of charity in these lands; the mighty God of bounties has provided
one. I learn that Madame de Combalet wishes to put her hand to
the work, and found a Hospital in New France.[62] See how it has
pleased her to inform me of it: _God having given me the desire
to aid in the salvation of the poor Savages, it has seemed to
me, after reading the Account which you have written of it, that
what you consider can best serve for their conversion is the
establishment in New France of Hospital Nuns. I have therefore
resolved to send thither this year six workmen, to clear some land
and to construct a lodging for these good Sisters. I entreat that
you will take care of this establishment. I have asked Father
Chastelain to speak to you about it for me, and to explain to
you my plans more in detail. If I can do anything else for the
salvation of these poor people, for whom you take so much trouble,
I shall consider myself happy._ With regard to that, what shall
I say, save that [18] all Heaven presents before the throne of
God these holy thoughts, these noble resolutions; and that all
the Angels redouble their Chants of honor and praise for so holy
an undertaking. These are the thanks that we render to this
illustrious Lady, in the name of all the holy guardian Angels of
these poor Barbarians, who cannot comprehend the greatness of the
love that is felt for them. I informed them that a great Lady
was about to erect a large house, where all their sick would be
received; that they would be laid on soft beds, and daintily fed;
that they would be supplied with the medicines and ointments
needed for their cure, and that no pay would be required for
them. They answer me with astonishment that that is good; but,
nevertheless, I know by their smiles that they will believe this
miracle only with their eyes. In one word, they cannot understand
the greatness of this charity; it is sufficient that the God of
hearts, who causes this holy thought to spring up in a pious heart,
sees his divine work and takes [19] pleasure therein. Verily there
is nothing so powerful as this device to win these poor Barbarians,
nay, even to fill among them the seminaries for boys and girls. Our
Lord be blessed, through time and through eternity.
Si ie m'engage plus auãt dans les sentimens de deuotiõ qu'vne infinité
d'ames sainctes, qu'vn tres-grand nombre mesme de Religieuses nous
tesmoignent auoir pour l'amplification de la foy en la Nouuelle
France, ie passeray de beaucoup la iuste grandeur d'vn Chapitre;
mais n'importe la charité couure tout. I'apprends qu'en l'Eglise de
Mont-martre, lieu si sacré pour les despoüilles de tant de Martyrs,
& par la presence de tant d'ames espurées, les Religieuses font à
leur tour oraison iour & nuict pour solliciter & forcer le Ciel à
respandre ses sainctes benedictions sur nos trauaux. Les Carmelites
sont toutes en feu: les Vrsulines remplies de zele: les Religieuses
de la Visitation n'ont point de paroles assez significatiues pour
témoigner leur ardeur. Celles de Nostre Dame coniurent qu'on leur
donne part aux souffrances qu'il faut subir parmy [20] ces Peuples;
& les Hospitalieres crient qu'on les passe dés l'année prochaine.
La nature n'a point de souffles si sacrez, qui puissent allumer ces
brasiers: ces flammes prouiennẽt d'vn feu tout diuin, d'vn feu increé &
subsistant. _Nous vous portons plus d'enuie, que de compassion dans vos
souffrances_, écriuent quelques vnes. _Nous vous accompagnons de nos
petites prieres, particulierement vers la saincte Vierge, à qui nous
sommes dediées, & vers nostre Pere sainct Ioseph, & nostre Mere saincte
Terese, & aux Anges du pays où vous estes, afin que leurs forces & leur
puissance soient auec vous._ O le grand secours! _S'il estoit ausst
facile_, dit vn autre, _de bastir vn Conuent de Carmelites, que de
dresser vne Cabane de Sauuages, & que nous eussions autant de pouuoir,
que d'impuissance & de foiblesse, vous trouueriez des à present grand
nombre de Sœurs tres disposées de vous aller ayder_.
If I were to occupy myself further with the sentiments of
devotion manifested by a multitude of pious souls, and by a very
great number even of Nuns, for the extension of the faith in
New France, I would considerably exceed the proper length of a
Chapter; but no matter, charity covereth all. I learn that in the
Church of Mont-martre,[63] a place sacred as the depository of so
many Martyrs and by the presence of so many purified souls, the
Sisters take turns praying, by day and by night, to solicit and to
constrain Heaven to bestow its holy benedictions upon our labors.
The Carmelites are all on fire; the Ursulines are filled with zeal;
the Nuns of the Visitation have no words significant enough to show
their ardor; those of Nostre Dame implore permission to share in
the sufferings which must be undergone among [20] these Peoples;
and the Hospitalieres insist that they be brought over here next
year.[64] Nature has no breath sacred enough to light these fires;
these flames arise from a fire all divine, from an increate and
living fire. _We bear you more envy than compassion in your
sufferings_, write some of them. _We accompany you with our feeble
prayers, particularly to the holy Virgin, to whom we are dedicated,
and to our Father, saint Joseph, and our Mother, saint Theresa, and
to the Angels of the country where you are, that they may be with
you in their strength and power._ Oh, what great help! _If it were
as easy_, says another, _to build a Carmelite Convent as it is to
raise one of the Cabins of the Savages, and if we were as powerful
as we are impotent and weak, you would find from now on a great
many Sisters very ready to go to your aid_.
Voicy les propres termes d'vne autre. _Il faut que vous sçachiez que
la Nouuelle France commence d'entrer dans les esprits de plusieurs
personnes, ce qui me fait croire que Dieu la regarde d'vn œil
fauorable. Helas! que diriés vous, mon R. Pere_, [21] _si sa diuine
Majesté disposoit les affaires en sorte, que nous eussions bien tost le
courage, & le moyen de vous aller trouuer. Ie vous diray que si telle
est la volonté de Dieu, qu'il n'y a rien en ce monde, qui m'en puisse
empescher, quand mesme ie deurois estre engloutie des ondes en chemin._
Here are the exact words of another. _You must know that New France
is beginning to enter the minds of a great many people, which makes
me think that God is looking upon it with a favorable eye. Ah, what
would you say, my Reverend Father_, [21] _if his divine Majesty
were so to shape events that we would soon have the courage and the
means to go to you. I will tell you that if such be the will of
God, there is nothing in this world that can prevent me, even if I
were to be engulfed in the waves on the voyage._
Voila le cœur d'vne vraye Vrsuline, qui me va découurant les voyes par
où son Ordre pourra vn iour passer en ces grandes forests. Pendant que
i'écris cecy, i'ay deuant mes yeux les noms de treize Religieuses du
mesme Ordre, qui protestent dans vne lettre commune enuoyée au R. P.
Adam, qu'elles ont toutes le mesme dessein, & leur Superieure brusle
du mesme feu; _I'ay laissé_, dit-elle, _prendre l'essor aux desirs de
nos bonnes Sœurs, qu'elles ont couché sur ce papier selon leur ferueur;
il n'y a rien de moy que l'approbation que i'en fay par l'apposition de
mon nom, pour vous témoigner que ie n'en quitte pas la partie. Ie vous
porte plus d'enuie que vous ne me faites de pitié dans les trauaux où
vous allez entrer._ Mais écoutons ces ames resoluës. _Il n'y a point de
difficultez qui nous épouuantent, & bien que la foiblesse & l'infirmité
de nostre sexe_ [22] _soit grande, nostre Seigneur fortifie, & rehausse
si puissamment nostre courage, que nous nous enhardissons de dire auec
sainct Paul, nous pouuons tout en celuy qui nous conforte; la mer ny
les tempestes n'ont point assez d'horreur pour épouuanter des cœurs,
qui n'ont ny vie, ny mouuemens, que pour celuy qui a mis la sienne
pour les racheter, & qui ne desirent rien tant que de pouuoir donner
la leur pour son amour, & pour le salut des Sauuages._ N'est il pas
vray de dire apres cela, que la parfaite amour bannit la crainte. Ie
passe souz silence d'autres termes aussi pathetiques, & des affections
aussi fortes que celles-cy, sorties des cœurs & de la bouche d'vn
grand nombre de bonnes ames d'autres saincts Ordres, voire mesme de
personnes engagées dans le monde. _Si des femmes tendres & delicates
pour ie ne sçay quels interests_, disent quelques-vnes, _se sont
iettées courageusement dans le hazard des mers, nostre cœur blesmira-il
à la veuë des mesmes dangers? puis que nous ne pretendons passer dans
cette Barbarie, que pour honorer & benir le Dieu des mers_? Celles
qui pretendent passer les premieres, apres s'estre deffiées de leur
foiblesse, disent tout [23] haut, que se confiant en Dieu, elles ne
craignent plus rien, sinon que le trop grand delay. Or ie réponds aux
vnes & aux autres, qu'elles ne sçauroient auoir trop de deuotion, pour
prier le Ciel de fauoriser cette entreprise; mais qu'elles pourroient
auoir trop de precipitation, si elles passoient sans qu'on leur donnast
aduis, que le Païs est en estat de les receuoir: chaques choses ont
leur temps, Dieu prend le sien quand il luy plaist; c'est celuy qu'il
faut attendre en patience & en douceur. Finissons, i'en ay assez dit
pour faire voir que la Nouuelle France est bien auant dans le cœur de
Dieu, puis qu'elle a si bonne place dans ceux de tant de personnes, qui
luy sont si cheres.
This is the spirit shown by a true Ursuline, who goes on to show
me in what ways her Order will some day be able to cross over into
these great forests. While I am writing this, I have before my
eyes the names of thirteen Sisters of the same Order, who protest,
in a general letter sent to Reverend Father Adam, that they all
have the same purpose and that their Superior burns with the same
fire: _I have allowed_, says she, _our good Sisters to give full
scope to their desires which they have set down on this paper
according to their zeal; there is nothing of myself in it, except
the approbation I show by affixing my name, as an evidence that I
do not abandon the party. I envy you more than I pity you in the
labors you are about to begin._ But let us hear further from these
resolute spirits: _There are no difficulties which daunt us; and,
although the weakness and infirmity of our sex_ [22] _is great,
our Lord so powerfully fortifies and enhances our courage, that
we are emboldened to say with saint Paul, we can do all in him
who strengtheneth us; neither the sea nor tempests have horrors
enough to frighten hearts which live and throb only for him who has
given his own to redeem them, and who desire nothing so much as to
be able to give theirs for his love and for the salvation of the
Savages_. Is it not right to say, after that, that perfect love
casteth out fear? I pass over in silence other words as touching,
and expressions of interest as strong as these, uttered from the
hearts and lips of many good souls of other holy Orders, yea even
from people of the world. _If delicate and refined women, actuated
by we know not what interests_, say some of them, _have cast
themselves bravely into the hazards of the deep, shall our hearts
fail at the sight of the same dangers, since we do not claim to
cross over into this land of Barbarism, except to honor and bless
the God of the sea_? Those women who expect to cross first, after
having distrusted their own weakness, say quite [23] boldly that,
trusting themselves to God, they no longer fear anything, unless
it be the too great delay. Now I answer both that they cannot have
too much devotion in praying Heaven to favor this enterprise; but
that they can have too much haste, if they should come over here
before being notified that the Country is in a condition to receive
them. Everything in its time; God takes his as it pleases him,
and it is upon him we must wait in patience and in meekness. Let us
finish. I have said enough on this subject to show that New France
is near to the heart of God, since it holds so good a place in
those of so many persons who are so dear to him.
CHAPITRE II.
DES SAUUAGES BAPTISEZ CETTE ANNÉE, & DE QUELQUES ENTERREMENS.
IL semble que nostre Seigneur veüille authoriser la pureté de immaculée
Conception de sa saincte Mere, par les [24] grands secours qu'il donne
à ceux qui honnorent cette premiere grandeur de la Vierge. I'enuoyay
l'an passé à V.R. la formule d'vn vœu, que nous fismes suiuans son
conseil dans toutes nos Residences le huietiesme de Decembre, iour
dedié a cette Conception sacrée; nous cachions cette deuotion, & V.
R. l'a publiée la faisant imprimer en mesmes termes que nous l'auons
voüée, & que nous la voüerons encore Dieu aydant tous les ans à mesme
iour. La benediction que le ciel a versé sur nos petits trauaux depuis
ce temps-là, est si sensible; que ie conuierois volontiers tous nos
Peres de l'Ancienne France, voire de tout le monde, & toutes les bonnes
ames qui cherissent la conuersiõ de ces Peuples, de s'allier de nous
par ces saincts vœux, vnissant tous les ieusnes, toutes les prieres,
toutes les souffrãces, toutes les saintes actions les plus secrettes
de ceux qui entreront dans ces alliances, pour estre presentées à la
Diuinité en l'honeur & en action de grace de l'immaculée Conception
de la saincte Vierge: afin d'obtenir par son entremise l'application
du sang de son Fils [25] à nos pauures Sauuages, l'entier dénuëment &
l'amour de +IESVS+ en la Croix, auec vne mort vrayment Chrestienne,
à ceux qui procurent leur salut, & à tous les associez en la pratique
de cette deuotion, dont la formule est à la fin de la Relation de l'an
passé. I'écriuois dans cette Relation, que nous auions baptizé vingt
deux personnes, nous en auons baptizé cette année plus d'vne centaine
depuis ces vœux presentez à Dieu, & fort peu auparauant. En tout on
a fait enfans de l'Eglise depuis le depart des Vaisseaux iusques à
present cent quinze Sauuages. De plus, Dieu nous a donné de grandes
ouuertures pour le salut de ces Peuples, les faisant resoudre à deux
points, qui font voir que la foy entre dans leur ame. Le premier est,
qu'ils ne sont pas marris qu'on baptize leurs enfans malades, voire ils
nous appellent pour ce faire. Le deuxiesme, que les plus âgez mesmes
commencent à desirer de mourir Chrestiens, demandans le baptesme en
leurs maladies, pour ne point descendre dans les feux, dont on les
menace. Bref nous auons obtenu ce que nous n'osions quasi demander,
tant [26] nous les voyons alienez de ces pensées; c'est de donner
quelques petites filles: mais ie parleray de cecy en son lieu. Toutes
ces faueurs sont venuës du ciel par les merites de la sainte Vierge,
& de son glorieux Espoux, depuis les vœux dont i'ay fait mention.
Descendons en particulier, & suiuons l'ordre du temps de ces Baptesmes.
CHAPTER II.
OF THE SAVAGES BAPTIZED THIS YEAR, AND SOME BURIALS.
IT seems that our Lord wishes to authorize the purity of the
immaculate Conception of his holy Mother, by the [24] great
assistance he gives to those who honor this chief dignity of the
Virgin. I sent last year to Your Reverence the formula of a vow
which we made according to your advice in all our Residences, on
the eighth of December, a day dedicated to this sacred Conception.
We concealed this act of devotion, and Your Reverence has published
it, using the same words in which we made the vow, and in which we
will pledge ourselves again, God helping, every year on the same
day. The blessings that heaven has bestowed upon our insignificant
labors, since that time, are so evident that I would like to urge
upon all our Fathers of Old France, yea even of all the world, and
all the good souls who cherish the conversion of these Tribes, to
ally themselves with us through these holy vows, uniting all the
fasts, all the prayers, all the sufferings, all the most secret
acts of virtue, of those who will enter into this alliance, to be
presented to the Divinity in honor of and as an act of thanks for
the immaculate Conception of the holy Virgin, in order to obtain
through her mediation the application of the blood of her Son [25]
to our poor Savages, the entire abnegation and love for +JESUS+
on the Cross, with a truly Christian death, to those who procure
their salvation and to all those associated in the practice of this
act of devotion, the formula of which is given at the end of last
year's Relation. I wrote in that Relation that we had baptized
twenty-two persons; this year, since these vows were presented to
God, we have baptized more than a hundred, and, before that, very
few. In all, since the departure of the Ships up to the present, we
have made one hundred and fifteen Savages children of the Church.
Furthermore, God has given us great openings for the salvation of
these Tribes, making them resolve upon two points which show that
the faith has entered into their souls. The first is, that they
are not vexed at us for baptizing their sick children; indeed,
they even summon us to do this. The second is, that the more aged
ones are likewise beginning to wish to die Christians, asking for
baptism when they are sick, in order not to go down into the fires
with which they are threatened. In short, we have obtained what we
hardly dared to ask for, so greatly [26] do we see them alienated
from their former inclinations; that is, the promise to give us
some little girls, but I will speak of this in its place. All these
favors have come from heaven, through the merits of the holy Virgin
and of her glorious Spouse, since the vows which I have mentioned.
Let us come down to particulars, and follow the order of time of
these Baptisms.
Le neufiesme de Decembre, iustement le lendemain de la feste de la
Conceptiõ: Le sieur Iean Nicolet, Truchement pour les Algonquins aux
trois Riuieres, vint donner aduis aux Peres, qui demeuroient en la
Residence de la Conception, scize au mesme lieu, qu'vn ieune Algonquin
se trouuoit mal, & qu'il seroit à propos de le visiter. Les Peres se
transportent incontinent en sa Cabane, demandant permission à son pere
de l'instruire, Dieu sembloit auoir disposé les cœurs de ces Barbares,
que nous luy auions presentez, faisant nos vœux le iour precedent.
Ce pauure Barbare se monstre fort content du bien qu'on procuroit à
son fils: le Pere Buteux l'instruit, & pource que le malade estant
Algonquin n'entendoit qu'à demy la langue Montagnese, dont se [27]
seruoit le Pere, vne femme Sauuage bien versee en ces deux langues,
seruoit d'interprete, faisant couler par sa bouche la foy & les veritez
Chrestiennes dans l'ame de ce pauure ieune garçon, sans les retenir
pour soy: iustement à la façon de ces canaux, ou de ces aqueducs, qui
versent les sources d'eau toutes entieres, sans rien reseruer pour
eux. Enfin le douziesme du mois, voyant que leur malade abaissoit, ils
le baptiserent apres l'auoir instruit, & luy donnerent nom Claude; il
mourut bien tost apres, prononcant les saincts noms de +IESVS+ & de
+MARIE+, ses parens demanderent aux Peres, s'ils ne seroient pas bien
contents qu'on mist ce corps aupres des François; C'est bien nostre
desir, repartent-ils. Nous luy ferõs vn honneur, leur dismes nous, que
nous denierions au plus grãd Capitaine du mõde, s'il n'estoit Chrestiẽ.
Hastez vous donc de preparer ce qui est necessaire pour l'enterrer
à vostre mode, dirent-ils, puis qu'il est à vous. Il se fit vn beau
conuoy de tous nos François, apres lesquels venoient les Sauuages deux
à deux, auec vne modestie qui ne sentoit rien du Barbare. A l'issuë
de l'enterrement le pere du defunct [28] fit vn festin aux Sauuages,
pendant lequel, comme il ne mangeoit point selon leur coustume; tantost
il chantoit, maintenant il discouroit; I'ay perdu l'esprit, disoit-il,
la mort de mon fils me tire hors de moy-mesme; ie me suis veu autrefois
entre les mains de nos ennemis, tout prest d'estre mis en pieces, &
d'estre déchiré à belles dents, iamais ie ne perdy courage, il ne faut
pas que ie le perde maintenant; i'ay dequoy me consoler, puis que mon
fils, s'il eust vescu, n'auroit pas manqué de tirer vengeance des
Hiroquois. Et se tournant vers les Peres, Vous auez de beaucoup allegé
ma douleur, rendans les derniers honneurs à mon fils. Voila la harangue
de ce pauure Barbare, sur les funerailles de son fils, qui a bien
d'autres pensées maintenant dans le ciel.
On the ninth of December, the very next day after the feast of the
Conception, sieur Jean Nicolet,[29] Interpreter for the Algonquins
at the three Rivers, came to inform the Fathers who lived in the
Residence of the Conception, situated at the same place, that a
young Algonquin was sick, and it would be well to visit him. The
Fathers immediately hastened to his Cabin, and asked his father's
permission to instruct him; God seemed to have prepared the hearts
of these Barbarians, whom we had presented to him in our vows the
day before. This poor Barbarian appeared very glad at the good
that was being done to his son; Father Buteux instructed him; and,
as the sick man was an Algonquin, and only half understood the
Montagnese tongue, which [27] the Father used, a Savage woman, well
versed in both these languages, served as interpreter, allowing the
faith and Christian truths to flow from her lips into the soul of
this poor young man without retaining them for herself,--precisely
like those canals or aqueducts which discharge whole fountains
of water, without reserving any for themselves. Finally, on the
twelfth of the month, seeing their patient was sinking, they
baptized him, after having given him instruction, and named him
Claude; he died shortly afterwards, pronouncing the holy names of
+JESUS+ and +MARY+. His parents asked the Fathers if they would not
like to have his body placed near the French. "That is indeed our
desire," they answered. "We will show him an honor," we told them,
"that we would refuse to the greatest Captain in the world, if he
were not a Christian." "Hasten then and prepare what is necessary
to bury him in your way," they said, "since he is yours." A fine
escort was formed, consisting of all our Frenchmen; and after them
came the Savages, two by two, with a modesty which savored in no
wise of Barbarians. After the burial, the father of the dead man
[28] gave a feast to the Savages, during which,--as he did not
eat, according to their custom, now singing, now talking,--he said,
"I have lost my courage, the death of my son has undone me; at
other times I have seen myself in the hands of our enemies, about
to be cut to pieces and torn by their teeth, and I have never
lost courage; I ought not to lose it now, for I have something to
console me, since my son, if he had lived, would not have failed
to wreak vengeance upon the Hiroquois." And turning towards the
Fathers, "You have greatly soothed my grief, by rendering the last
honors to my son." Such was the discourse of this poor Barbarian at
the obsequies of his son, whose thoughts are now quite different in
heaven.
Le vingt-deuxiesme du mesme mois, les mesmes Peres ressentirent
l'effect des bontez de la saincte Vierge, au baptesme d'vn ieune garçon
âgé d'enuiron dix ans: cét enfant ne vouloit point du tout ouïr parler
de nostre creance, s'imaginant qu'estre baptizé, & mourir incontinent
apres, estoit la mesme chose. Et en effect [29] comme nous ne confions
pas aisément ces eaux sacrées, sinon à ceux qu'on voit n'en deuoir
point abuser pour estre voisins de la mort, ces Barbares ont eu pour
vn temps cette pensée, que le Baptesme leur estoit fatal. Nous auions
beau leur representer que nous estions tous baptisez, & que nous
viuions plus long temps qu'eux: Ces eaux, disoient-ils, sont bonnes
pour vous, mais non pas pour nous. Les Peres voyans ces resistances,
s'addressent à nostre commune Mere, & luy demandent cette ame pour son
Fils. Chose estrange! l'enfant non seulement ne les fuit plus, mais il
demande d'estre porté en leur maison. Le Pere Quentin à ces paroles,
le prend, l'embrasse, l'apporte tout languissant en sa chambre, où il
fut baptizé, & nommé André par Monsieur de Malapart, son parrain.
Ce pauure petit estoit d'vne humeur si douce & si facile, qu'il se
rendoit aymable à tout le monde: voila pourquoy le Pere Buteux l'ayant
autrefois demandé à sa mere; Ie n'ay garde, fit-elle, de te le donner,
ie l'ayme comme mon cœur. C'est vne prouidence bien particuliere du
bon Dieu, que cette mere fust absente pendant [30] son instruction
& son baptesme. Car il est croyable qu'elle y auoit apporté de
l'empeschement, suiuant l'erreur qui les a tenu long-temps, que ce qui
nous donne la vie leur cause la mort; on eut bien de la peine d'auoir
le corps de ce petit innocent apres sa mort, comme ie vay dire tout
maintenant.