datum, eo ipso tempore, quo condebatur, ab Henrico Quarto petiuerat,
eo iure, quo optimo, sibi asseri, vindicarique? ac eius non modò
vindicias, sed nexum etiam impetrauerat. Secundum quod ius arcis,
& imperij prætereà certis finibus in Noua Francia Potrincourtio
attributi, Rex Patri Cotono significat, velle se vti Sociorum opera in
Barbaris illis ad Christum adiugendis; proinde scriberet ad Generalem
Societatis Præpositum suo nomine, vti designarentur Patres in eam rem,
quos primo quoque tempore illuc mittendos ipse Rex ad se accerseret,
annuis duûm millium Librarum vectigalibus illi Missioni attributis.
Annus huius sæculi octauus agebatur, cùm Rex ita de Canadicis rebus
decerneret, cuius tamen cogitationes grauioribus negotiis aliò
seuocantibus, [570] eius quoque interueniente obitu, sed eorum maximè
negligentia, qui Regio nomine Canadicam prouinciam, administrabant,
nostrorum profectio in tertium pòst annum est dilata. Siue autem casu
quopiam, siue hominum consilio, eam proferri trienni toto contigit,
cùm iam in procinctu nostri essent; obortæ tamen subitò sunt eæ
difficultates, quibus planum fieret, Cacodæmoni esse inuisa nostrorum
in ea profectione consilia. Regina quingentos aureos nummos, ex
defuncti Regis decreto numerauerat: Domina _de Vernueil_, _de Sourdis_,
_de Guercheuille_, alia sacrum aræ instrumentum, alia linteam vestem
copiosam, alia peramplum viaticum munificè contribuerant: Pater Petrus
Biardus, & Pater Enemundus Massæus eò destinati animis ingentibus se
comparauerant, vela & ventos auidè præstolantes. Status condictus dies
vela faciendi eis conuenerat cum Biencourtio Potrincourtij filio, &
Thoma Robinio, expeditionis ducibus, ad octauum calendas Nouembris
anni decimi supra sexcentesimum; sed cùm eo die adfuissent, nauigium
sarciebatur, & oscitanter quidem, in continenti; tantum aberat, vt
idoneo commeatu & nauigationis, & Canadicæ familiæ instructum esset.
Instaurandæ naui suas operas, materiamque locauerant Caluiniani
duo, & quia Biencourtio ac Robinio ad operarum mercedem deerant
facultates, Caluiniani mercatores certam nautici fructus partem pacti
sibi erant, eóque nomine, pro dominis in ea naue gerere posse sibi
videbantur Iesuitis igitur locum in nauigio [571] non futurum palam, &
asseueranter edicunt, aut si futurum sit, ab illius operis redemtura,
& cætera omni pactione se iamiam discedere: qua de sententia nec
ipsius Reginæ auctoritas, ab Domino _de Cicoigne_, Dieppensis vrbis
regio Præside, grauiter, seuereque denunciata, Caluini asseclas non
potuit dimouere. Desperata res planè videbatur, quòd hæc vna modò
nauis in Nouam Franciam anno illo adornaretur; & non paterentur duo
illi Caluiniani vlla se ratione demitigari: quæ nostra destitutio
Dominam Guercheuillæam, religiosissimam, & ingentis animi feminam,
acriter pupugit; sed ea qua est sollertia, confestim ad manum habuit
rationem, qua non iam vt vectores nos, sed vt partiarios, exclusis
inhumanis Hæreticis, in nauem induceret. Quattuor igitur millium
Librarum stipem de principibus viris ac feminis ex Aula, paucis diebus,
corrogat, quantum erat opus ad nauem instruendam; eaque collate summa,
Caluinianos illos duos nautica societate deiicit, simulque idoneam
fortem constituit, vnde Canadicæ negotiationis præfecti perpetuam
quotannis pensionem nostræ Missioni penderent. Sublatis itaque, illius
feminæ industria, quæ nos morabantur impedimentis, ternis serè mensibus
adornandæ naui consumtis, huius tandem sæculi anno vndecimo, ante diem
sextum calendas Februarias, è littore Dieppensi, Deo duce, soluimus,
totóque quadrimestri nauigantes Campsæum in portum, Australis littoris
Nouæ Franciæ appulsi sumus; inde centum viginti leucarum vel maritima,
vel terrestri via Portum [572] Regium lætantes iniuimus. Quæ sollemnia
sunt Societatis hominibus in eo nautico cursu pietatis, demissionis,
humanitatis erga omne hominum genus, hæc, tantò minùs ab nostris
omissa sunt, quòd ingentis momenti expeditio instituebatur, & præter
Caluinianos nonnullos, iis præfectis vel sociis rei nauticæ vtebamur,
quos, nostræ consuetudinis ratione, omnino oportebat de Societatis
Instituto rectiùs, quàm imbuti accesserant, imbui. Appellentibus nobis
ad illius orbis littora nauigium, factus est obuiam Champlænius, cum
cætera virtute, tum septenni iam illius maris nauigatione clarus,
quem summo nostro stupore spectauimus aduersum glaciatas aquæ moles,
ingentibus terræ collibus magnitudine pares, maximis animis, ac
singulari industria & arte decertantem, interque illa pericula fortiter
enauigantem. De Sancto-Laurentio, amne Canadiensium maximo, scribit
idem Camplænius in nauigationum commentariis, eius summas aquas tribus
totis in imum vlnis conglaciari Ianuario, & insequentibus mensibus
duobus ab ostio sursum versùs, centum leucarum itinere, nec vltrà
procedere rigorem aquæ, cum tamen nulla pars fluminis, directo alueo ab
occasu in ortum manantis, sit Aquilonibus altera propior, aut montibus
ad apricationem tectior. Addit etiam, ineunte Aprili, soluta glaciei
tanta vi, Sancti-Laurenti laxissimum ostium congelatis molibus pæne
obstrui, quas ait in altum mare longiùs prouectas, duodenis diebus,
quotannis ferè liquari.
Potrincourt had asked of Henry IV. the fort at Port Royal, because
it had been granted as a gift to him by sieur de Monts at the very
time of its establishment, which was perhaps the best reason he
could give for advancing and maintaining his pretensions, and had
obtained not merely a claim upon it, but its possession. Following
the grant of this fort, and also the government of a definite
territory in New France, to Potrincourt, the King informed Father
Coton[68] that he wished to employ the services of our Brethren in
bringing the Savages to Christ. He also desired him to write to
the General of the Society, in his own name, in order that Fathers
might be selected for this undertaking, whom the King himself would
take measures to send thither at the first available opportunity,
while an annuity of 2,000 livres was to be allowed the Mission. It
was during the eighth year of this century when the King made this
decision in regard to Canadian affairs; but, in spite of his plans,
by reason of more weighty business which called his attention
elsewhere, [570] and also the hindrance caused by his death, but
especially because of the negligence of those who were managing
the Canadian province for the Crown, the departure of our brethren
was delayed until the third year thereafter. Moreover, either by
some accident, or by the purpose of men, it came to be delayed the
entire space of three years, although our brethren were already
equipped. Such difficulties, also, suddenly arose as plainly showed
that our plans for this voyage were displeasing to the Evil Spirit.
The Queen had paid over 500 golden crowns, according to the decree
of the late King; Mesdames _de Vernueil_, _de Sourdis_, and _de
Guercheville_ had given generous contributions,--one, the sacred
furniture of the altar; another, an abundance of linen vestments;
the third, a very liberal allowance of money for the expenses
of the voyage. Father Pierre Biard and Father Enemund Massé had
been selected for the undertaking, and had prepared themselves
with great courage, eagerly awaiting their departure. The day
for sailing had been agreed upon by them with Biencourt, the son
of Potrincourt, and Thomas Robin, the leaders of the expedition,
for the 24th day of October, 1610; but, when they arrived upon
that day, the ship was undergoing repairs, and that, too, in a
negligent manner, upon the land; so far was it from being provided
with suitable equipment either for navigation or for the Canadian
colony. Two Calvinists had devoted their services and resources to
the repair of the ship, and, because Biencourt and Robin lacked
means to pay for the work, the Calvinist merchants had contracted
for a specified portion of the profits of the voyage. By this
right, as masters in the ship, they thought themselves able to
declare, in the presence of the Jesuits, that there would be no
place for them in the vessel; [571] and they emphatically asserted
that, if it should be otherwise, they would straightway forsake the
prosecution of the work, and all other business in their contract.
From this resolution, not even the authority of the Queen herself,
pronounced with dignity and severity by Sieur _de Cicoigne_, the
royal Governor of the city of Dieppe, could move these servants of
Calvin. The matter was apparently in a desperate condition, because
only this one ship was that year being fitted out for New France,
and the two Calvinists would not permit themselves to be moved
in any respect. This difficulty of ours deeply pained Madame de
Guercheville, a woman of extreme piety and great spirit; but her
ingenuity speedily devised a method by which she might place us
on the ship, not as passengers, but as partners, to the exclusion
of the churlish Heretics. She therefore collected in a few days,
from the leading men and women of the Court, 4,000 livres, as
much as was necessary for fitting out the ship; and by raising
that sum deprived the two Calvinists of a share in the vessel,
establishing at the same time a sufficient capital from which there
might each year be paid to the director of the Canadian undertaking
an allowance for our Mission. When, therefore, by the diligence
of this woman, the obstacles which delayed us had been removed,
although nearly three months had been spent in equipping the ship,
still, in the eleventh year of this century, on the 24th day of
January, we set sail under the leadership of God, from the shore at
Dieppe; and, after a voyage lasting in all four months, arrived at
Campseau harbor, on the Southern coast of New France; at a distance
thence of 120 leagues, either by sea or land, we joyfully entered
Port [572] Royal. The exercises of the members of the Society
in piety, humility, and kindness toward all manner of men, were
especially observed by our brethren during that sea-voyage, because
an expedition of great importance was being undertaken, and also
for the reason that, besides a few Calvinists, we were associated
with officers and seamen to whom it was absolutely necessary that
we should, on account of our frequent intercourse, give more
correct ideas concerning the Institutum[69] of the Society than
they had formerly received. When we brought the ship to the coast
of this region, Champlain[70] met us,--a man renowned not only for
his valor in other respects, but also for his voyages in this sea
for seven years past; whom, to our utter amazement, we have seen
battling against masses of ice, equal in size to great hills upon
land, with the greatest courage, and with remarkable activity and
skill, sailing forth bravely amid all these dangers. Concerning the
St. Lawrence, the greatest river of Canada, this same Champlain
writes, in his commentaries upon his voyages, that its surface
is frozen to the depth of three entire yards, during January and
the two following months, to the distance of a hundred leagues
upward from its mouth; and that the freezing of the water does
not extend farther, although no part of the river, since it flows
directly from west to east, is more Northerly than another, or more
protected by mountains, so as to be warmer. He adds also that in
the beginning of April, by the melting of so great a mass of ice,
the broad mouth of the St. Lawrence is almost blocked with frozen
masses, which, he says, are carried forth a long distance into the
sea, and usually melt within twelve days, each year.
APPVLSVS nostrorum ad Francicum Sinum, [573] Portumque Regium, in
ante diem septimum calendas Quintiles, eumdemque Pentecostes sacrum
felicissimo planè omine incidit. Nihil Potrincourtio accidere poterat
allato commeatu opportunius, si tamen is amplus esset, vt quem rei
angustiæ coegerant, Barbaris partem familiæ alendam diuidere. Vt
ne autem instructiores à commeatu veniremus, fecerat tum nauigij,
sexaginta dumtaxat doliorum, breuitas; tum plus instrumenti piscatorij,
quàm cibariorum in nauem immissum; tum deniq; ab tricenis senis
capitibus, quot vehebamur, grauior in nauticam penum illata solido
quadrimestri labes. Quamobrem Potrincourtio sexaginta hominum
contubernio, tenuissima re domestica, iam eum pæne ipsis initiis
opprimente, maturè prouidendum fuit, ne Portus Regij penuaria cella
in sequentem hiemem exhausta relinqueretur. Cuius procurationis, vt
familiæ patrem decuit, sumto sibi onere, ipse in Galliam traiecturus,
de Porturegiensi multitudine pæne quadragesimus medio Iulio soluit,
exeuntéque Augusto Galliæ littori appulsus est, relicto Biencourtio
filio, cum reliqua cohorte, qui Porturegiensi arci præsideret.
THE arrival of our brethren at French Bay [573] and Port Royal
occurred on the 26th day of June, and also,--certainly a most
auspicious omen,--the sacred feast of Pentecost. Nothing more
opportune could have happened to Potrincourt than the arrival of
supplies, if only these had been abundant, since his privations
had compelled him to place a portion of the colony to be supported
among the Savages. Moreover, the fact that we had not come
well-furnished with provisions was due, not only to the smallness
of the ship, which was of only sixty tons burden, but also to the
placing of more fishing tackle than provisions in the cargo; then,
finally, by thirty-six persons, the number which was on board,
there was a great consumption of the ship's stores during four
entire months. Wherefore, Potrincourt, almost overwhelmed, at the
outset, by the necessity of maintaining sixty men in this scarcity
of provisions, was forced to take early precautions lest the
meagerly furnished storehouse at Port Royal should be left bare for
the coming winter. As behooved the father of the colony, he took
upon himself the burden of managing this business, and resolved
that he himself would cross over to France. With about forty of the
people at Port Royal, leaving his son Biencourt in command of the
fort there, and the rest of the company, he set sail in the middle
of July; and, in the latter part of August, he reached the French
coast.
NOSTRIS interea, quod suarum partium esset, enixè satagentibus,
cordi erat in primis popularis linguæ cognitio, quam Galli leuiter
modò delibatam, si vnum exciperes, tradere præceptis, vsúve docere
non poterant; vt vna dumtaxat reliqua esset ratio eius ab stupidis
indigenis, non institutione, sed assidua consuetudine tandem
exprimendæ. His itaque, muneribus, comitate, atque [574] omni
officij genere conciliandis cùm nostri nihil non tentassent, parum
aut nihil permouerunt. Enimuerò, præterquam quod minimè idoneis ad
disciplinam magistris vtebantur, à quibus nihil expromeres, nisi
affluẽter antè saginato aqualiculo, & quos moræ, vel non diuturnæ,
impatientissimos idemtidem abs te abalienaret, auelleretque studiosa
cuiusque rei percontatio: ipsa quoque linguæ conditio, idoneorum,
ad res etiam vulgatissimas, vocabulorum indigentissimæ, nostrorum
incensa studia destituit, & animos grauiter afflixit. Rerum scilicet,
quæ sub aspectum, tactum, & reliquos sensus cadunt, ex Barbarorum
responsis nomenclatio vtcumque deprehendebatur: sed earum quæ sensuum
vim fugiunt, summa est apud eam gentem appellationum penuria, & alta
quoque rerum ignoratio. Posterioris autem generis desperata disciplina,
cum neque priorem Barbari aut possent, aut vellent tradere; vna
reliqua spes erat in adolescente Gallo, vernaculæ linguæ bene perito,
eximia humanitate, & comitate, quem etiam Pater Biardus non vulgari
beneficio sibi demeruerat. Is erat Pontgrauæus, Pongrauæi filius,
egregij viri superioribus annis cum Champlænio vices Domini de Monts
in Francia Noua gerentis; quem adolescentem, decem & octo leucis
Regio portu non longiùs, hiemare parantem, ad amnem Sancti Ioannis,
summa ipsius voluntate, nullius incommodo, nostri eius institutione
Canadicum idioma erudiẽdi adire cuperent. Verumtamen Biencourtius
eius profectionis consultus, ac rogatus etiam à nostris, vt, eius
bona venia, [575] proficere per Pontgrauæum in peregrino idiomate
sibi liceret, cuius ignoratione, suæ nauigationis in Nouam Franciam
fructu penitus exciderent: quòd ea communicatio cum Pontgrauæo
nouarum rerum supicionem moueret Biencourtio, nihil impetrarunt.
Tantisper ergo nostris has difficultates æquo animo tolerantibus, dum
qua se aperiret via suo instituto conuenientior, Deus materiam non
procul quæsitam subiecit, de grauiter ægroto. Henrico Membertouio,
Sagamo, bene merendi; & corporis, & animi eius diligenter curanda
salute. SAGAMO apud eam gentem cuiusque populi præses appellatur:
Sagamon verò agebat inter Souriquios, in Acadia, Membertouius, ad
Aquilonare latus Porturegiensis castelli, ad Sancti Ioannis flumen.
Cùm tamen dysenteria cœpit tentari, degebat in _Baïa Mariana_, vt
vocant, hoc est, in Mariano Sinu, Portum Regium inter, Meridianumque
littus, vnde asportari se iusserat in arcem, vt medicorum nostrorum
curatione vteretur. Angusta sua cellula eum nostri exceperunt,
diebusque non paucis, absente ipsius coniuge, ac filia, diu noctuque,
in grauissimo sordidi morbi fœtore, pro assiduissimis, & maximè
sollicitis ministris ei libentissimè operam suam nauauere. Is vbi
Confessione fuerat expiatus, Sacróque inunctus oleo, de sepultura sua
egit cum Biencourtio, seque humari velle ait in maiorum suo sepulcro.
Biencourtius, qui tanti rem esse non putaret, facilè assentiebatur;
auditisque Patris Biardi contra suam sententiam rationibus, occurri
posse incommodis censebat, si [576] sepulcrum illud ritu Christiano
lustraretur; quæ Biencourtij opinio Membertouium tantò constantiorem
in suo decreto cùm faceret, Pater Biardus neque id se illis assensurum
confirmauit, & cur non assentiretur ostendit. Non dubium erat, quin
si Sagamus in consilio perstaret, eiusque adstipulator fieri pergeret
Biencourtius, offensionis atque turbarum inde quidpiam oriretur: sed
huic malo Diuina occurrit prouidentia; postridie siquidem Membertouius
sua sponte postulauit commune Christianorum cœmeterium, qua & in
sententia mortem obiit; vti scilicet hoc suo facto fidem suam omnibus
Christianis ac Barbaris testatam relinqueret, suffragiorumque Ecclesiæ
fieret particeps. Magnus omnino vir fuit hic Sagamus, non suorum magis,
quàm nostrorum iudicio, cuius eximiam indolem supra vulgare Canadiorum
ingenium longè ideo extulisse visus est Deus optimus, vt hunc sibi
iustas eius gentis primitias legeret. Ex octogenis ferè Nouo-Francis,
quos ab ineunte Iunio anni sexcentesimi decimi, nulla planè imbutos
catechesi, temere Baptismo impertierat Iossæus nescio quis, sui muneris
parum intelligens sacerdos, vnus dumtaxat Membertouius, pro eo quantum
suos omnes populares sagacitate & prudentia longo interuallo anteibat,
sollerter dispexerat, quanti esset, Christianum non censeri quidem, sed
reipsa idoneis eo nomine præditum moribus viuere. Et certè reliquis
omnibus de illo octogenario belluinum à Baptismo viuendi morem perpetuò
retinentibus, hic solus vt Christiano dignum erat, in [577] multa
etiam ignorantia, priusquam eò nostri aduenissent, vitam cum laude
traduxit. Primus omnium de Nouo-Francis salutaribus aspersus aquis,
earum vim potentissimam ita scilicet visus est combibisse, vt ei nihil
longius esset quã vt eos nãcisceretur magistros, quorum disciplina
Christianis institutis eò vsque instrueretur, dum idoneus fieret,
qui suos inter populares Apostolicum ageret doctorem. Ardentis huius
desiderij locupletes testes nostri, has voces eius ex ore sæpenumerò
exceperunt: Per Deum immortalem, date operam Patres, nostrum vt idioma
breui perdiscatis, vti vobis doctoribus vsus, sicuti vos estis, ego
quoque concionator, & docendi magister euadã, nostráque coniuncta
opera Nouo-Francorũ gens vniuersa ad Christum traducatur. Hunc virum,
vix quindecim mensibus, ex quo in Christianorum numerum venerat,
superstitem, paucis diebus nostra institutione informatum, multæ tamen
verè Christiani ac pij animi virtutes illustrem fecerant; quam scilicet
tam vberem frugem singulares probæ indolis dotes in eo nuper, patriis
etiam moribus viuente, præsagierant. Omnium prouincialium testimonio,
quotquot multis antè sæculis floruerant, Sagamos hic vnus animi robore,
muneris militaris scientia, clientelarum multitudine, frequentiáque,
potentia, & gloriosi nominis claritudine inter suos, atque ipsos hostes
facilè superauit. Quem celebritatis splendorem perpetuum non potuit,
etiam inter Barbaros, nulla vllius rei doctrina imbutos, consequi,
nisi ex certa fama, adeóque etiam notitia eximiæ in eo vigentis [578]
æquitatis, atque temperantiæ. De temperantia quidem eius, vt prætereà
nihil afferri possit, luculentum sanè fuit, sibi magnoperè moderantis
hominis, documentum, perpetua in Membertouio monogamia, quo in genere
solitarium verè phœnicem Nouo-Francia eum adhuc agnouit. Quod enim
reliqui omnes indigenæ, sed Sagami præsertim, ex vxorum multitudine
stirpis numerosam seriem expetunt summoperè, atque sperant, suæ
vtique potentiæ singulare columen ac firmamentum; id vti more gentis
vsurparet, adduci numquam potuit Membertouius, quòd altiore quadam,
supra vulgus Sagamorum, sapientia perspiceret, grauiora inter discordes
vxores, & earum liberos simultatum, sub eodem tecto, detrimenta
existere, quàm emolumenta opum, & neutiquam consentientis potentiæ.
Sollemne est illi genti, ex superstitioso ritu, quod genus omnes
habent præcipuum, demortuorum neminem suo vnquam nomine appellare,
sed aduentitium cuiuis, ex re nata, indere, quo cum perpetuo inter
commemorandum denotent: quo ex more Henricum Membertouium ab virtutibus
bellicis nuper clarissimum, congruenti eius laudibus nomenclatione,
Magnum Imperatorem, suo idiomate, nuncuparunt.