fondent les Eglises, d'ordinaire
sont saincts: ceste pensée m'attendrit si fort le cœur, que quoy que
ie me voye icy fort inutile dans ceste fortunée Nouuelle France, si
faut-il, que i'auoüe que ie ne, me sçaurois defendre d'vne pensée qui
me presse le cœur. _Cupio impendi, & superimpendi pro vobis_: Pauure
Nouuelle France, ie desire me sacrifier pour ton bien, & quand il me
deuroit couster mille vies, moyennant que ie puisse aider à sauuer vne
seule ame, ie seray trop heureux, & ma vie tres bien employée.
[235] 21 It is said that the pioneers who found Churches are
usually saints; this thought so softens my heart that, although
I see I am of but little use here in this fortunate New France,
yet I must confess that I cannot forbid one thought which presses
upon my heart. _Cupio impendi, et superimpendi pro vobis_: Poor New
France, I desire to sacrifice myself for thy welfare; and though
it should cost me a thousand lives, if thus I can aid in saving a
single soul, I shall be too happy, and my life will be well spent.
22 Ie ne sçay pas que c'est d'entrer en Paradis, mais ie sçay bien
qu'en ce monde, il est mal-aisé de trouuer vne ioye plus excessiue &
surabondante, que celle que i'ay sentie entrant en la Nouuelle France,
& y disant la premiere Messe, le iour de la [236] Visitation. Ie vous
asseure que ce fut bien voirement le iour de la Visitation. Par la
bonté de Dieu & de nostre Dame, il me sembla que c'estoit Noël pour
moy, & que i'allois renaistre en vne vie toute nouuelle, & vne vie de
Dieu.
22 I do not know what it is to enter Paradise; but I know well that
in this world it is difficult to find a greater and fuller joy than
I had upon entering New France, and saying the first Mass here on
the day of the [236] Visitation. I assure you that this was very
truly the day of the Visitation. Through the goodness of God and of
our Lady, it seemed to me that it was Christmas for me, and that I
was going to be reborn into an altogether new life, and a life of
God.
23 Le mal de la mer qui m'auoit donné de la peine flottant sur la
marine, fut bien-tost effacé par le bien du Ciel, & la ioye que Dieu
respandit en mon ame touchant le Cap Breton. En rencontrant nos Peres,
il me sembla d'embrasser des Anges du Paradis, ie ne me pû empescher
de crier, helas! que sera-ce quand on entrera en Paradis, & que Dieu
& les Anges receuront vne belle ame, qui sortira des orages de la vie
miserable qu'on mene sur la terre.
23 The seasickness which troubled me, when sailing upon the ocean,
was soon effaced by the mercy of Heaven and the joy that God shed
in my soul, upon landing at Cape Breton. In meeting our Fathers
it seemed to me I was embracing Angels from Paradise; I could not
refrain from exclaiming, "Ah! what will it be when we shall enter
Paradise, and when God and the Angels shall receive a beautiful
soul, which will emerge from the tempests of the wretched life that
we lead upon earth!"
24 I'auois creu qu'il falloit des miracles pour conuertir ces Sauuages
volans; mais ie me suis trompé, [237] car les miracles propres de la
Nouuelle France sont ceux-cy. Leur faire bien du bien, & souffrir bien
des maux, ne s'en plaindre qu'à Dieu, s'en estimer indigne, & se tenir
pour fort inutile. Quiconque aura ces vertus, fera des miracles plus
grands que les miracles, & deuiendra vn Sainct. En effect il y a bien
plus de peine de s'humilier profondement deuant Dieu & les hommes, & de
s'aneantir, que de resusciter vn mort; car cela ne couste que le dire,
quand on a le don des miracles, & pour s'humilier comme il faut à vray
dire, il y faut la vie toute entiere d'vn homme.
24 I had thought that miracles were necessary to convert these
flying Savages; but I was mistaken, [237] for the real miracles of
New France are the following: To do them much good, and endure many
pains; to complain to God alone; to judge oneself unworthy, and
to feel one's uselessness. He who has these virtues will perform
miracles greater than miracles, and will become a Saint. Indeed, it
is harder to humiliate oneself deeply before God and men, and to
annihilate oneself, than to raise the dead; for that needs only the
word, if one has the gift of miracles, but to humiliate oneself as
one ought to,--truly, that requires a man's whole life.
25 Nous auons esté fort estonnez & infiniment resioüys, voyant que dans
nos petites cabanes, & dans nos Habitations la discipline Religieuse y
estoit aussi exactement gardée, qu'aux plus grands Colleges [238] de
la France, & que la ferueur interieure est d'autant plus grande, que
l'exterieur semble y estre plus suiette à beaucoup de diuertissements:
c'est l'ordinaire de la bonté infinie de Dieu, qui selon les besoins
multiplie la benediction de ses graces; & en effect à mesure qu'vn
seruiteur de Dieu s'abandonne à sa saincte conduite, nostre Seigneur
s'eslargit aussi dauantage, & respand plus abõdamment la pluye
pretieuse de ses graces.
25 We were greatly astonished and infinitely glad to see in our
little cabins, and in our Settlements, the Religious discipline as
strictly observed as in the largest Colleges [238] of France, and
that the internal fervor is so much the greater as the external
seems to be subjected to so many diversions; it is God's ordinary
practice, in his infinite goodness, that according to our needs
he multiplies the gift of his graces; and, in truth, to the same
extent as a servant of God gives himself up to his holy guidance,
our Lord expands so much the more and sheds more abundantly the
precious shower of his graces.
26 Ces pauures Barbares ont coustume de nõmer tous les Prestres
Patriarches, & portent grand respect aux hommes vertueux. Ils nous
promettent de nous apporter leurs enfans, quand ils seront malades à
la mort, pour les baptiser; en effect on en a baptisé quelques vns
qui sont morts peu apres le baptesme. Ils sont bien predestinez à bon
escient, & bien-heureux de sortir de la Barbarie, [239] & entrer aussi
tost dans le Paradis. Quand on ne feroit iamais autre chose, quel
bon-heur d'auoir esté instrument de la predestination de ces petites
ames.
26 These poor Barbarians are accustomed to call all the Priests,
Patriarchs,[48] and they show great respect to men of integrity.
They promise to bring us their children, when they are sick unto
death, to be baptized; in fact, some have been baptized who died
shortly after baptism. They are indeed the elect, beyond a doubt,
and so blessed as to go forth from Barbarism [239] and enter
immediately into Paradise. If one should never do anything else,
what happiness to have been instrumental in placing these little
souls among the elect!
27 On en trouue de si ignorants de toute sorte de Religion, qu'on ne
sçauroit trouuer vn nom pour leur faire entendre Dieu; il le faut
appeller le grand Capitaine des hommes; celuy qui nourrit tout le
monde; celuy qui demeure là haut. On fait tout ce qu'on peut: quelle
obligation auront-ils à ceux qui les instruisent, & qui s'efforcent
de leur faire cognoistre vn Dieu, pour le seruir le moins mal qu'ils
pourront. Là il ne faut pas grande doctrine, mais vne profonde
humilité, vne patience inuincible, & vne charité Apostolique pour
gaigner ces pauures Sauuages, qui d'ailleurs ont vn bon sens commun.
Que si vne fois on commence à les [240] gaigner, le fruict sera
inestimable.
27 One meets men so devoid of every notion of Religion, that one
cannot find a name to make them understand God; we have to call him
the great Captain of men, he who feeds all the world, he who lives
on high. We do all we can; what obligations will they be under to
those who instruct them and who try to make them know a God in
order to serve him as well as they can. Here deep learning is not
needed, but a profound humility, an unconquerable patience, and an
Apostolic charity, to win these poor Savages, who in other respects
have good common sense. And if we begin once to gain [240] them,
the fruit will be incalculable.
28 La pensée de sainct Francois Xauier nous passe mille fois par
l'esprit, & a vn grand pouuoir. Si les hommes du siecle pour auoir
des peaux de Castor, de la moulue, & ie ne sçay quelles denrées,
n'apprehendent ny les orages de la mer, ny les Sauuages de la terre,
ny la mer, ny la mort; quelle horrible confusion seroit-ce à des
seruiteurs de Dieu, d'apprehender cela, ou quelques petits trauaux,
pour tascher de gaigner des ames rachetées auec le sang pretieux de
Iesus-Christ, & empourprées de son sang de valeur inestimable? Se
leueront-ils point au iour du iugement cõtre nous ces petits facteurs,
& pescheurs de mouluë pour nous condamner, s'ils prennent plus de peine
pour gaigner vne piece d'argent, que nous pour aider à sauuer les
Sauuages. Ceste pensée pique si fort nos [241] cœurs, qu'on ne sent
point son mal, ou si on le sent on ne s'en oseroit plaindre.
28 A thousand times the thought of saint François Xavier passes
through our minds, and has great power over us. If the men of the
world, in order to have Beaver skins, and codfish, and I know not
what commodities, do not fear either the storms on the sea, or
the Savages on land, or the sea, or death; how dreadful will be
the confusion of God's servants for being afraid of these things,
or of a few little hardships, in trying to win souls ransomed by
the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and empurpled by his blood of
inestimable value? On the day of judgment will not these petty
traders and fishers of cod rise up to condemn us, if they take more
pains to gain a piece of money than we do to help save the Savages?
This thought stings our hearts so [241] deeply that we do not feel
our sufferings, or if we feel them we do not dare to complain of
them.
29 Il y a mille personnes en France qui sont fort inutiles, & qui
n'ont nul employ; ils sont sçauans, & puis c'est tout, & cela ne sert
de rien du tout à l'Eglise de Dieu; helas! en la Nouuelle France ce
seroient des Apostres s'ils vouloient y venir employer leur talent;
moins de sçauoir & plus d'humilité & de zele, feroit miracle icy, & ils
gagneroient possible plus en vn an, qu'ils ne feront toute leur vie en
France.
29 There are many persons in France who are of no use, and have
nothing to do there; they are scholars and that is all, and that is
of no use in the Church of God; alas! in New France these men would
be Apostles, if they would come here to use their talents; less
wisdom, and more humility and zeal, would perform miracles here,
and it is possible they would gain more in one year than they will
do in a lifetime in France.
30 L'experience nous fait voir, que ceux de la Compagnie qui viennent
en la Nouuelle France, il faut qu'ils y soient appellez par vne
vocation speciale & bien forte; que ce soit gens morts & à soy, &
au monde; hõmes veritablement Apostoliques, qui ne cherchent que
Dieu, & le [242] salut des ames, qui aiment d'amour la Croix, & la
mortification; qui ne s'espargnent point; qui sçachent supporter les
trauaux de la mer & de la terre, & qui desirent plus la conuersion d'vn
Sauuage, que l'Empire de toute l'Europe; qui ayent des cœurs de Dieu,
& tous remplis de Dieu; qui soient comme des petits Iean Baptistes,
criant parmy ces deserts & ces forests, comme des voix de Dieu, qui
appellent tous ces pauures Sauuages à recognoistre Iesus-Christ; en fin
que ce soient des hommes qui ont tous leurs contentemens dans Dieu, &
ausquels les souffrances soient leurs plus cheres delices. Voila ce
que l'experience nous fait veoir tous les iours: mais aussi il est
vray, qu'il semble que Dieu respande bien plus abondamment les rosées
de ses graces sur cette Nouuelle France, que sur la vieille, [243] &
que les cõsolations interieures, & les Diuines infusions y sont bien
plus solides, & les cœurs bien plus embrasez. _Nouit Dominus qui sunt
eius._ Mais il n'appartient qu'à Dieu de faire le choix de ceux dont il
se veut seruir, & ausquels il fait cette misericorde de les amener en
la Nouuelle France, pour en faire des saincts. Sainct François Xauier
disoit qu'il y auoit vne Isle en Orient, qui estoit bien propre pour
faire perdre la veuë à force de plorer de ioye excessiue du cœur; ie ne
sçay si nostre Nouuelle France ressemble point ceste Isle: mais nous
experimẽtons que si quelqu'vn icy s'abandonne à Dieu à bon escient, il
court hazard d'y perdre la veuë, & la vie, & tout, & auec grande ioye
à force de trauailler; il n'appartient qu'à ceux qui y sont, & qui
goustent Dieu, d'en parler par experience.
30 Experience shows us that those of the Society who come to New
France should be impelled to it by a special and very forcible
call; persons who are dead to themselves and to the world; men
truly Apostolic, who seek God alone, and the [242] salvation of
souls, who love with real love the Cross and self-mortification;
who do not spare themselves; who can endure the hardships of the
sea and of the land, and who desire the conversion of a Savage more
than the Empire of all Europe; who have Godlike hearts, all filled
with God; who are like little John the Baptists, crying through
these deserts and forests like voices from God, which summon all
these poor Savages to acknowledge Jesus Christ; in fine let them
be men whose sole satisfaction is in God and to whom suffering is
the greatest delight. That is what experience shows us every day;
but it is also true that it seems as if God shed the dew of his
grace much more abundantly upon this New France than upon the old,
[243] and that the internal consolations and the Divine infusions
are much stronger here, and hearts more on fire. _Novit Dominus
qui sunt ejus._ But it belongs to God alone to choose those whom
he will use, and whom he favors by taking them into New France, to
make saints of them. Saint François Xavier said that there was an
Island in the Orient which was quite capable of making a person
lose his sight, by crying from excessive joy of the heart; I know
not if our New France resembles this Island, but we know from
experience that, if any one here gives himself up in earnest to
God, he runs the risk of losing his sight, his life, his all, and
with great joy, by dint of hard work; it belongs only to those who
are here and who enjoy God to speak from experience.
[244] 31 Nous recognoissons euidemmẽt, qu'il faut que ce soit le Ciel
qui conuertisse la terre de la Nouuelle Frãce, & que nous ne sõmes pas
assez forts. Nous ne craignõs rien tãt, sinon que nos imperfectiõs
n'empeschẽt la cõuersiõ de ces pauures Sauuages; c'est pourquoy nous
auõs tous esté d'auis de recourir au Ciel, & à la tres saincte Vierge
Mere de Dieu, par laquelle Dieu a coustume de faire ce qui ne se peut
faire, & conuertir les cœurs les plus abandonnez. A cet effet nous
auons resolu de faire vn vœu fort solemnel, dont voicy la teneur.
[244] 31 We clearly recognize that it must be Heaven which shall
convert the land of New France, and that we are not strong enough.
We fear nothing so much as that our imperfections may prevent the
conversion of these poor Savages; that is why we have all been
minded to have recourse to Heaven and to the very holy Virgin,
Mother of God, through whom God is accustomed to do what seems
impossible, and to convert the hearts of the most abandoned. To
this end, we have resolved to make a very solemn vow, of which the
following is the purport:--
Mon Dieu & mon Sauueur Iesus, quoy que nos pechez nous doiuent
esloigner de vostre presence, si est-ce qu'épris d'vne affection de
vous honorer & vostre tres-Ste Mere, poussez d'vn desir de nous veoir
dans la fidelle correspondance que vous desirez de vos seruiteurs,
souhaittãs en [245] outre de vous veoir recõneu & adoré de ces
pauures peuples: Nous vous promettons & faisons vœu, comme aussi à la
tres-saincte Vierge vostre Mere, & à sõ glorieux Espoux S. Ioseph, de
celebrer douze fois és douze mois suiuant le sacrifice de la Ste Messe,
pour ceux qui sont Prestres; & pour les autres de reciter douze fois
la Couronne ou le Chappellet de la Vierge en l'honneur & en action
de grace de son immaculee Cõception, & de ieusner tous la veille de
ceste feste: vous promettans en outre que si on erige quelque Eglise
ou Chappelle stable dãs ces pais, dans le cours de ce tẽps limité, que
nous la ferõs dedier à Dieu sous le tiltre de l'immaculée Cõception, si
cela est en nostre pouuoir, le tout pour obtenir de la bõté de N. S.
la conuersion de ces Peuples, par l'entremise de sa saincte Mere, & de
son sainct Espoux. Receuez [246] cependant, ô l'Emperiere des Anges &
des hommes, les cœurs de ces pauures Barbares abandonnez, que nous vous
presentons par les mains de vostre glorieux Espoux, & de vos fidelles
seruiteurs S. Ignace & S. François Xauier, & de tous les Anges Gardiens
de ces miserables contrées, pour les offrir à vostre Fils, afin qu'il
leur donne sa cognoissance, & leur applique le merite de son pretieux
sang. Ainsi soit-il.
My God and my Savior Jesus, although our sins ought to banish us
from your presence, yet being inspired with a desire to honor you
and your very Holy Mother, urged by a wish to see ourselves in the
faithful correspondence [to your graces] that you desire in your
servants, wishing [245] besides to see you acknowledged and adored
by these poor people: We promise and make a vow unto you and also
to the very holy Virgin your Mother, and to her glorious Spouse St.
Joseph, to celebrate twelve times in twelve succeeding months the
Sacrifice of the Holy Mass, for those who are Priests; and for the
others to say twelve times the Crown or Chaplet of the Virgin, in
honor of and as an act of grace for her immaculate Conception, and
all to fast the day before this festival; promising you further
that, if a permanent Church or Chapel is erected in this country
within this specified time, we will have it dedicated to God under
the title of the immaculate Conception, if it is in our power,--all
this, to secure by the goodness of Our Lord the conversion of these
Peoples, through the mediation of his holy Mother and of her holy
Spouse. In [246] the meantime receive, O Empress of Angels and of
men, the hearts of these poor abandoned Barbarians that we present
to you through the hands of your glorious Spouse and of your
faithful servants, St. Ignace and St. François Xavier, and of all
the Guardian Angels of these wretched countries, to offer them to
your Son, that he may give them knowledge of himself and apply to
them the efficacy of his precious blood. Amen.
Dieu par son infinie bonté nous rende dignes de cette excellente
vocation, pour dignement cooperer à sa grace, au profit de ces pauures
Sauuages.
May God in his infinite goodness render us worthy of this noble
calling, worthily to coöperate with his grace, to the benefit of
these poor Savages.
Extraict du Priuilege du Roy.
PAR Grace & Priuilege du Roy il est permis à Sebastien Cramoisy,
Marchand Libraire Iuré en l'Vniuersité de Paris, & Imprimeur ordinaire
du Roy, d'imprimer ou faire imprimer vn liure intitulé, _Relation
de ce qui s'est passé en la Nouuelle France en l'année mil six cens
trente cinq. Enuoyée au R. P. Provincial de la Compagnie de Iesus
en la Prouince de France. Par le Pere Paul le Ieune de la mesme
Compagnie, Superieur de la Residence de Kebec_: & ce pendant le temps
& espace de cinq années consecutiues. Auec defenses à tous Libraires
& Imprimeurs d'imprimer ou faire imprimer ledit liure, sous pretexte
de desguisement, ou changement qu'ils y pourroient faire, à peine de
confiscation, & de l'amende portée par ledit Priuilege. Donné à Paris
le douziesme Ianuier, mil six cens trente six.
Par le Roy en son Conseil.
VICTON.
Extract from the Royal License.
BY the Grace and License of the King, permission is granted to
Sebastien Cramoisy, Bookseller under Oath in the University of
Paris, and Printer in ordinary to the King, to print or to have
printed a book entitled, _Relation de ce qui s'est passé en la
Nouvelle France en l'année mil six cens trente cinq. Envoyée au R.
P. Provincial de la Compagnie de Jesus en la Province de France.
Par le Pere Paul le Jeune de la mesme Compagnie, Superieur de la
Residence de Kebec_: and this during the time and space of five
consecutive years. Prohibiting all Booksellers and Printers to
print or to have printed the said book, under pretext of disguise
or change that they might make therein, on pain of confiscation of
the copies, and of the fine provided by the said License. Given
at Paris on the twelfth of January, one thousand six hundred and
thirty-six.
By the King in Council.
VICTON.
Approbation.