Volume 8 — [60] CHAPTER IV. (continued 4)

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-S^te 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 S^te 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.

NOVS Estienne Binet Prouincial de la Compagnie de Iesvs en la Prouince de France. Suiuant le Priuilege qui nous a esté octroyé par les Roys Tres-Chrestiens Henry III. le 10. May 1583. Henry IV. le 10. Decembre 1605. & Louys XIII. à present regnant le 14. Feurier 1612. par lequel il est defendu à tous Libraires de n'imprimer aucun Liure de ceux qui sont composez par quelqu'vn de nostre dite Compagnie, sans permission des Superieurs d'icelle: Permettons à Sebastien Cramoisy Marchand Libraire Iuré à Paris, & Imprimeur ordinaire du Roy, de pouuoir imprimer pour dix ans la Relation de ce qui s'est passé en la Nouuelle France, en l'année 1635. à nous enuoyée par le Pere Paul le Ieune de nostre mesme Compagnie, Superieur de la Residence de Kebec. En foy dequoy nous auons signé la presente à Paris ce quinziesme Ianuier 1635.

Signé,

E. Binet.

Approbation.

WE, Estienne Binet, Provincial of the Society of Jesus in the Province of France, in accordance with the License that has been granted to us by the Most Christian Kings, Henry III. May 10th, 1583, Henry IV. December 10th, 1605, and Louys XIII. now reigning February 14th, 1612, by which all Booksellers are prohibited from printing any of the Books which are composed by any one of our said Society, without the permission of the Superiors thereof: We permit Sebastien Cramoisy, Bookseller under Oath in Paris, and Printer in ordinary to the King, to print for ten years the Relation de ce qui s'est passé en la Nouvelle France en l'année 1635, sent to us by Father Paul le Jeune of our same Society, Superior of the Residence of Kebec. In testimony whereof we have signed the present at Paris, this fifteenth of January, 1635.

Signed,

E. Binet.

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