MARGARET BOURGEOIS, AFTER MANY TRIALS AND MORTIFICATIONS, AT LENGTH
SAILS WITH M. DE MAISONNEUVE FOR CANADA.
In a proceeding chapter we have spoken of M. de Maisonneuve, who was a
native of Champenois, and consequently a fellow-countryman of Margaret
Bourgeois--so favorably does divine Providence dispose the course of
future events. We have also seen what a remarkable chain of
circumstances led to his appointment as first Governor of Montreal. One
might almost consider it _miraculous_. He laid the foundations of the
new city, under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin--naming it
Ville-Marie, City of Mary. He had two sisters in the city of Troyes, one
a religieuse of the Congregation of Notre Dame, the other a secular
lady--Mme. de Chuly, of whom mention has been made. Before he left
France he confided to these pious ladies his views for the advancement
of religion, and his intention to build a city in honor of the Mother of
God engaging them to unite with him in prayer for its success. As soon
as the Congregation Sisters heard of the project they offered to
accompany him, and establish in the New World a community of their
Order. But as he was not prepared to make such an establishment, and as
they pressed him very urgently to comply, he contented himself by
promising that, in the future, if both parties agreed, he would attempt
a foundation. As a pledge of their mutual understanding, they presented
him a statue of the Blessed Virgin, on which were inscribed the
following words: "Sainte Mere de Dieu, et Vierge au Coeur loyal, Gardez
nous une place, en votre Mont-Royal."
It is true there was to be, in the new city, a community of Christian
virgins specially devoted to Mary, but it was not the _religieuses of
Troyes_ God intended to be there, and so the matter ended. Three years
after, when M. de Maisonneuve returned to France to procure assistance
for Ville-Marie, he again visited these religieuses, who importuned him
anew to take some of them to Canada, but he assured them as before that
matters were not sufficiently matured in the New World for the
establishment of a cloistered Sisterhood. So neither party took any more
decisive step than a renewal of good wishes, and indefinite promises for
the future. Divine Providence, meanwhile, was quietly preparing the way
for the accomplishment of its inscrutable designs, not yet manifested.
While these good ladies were filled with ardent hopes of the near future
of their Canadian establishment, Margaret Bourgeois had many business
interviews with them, being Prefect of the extern congregation connected
with their monastery, and her singular virtue being very well known,
they spoke to her confidentially of the expected mission they had so
much at heart, frequently asking if she did not wish to be one of those
selected for Ville-Marie. This was plainly hinting that they would not
object to her joining their community. But, though God _did_ intend her
for Canada, He did _not_ intend her for that Order; therefore she made
no other reply to their proposal than that she desired to do the will of
God with her whole heart, whenever and wherever He would please to
manifest it to her. Although she had hitherto met with refusals on
applying for admission to religious communities, yet she was not
discouraged, and the proposal of the Canadian mission only incited her
to learn the will of God, with more ardor than before. She sought the
advice of her spiritual directors, knowing that their decisions were the
usual means God makes use of in the direction of souls. M. Jandret being
consulted, advised her to think seriously on the matter, as it seemed to
him it might be the will of God she should go to Canada. However,
diffiding in his own light, he recommended her to consult M. Pertuis
another experienced priest, who was of the same opinion with the former,
and both advised her to ask advice of the Bishop of Troyes. This
distinguished prelate being absent at the time, she had recourse to M.
Rose, his vicar general, who counselled her at once to go to Canada, as
it seemed to be the will of God she should. Having thus taken every
precaution that prudence suggested to learn the divine will, Sister
Bourgeois no longer doubted of her vocation for Canada, but God had not
yet declared either the time or the manner of her going. It was natural
to suppose she would accompany the religieuses of the Congregation, but
the Great Disposer of events ordained differently. During all this time,
the savage Iroquois had repeated their attacks on the people of Montreal
with the wildest fury. Men, women, and children fell beneath the
tomahawk, and in 1651, M. de Maissonneuve was obliged to return a second
time to France for military assistance. On these occasions he never
failed to go to the city of Troyes, to visit the members of his family
who resided there, and also to pay a visit of respect to the religieuses
of the Congregation, for whom he entertained a sincere friendship, his
sister being a member of the community. On the eve of his arrival,
Sister Bourgeois had a singular prediction of the future. She saw in a
dream, a grave, venerable-looking man, dressed like an ecclesiastic,
standing silently before her. The form and features of the man, who was
not then known to her, remained distinctly imprinted on her imagination,
and she had an indefinable inspiration that he was to be in some way
connected with the work for which God intended her. She related the
dream to some of her friends, and three days afterwards M. de
Maisonneuve arrived at Troyes. He called at the Convent, when as usual
the subject of the proposed foundation at Ville-Marie was discussed.
Sister Bourgeois was sent for, that _her_ opinion might be heard with
the others. On entering the parlor, the first person that attracted her
attention was the strange gentleman, who corresponded exactly to the
person she had seen in her dream. Struck with astonishment, she could
not help exclaiming, "Behold the priest of my dream." She was requested
to relate the dream, which she did quite simply, and as a matter of
course, had to submit to a good deal of badinage about her vision, as
they called it, but jest soon turned to earnest, and before parting M.
de Maisonneuve and Sister Bourgeois conceived a lasting friendship for
each other. He asked if she would like to go to Montreal and teach a
primary school for girls, to which she promptly replied that nothing
would afford her greater pleasure, and that nothing was more suited to
her inclinations. By her reply he understood that Divine Providence had
fitted her for the New World, although he had not the most remote idea
of the great things intended to be accomplished by her ever-increasing
zeal. In the then state of the colony he felt convinced that nothing was
more conducive to its welfare than the Christian education of children,
and as the inhabitants were few, one skilful mistress would easily
suffice; nor could he, at the time, procure a suitable dwelling for
more. He accepted the offer of Sister Bourgeois on the spot, and the
religieuses thanked him for even that concession, awaiting, as they
said, a happier occasion for the foundation they so eagerly desired. The
occasion, however, never presented itself, and they seemed to have some
such presentiment, as they charged Margaret Bourgeois with breach of
faith in accepting the proposal without their consent. Seeing they were
touched with a sort of holy jealousy, she pleasantly replied, that if
she had promised to go with them to Ville-Marie, she was ready to fulfil
her promise, but if she had _not_ made the promise, or if they delayed
too long, she should certainly go without them.
As soon as Mlle. Crolo (whom she so heroically saved from dishonor)
heard of her determination to cross the sea, she begged with much
earnestness to accompany her, but this M. de Maisonneuve would not
permit at the time, because he was bringing a regiment of soldiers to
the New World, for the defence of Ville-Marie. This circumstance
frightened Sister Bourgeois very much, as she found herself alone, and
without escort, in the midst of a troop of soldiers, Her modesty was
alarmed, and she sought her confessor's advice in the new danger. He
told her that to judge according to the ordinary rules of prudence, it
would be unsafe for an unmarried female to undertake a voyage of so much
consequence, unaccompanied by one of her own sex, but that in her case,
there were so many marks of a particular providence, the common rules of
prudence might be set aside, and as he knew the exalted character of M.
de Maisonneuve, he said to his penitent, confidently, "Go, repose entire
trust in the prudence of that gentleman; he will be the guardian of your
chastity, as he is one of the first chevaliers of the Queen of Angels."
But even this assurance did not calm her fears, until the Blessed Virgin
herself reassured her. One morning before she arose, being fully awake,
and occupied with holy thoughts, a lady clothed in dazzling white robes,
and of extraordinary beauty, suddenly stood before her, and said, slowly
and distinctly: "Go to Canada. I will never abandon you." After which
the glorious vision disappeared. Margaret's heart was filled with
strength and joy, because she knew the peerless Mother of God had spoken
to her. When M. Jandret heard it he rejoiced exceedingly, and predicted
great results from the voyage, even hinting that she might possibly be
able to form in Canada the community they had both failed to establish
in Troyes. She replied that nothing was further from her thoughts than
the establishment of any community, more especially, as she was to live
alone at Ville-Marie. "Nevertheless," responded the good priest, "my
good angel and yours shall be the first members." Satisfied with the
pious ideas thus suggested, she quietly set to work at the preparations
for the voyage across the Atlantic, which was then considered a very
extraordinary affair. M. de Maisonneuve told her they would set sail at
the end of May, it being then February, that the embarkation would take
place at Nantes, in Bretagne, and advised her to be there in advance of
him. He also gave her a letter of recommendation to M. le Coq, a
merchant of that city, requesting him to offer her the hospitalities of
his home during her stay, and promising to rejoin her as soon as his
business was satisfactorily arranged. Everything else he left to her own
prudence and discretion. Any other person, except Sister Bourgeois, or
an apostle, would have prepared a good supply of clothing, and provided
a sufficient sum of money for so long a journey, but she being fully
convinced that to follow Jesus Christ it was necessary to forsake all
things, began by despoiling herself of what she possessed, bestowing her
money and clothing on the poor, and reserving nothing except a little
package of linen, in order to appear decent. She carried the package to
the ship herself, feeling that no one was worthy of wearing the livery
of Christ, who was not poor and lowly like Him. She had not as yet
informed her relations of her intention to leave the land of her birth,
that she might escape their solicitations to remain where she was known
and loved. Therefore she resolved to go to Paris on the pretext of
business. At the same time, her uncle, M. Cossard, who was guardian of
the minors of her family, and Mme. de Chuly, with whom she was residing,
had each occasion to go to Paris, and so all three travelled in the same
conveyance. This was on the 6th of February, 1653, Margaret Bourgeois
being thirty-three years old. It was thirty-six leagues from Troyes to
Paris, and when they were some distance on the road, she told them her
intention for the first time, declaring that she had left Troyes never
to return, and that she went to Paris only to take the route for Canada,
whither she was to accompany M. de Maisonneuve. Her companions supposed
she was talking to amuse either herself or them, and were not in the
least disturbed by her declaration, nor convinced of the reality, until
they arrived at Paris. Then she requested her uncle to conduct her to a
notary's office, as she had business to transact. He complied with her
request, but was astonished beyond measure when she assured him
seriously that she was going to relinquish, by a legal procedure, all
that might revert to her of the family inheritance, and place it in
_his_ hands for the benefit of the two children who were minors, knowing
that her trust would not be misplaced, as he was their guardian. She had
already made the sacrifice interiorly, many years before, by the vow of
poverty, and she now determined to make it legally, in a manner not to
be reversed. M. Cossard endeavored to dissuade his niece from such an
absurdity, as it appeared to him, but his eloquence and reasoning were
useless, and the property was deeded away. He next tried to convince her
that her vocation was chimerical, and the result of a sort of religous
enthusiasm, which would die a natural death. And lest his rhetoric
should not produce the desired effect, he started back to Troyes, where
she was universally known and esteemed, to tell the news, and call to
his aid the sympathies of her friends. As a matter of course, every one
disapproved of her proceedings (when was anything undertaken for the
glory of God, approved of by the children of this world?), and she was
overwhelmed with letters from all quarters, containing criticisms on her
conduct, and assuring her that she was acting a very foolish part. But
her constancy remained unshaken, as conscience told her her resolution
was made for the glory of God. This trial was followed by two others,
which were calculated either to unsettle or confirm her vocation, as,
under the guise of prudence, a seemingly greater good was proposed. In
fact, a person less enlightened in the ways of God would have wavered at
this period of her life. During her sojourn in Paris, she resided with a
certain Mme. de Bellevue, a woman of merit and and virtue, but who, it
must be acknowledged, used her tongue pretty freely on certain
occasions.
This lady had two distinguished brothers, one a canon of la Sainte
Chapelle, the other being Provincial of the Carmelites in the Province
of Paris. Both gentlemen were informed of the arrival of the lady from
Troyes, whom Mme. Bellevue described as wonderfully as possible.
However, they learned from _herself_ two things, which the devil
endeavored to turn to _his_ advantage; first, that she was on the point
of going alone to Montreal with M. de Maisonneuve, and second, that she
had at one time a strong inclination to join the Carmelite Order, which
had so far refused to receive her. These good people conceived a high
idea of her sanctity during her short stay among them, and persuaded
themselves they would be doing her a service, if they could induce her
to give up the Canadian mission. The news of the murderous attack of the
savages on the colonists of Montreal had reached them, and they made the
most of the information. They even represented M. de Maisonneuve as a
dangerous man, who was quite capable of abusing her confidence, and
although she would not permit herself to believe such an assertion, she
experienced much interior trouble. In this perplexity of mind, she
sought advice from M. Carme, a holy priest who held her in great
veneration. To console her, he promised to procure her admission into
any Convent of the Carmelite Order in the province, that she should
select. It was human policy to attack her weak side, _if she had any_,
touching the Carmelites, and the temptation to abandon her original
design was so much the more pressing, as she still had a greater desire
to embrace and practise the austerities of Mt. Carmel, than any other
order of the Church. She had, moreover, time enough to deliberate, and
although she secured her seat in the coach from Paris to Orleans, which
was to start next day, she now gave it up, fearing exceedingly that by
refusing the offer made her, she would be refusing the will of God. This
fear threw her into an agony of doubt. It was only a temptation,
however, and in order to restore her peace of mind, she went to the
Jesuits of Saint Antoine, that she might discover more clearly, if
possible, the will of God by the decision of these wise directors. The
Father to whom she revealed the state of her conscience was the oracle
destined by heaven to decide her vocation for life. After hearing the
wonderful history of God's providence over her, he told her to go to
Canada without fear, and leave the result in the hands of Mary her
Mother. A great and blessed calm instantly succeeded to the storm that
agitated her soul, and leaving the Jesuit church, she went directly to
the Provincial of the Carmelites to thank him for the good will he had
shown her, and without more ado, again took her seat in the coach for
Orleans, which was to leave on the morrow. But this was not the least of
her trials. It seemed as if the contemplated voyage was to bring upon
her a series of the saddest and most insupportable humiliations. As
there was no female travelling with her, and as she evidently possessed
nothing but the clothing she wore, and the package she carried, her
companions of the coach made her feel that they regarded her as an
adventuress, who ought not be admitted into honest society. When they
arrived at Orleans, the host would not permit her to remain at the inn,
although she begged humbly and tearfully for shelter during the night,
offering to sit by the fire, if they would not give her a room. Seeing
her reduced to the extremity of staying all night in the street the
driver of the conveyance offered his room to her. He was prompted to do
so, however, not by charitable, but by criminal motives. In her
ignorance of the man's villany, she accepted the offer, and remained on
her knees in prayer till the sun rose next day. Several times during the
night, this person and his depraved associates attempted to force open
her door, but Margaret Bourgeois was safe under the protection of Mary,
her powerful guardian, and their repeated attempts to effect an entrance
proved unsuccessful. In the morning she discovered another smaller door
in the room, concealed by a curtain. This opened directly into the scene
of the past night's debaucheries, and then she saw the horrors she
escaped. Full of gratitude to the Immaculate Mother of God, who had so
signally preserved her, she prayed and wept together. Very early in the
morning she started off alone, and unobserved, to continue her journey,
and secured a passage in the boat on the Loire, which had twelve other
passengers. Among them there was only one woman, who carried an infant
in her arms. Sister Bourgeois had the address to engage the entire party
in exercises of piety during the river journey, which lasted several
days, as the distance from Orleans to Nantes was almost one hundred
leagues. Each day they recited together the office of the Blessed
Virgin, and the rosary, after which she read a chapter from a spiritual
book, on the duties of a Christian life, to which all listened
attentively. One Saturday evening she obtained permission from the
captain of the boat to go ashore, and enjoy the privilege of assisting
at Mass on Sunday; which was a favor not usually accorded to the
passengers. After sailing for some days they arrived at Saumur, where
they made a short stay, as the boat needed repairs. Here also a public
humiliation awaited this extraordinary woman. On presenting herself at
the inn, in company with so many men, suspicion again closed the door
against her. She was told plainly that an honest woman would not travel
as she did, and that the credit of the house would be injured, by
receiving her as a guest; nor did the companions of her journey
sympathize with her in the least, on receiving the insult, although she
had edified them very much since they left Orleans. Such marks of man's
inconstancy frequently occur in every grade of society. However, a
charitable citizen of Saumur, who was present, being touched with
compassion by the modesty and meekness with which she received the
affront, offered her the hospitality of his home, which she gratefully
accepted. It is remarkable that these cruel insults cooled neither her
determination nor her fervor; on the contrary, she interiorly rejoiced
at the high honor God conferred upon her, by permitting her to share in
the contempt and humiliation of His divine Son, whom the Jewish rabble
maligned and cursed, and almost as extraordinary is the fact that she
completely regained her influence over her inconstant fellow-travellers,
when they again met on the boat to continue their route. They arrived at
Nantes three or four days afterwards. One of the party was a young man
who had determined to enlist in M. de Maisonneuve's regiment for Canada.
He had many opportunities of noticing the exalted virtue of Margaret
Bourgeois during the week, and politely offered to carry her little
package when they left the boat. Even this attention of Christian
charity drew upon her a fresh humiliation. Accompanied by the stranger,
she enquired for the residence of M. le Coq, merchant of Nantes, which
was the address given her by M. de Maisonneuve, but the gentleman was
not known by that name in the city; he was there styled M. de la
Bassonniers. She walked along every street in Nantes to find him, and
was about giving up in despair, when she suddenly encountered at a
crossing a brusque, business-looking man, whom she timidly requested to
direct her to the residence of M. le Coq. "_I_ am the person you seek,
madame," he replied, "and if I mistake not, you are the lady concerning
whom M. de Maisonneuve wrote me a few days since," handing her the
letter of her friend at the same time. Margaret was very agreeably
surprised by the providential rencontre, and began to hope that the
mortifications of her eventful journey were drawing to a close. The
merchant directed her to his home, which was not far distant, and
assuring her of a hearty welcome from his wife, left her abruptly to
attend to his own concerns. On arriving at the house, she met Mme. le
Coq, who was highly indignant to learn that her husband sent her a young
woman to entertain, accompained by a rustic who carried her clothing. "I
will positively receive no such people into my house," she said, "you
must depart forthwith." And poor weary Sister Bourgeois did depart, but
she went on her way rejoicing to suffer reproach for the cause of Jesus,
and entered a neighboring church, where, at that very hour, was being
held a procession in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. She assisted
devoutly at the ceremony, and as she was not easily disconcerted by the
repulses which were now becoming familiar to her, and also being
fortified by prayer, she coolly determined to pay another visit to Mme.
le Coq. Being an utter stranger to the strong-minded woman, she was
severely reproached for permitting a young man to carry her package, but
as M. le Coq himself then came in sight, the harangue upon propriety
suddenly came to an end. He made the necessary explanations to his irate
lady, and Margaret was received and entertained with cordial
hospitality. The great day of the final embarkation was now approaching,
and God had yet another trial in store to test the fidelity and
constancy of her vocation. While she awaited the arrival of M. de
Maisonneuve she had a strong desire to approach the Sacraments once more
before leaving France, and as she always preferred a Carmelite
confessor, she sought one, and was successful, as there was a Carmelite
church in the city. It was one of her lifelong principles to do nothing
by halves; therefore she once again related her whole past experience to
the good Father, who unhesitatingly advised her to remain in her native
land, and become a Carmelite nun. Humanly speaking, it was natural he
should so advise her. But his suggestions threw her into a dreadful
state of perplexity. On leaving him, she entered the Capuchin church,
where the Blessed Sacrament was still exposed, and prostrating herself
in the presence of God, shed abundant tears in the bitterness of her
soul, protesting that her only desire was to _know_ His will, and _do_
it. During this hour of spirit trial and loving colloquy with her divine
Lord, a light from heaven suddenly enveloped her, her heart was
replenished with the sweetest consolation, and she was made clearly to
understand, at once and forever, that God willed she should go to
Canada. Yet, although she was thus divinely reassured, she would not
neglect the duty of holy obedience, and as her last confessor directed
Her to write to those persons in Paris who had manifested an interest in
her vocation, she did so, rather to thank them for what they had already
done, than to ask them to renew their exertions. But during the three
weeks she still remained in Nantes, she received no reply from these
friends. It seemed now as if the devil had left no stone unturned to
destroy her vocation for Ville-Marie, yet true to his old malice, he
made one more attempt, and this time the trial came from M. de
Maisonneuve himself. As soon as he arrived in Nantes, in order to hasten
the preparations for their departure, he received an anonymous letter,
in which it was alleged, among other unpleasant things, that Margaret
Bourgeois was unfit to accompany him to Canada, as her vocation for the
order of Mt. Carmel was evident, and that this preference would render
her useless to him across the Atlantic. But as he was an upright man,
who could not be terrified by shadows, nor influenced by the assertions
of persons who would not honorably give their names, he contented
himself by showing the cowardly communication to Sister Bourgeois, and
calmly awaited her reply, which, when given, entirely disabused him of
any doubts that might have lessened his confidence in her, and so he
decided to set sail for the New World in July, 1653. During their stay
of three weeks at Nantes, she completely won the esteem and friendship
of M. le Coq and his family. Not only did they refuse to receive payment
for her board, but eagerly pressed her to accept an outfit for the sea
voyage, which they saw she took no care to provide. The kind-hearted
merchant thoughtfully procured a comfortable bed for her, which she
never slept upon, the ship's cordage being her only hammock during the
voyage. He would also have given her a supply of wine, but knowing she
would not use it, he substituted a few casks of fresh water, the lack of
which often causes such frightful sufferings at sea. These were useless
precautions for one who was determined to suffer in the flesh a portion
of the mortifications of Jesus Christ. The water was stored in the ship,
but she did not use it, as she drank only once a day, from a little
leather cup that she carried by her side. She never deviated from this
measure, and used only the tainted water, which was the ordinary
beverage of the common sailors. M. de Maisonneuve wished her to eat at
his table, but to this she would not consent; therefore he sent her
daily a portion of the food prepared for himself, which was more
delicate and better cooked than the ordinary mess. She took it
thankfully, to divide among the sick, using herself only a small share
of the common ship rations. During the voyage she carefully instructed
the soldiers and sailors in the sublime though simple lessons of the
catechism. She served the sick day and night, as there were many
invalids to be found in a raw regiment of one hundred men. She solaced
them in their sufferings with unwearied assiduity, and gave them the
delicacies she received from the commander. Each day she read a lecture
on the practical duties of Christianity, and induced all to recite aloud
the morning and night prayers. Her courage and strength never failed
during the inconveniences of a stormy sea-voyage, which was remarkable,
as she had never been to sea before. She was really the guardian angel
of the ship, and in the exercise of such heroic acts of charity did she
arrive in Canada. However, in spite of her self-sacrificing virtue, she
was the subject of uncharitable criticisms, as M. de Maisonneuve, who
knew her worth, paid unceasing and deserved attention to her wants, and
she testified the most humble and respectful submission to his wishes.
Some who observed this wickedly construed it into hypocrisy to mask lost
virtue, and although the lynx-eyed slanderers did not dare to assert as
much openly on board, yet she knew it was discussed in private. But she
endured the humiliation in silence, as was her custom when calumny of
any kind assailed her.