CHAPTER XIII. [i.e., xii.]
THE OPPOSITIONS, AND DIFFICULTIES, WHICH AROSE AT DIEPPE: AND HOW THEY WERE OVERCOME.
THE persecuted and triumphant Woman, whom St. John saw in his Revelation, namely, the Church of God, or more mystically, any heroic soul, Cruciatur [131] ut pariat; endures many convulsions and pains, in order that it may bear fruit. So the conception and development of every good work requires grace. For, in fine, without this celestial seed and germ, our hearts could not conceive nor fashion a living and fruitful organism. But when it comes time for the good work to ripen, I mean when the time of this pious birth of virtue approaches, then it seems that all conspire for the suffocation of this divine creature, then it seems necessary to experience the pains and torments which Satan arouses, and to fear a fruitless abortion, rather than to hope for a happy deliverance. The Jesuits have experienced this everywhere, and especially in regard to the beneficial results which they wished to obtain by the conversion of new France. We [132] have said before that the rendezvous had been appointed for them at Dieppe the 24th of October, for at that time the ship would be like the bird upon the branch, only waiting to fly. But very far from this; they found at Dieppe that the ship had not even been repaired. Furthermore, at their arrival there was great excitement among those of the Reformed Religion. For sieur Robin, who (as we have said) took entire charge of the shipping, had given a commission to two merchants of the Pretended[31] Faith, called du Chesne and du Jardin, to attend to the repairing and loading of the ship, under promise to remunerate them for their time and expense, and to form a partnership with them to divide the profits which would be derived from the trade in skins, and from the cod fisheries. Now the Merchants had, [133] up to that time, advanced but little in the work, I know not why: and from then on they began to delay more than ever. For they were very obstinate, swearing with their loudest oaths, that, if the Jesuits had to enter the ship, they would simply put nothing in it; that they would not refuse all other Priests or Ecclesiastics, and would even support them, but as to the Jesuits, they would not abide them.
On escriuit de cecy en Cour: & la Royne mãda au sieur de Cigoigne, Gouuerneur de Dieppe, qu'il fit sçauoir aux surintendans Consistoriaux estre de sa volonté, ce que son feu Seigneur, & mary auoit projetté de son viuant, sçauoir est, que les Iesuites allassẽt en ses terres de la nouuelle France, & partant, que s'ils s'opposoyent à ce voyage, ils se bandoyent contre [134] son intention, & bon plaisir. Mais pauure esperon. Nos Marchands n'en auãcerent point d'vn pas, & à faute d'argent les sieurs Biencourt, & Robin estoyent cõtraincts de passer sous leur barre: qui à ceste cause leur promirent, & iurerent, que iamais les Iesuites n'entreroyent dans leur nauire. Sous ceste promesse les Marchãds se mirent à equipper, veu mesmement, que les Iesuites n'estoyent plus deuant [174] leurs yeux, car ils s'estoyent retirez à leur College d'Eu.
The Court was informed of this, and the Queen ordered sieur de Cigoigne, Governor of Dieppe, to signify to the superintendents of the Consistory,[32] that she desired what her deceased Lord and husband had planned in his lifetime, namely, that the Jesuits should go to the countries of new France; and therefore, if they opposed this voyage, they were opposing [134] her purpose and good pleasure. But this was a poor spur to action. Our Merchants would not advance one step, and for lack of money sieurs Biencourt and Robin were obliged to pass under their rod; and for this reason they promised and swore to them, that the Jesuits should never enter their ship. Under this promise, the Merchants set to work to equip it, especially as the Jesuits were no longer under their eyes, having retired to their College at Eu.
Or madame la Marquise de Guercheuille ayant ouy ce mespris formel des volontés de la Royne, comme ell'est d'vn cœur genereux, s'indigna que des petits mercadants fussent esté si outrecuidés; & partant estima qu'il les falloit punir iustement en ce qu'ils ont de plus sensible, c'est [135] qu'on se passast d'eux. Ayant dõscques sceu, que tout ce que lesdits Marchands pourroyẽt auoir fourni n'eust sceu monter plus haut de quatre mille liures, elle ne se desdaigna point (à fin que plusieurs eussent part à la bonne œuure) de faire vne queste par tous les plus grands Princes, & Seigneurs de la Cour; moyennant laquelle ceste dicte somme de quatre mille liures fut bien-tost cueillie.
Now madame la Marquise de Guercheville, having heard about this open contempt for the wishes of the Queen, as she is a generous-hearted woman, was indignant at seeing some insignificant peddlers so overbearing: and so she decided justly that they ought to be punished in a way that would hurt them most; namely, [135] that they should be set aside. Now having learned that all the Merchants could have furnished, would not amount to more than four thousand livres, she did not disdain (to the end that many might participate in the good work) to ask a contribution from all the greatest Princes and Grandees of the Court; in this way, the sum of four thousand livres was soon collected.
Or ladicte Dame s'auisa, comm'ell'est fort prudente, que ceste-dicte somme en payant les Marchands, qui auoyent faict la carguaison, & les deboutant de toute association, pourroit encores faire deux grands biens pour la nouuelle France. Le premier que ce seroit vn bon fonds pour y perpetuellemẽt entretenir les Iesuites, sans qu'ils fussent à charge au sieur de Potrincourt, ou autre [136] quelconque, où qu'il fallust tous les ans retourner pour eux à la queste. Le second que par ainsi le profit des pelleteries, & pesche, que ce nauire rapporteroit, ne reuiendroit point en France pour se perdre entre les mains des Marchands, ains redonderoit sur Canada, & là veu qu'il demeuroit en la possessiõ, & puissance des sieurs Robin, & Potrincourt, & s'employeroit à l'entretien de Port Royal, & des François y residants. A ceste cause fut conclud, que cest argent ayant esté mis, & employé au profit de Canada, les Iesuites auroyent part, & associatiõ [176] auec les sieurs Robin, & Biẽcourt, & partageroyent auec eux les emolumẽts, qui en prouiendroyẽt; le gouuernement & debite desdictes marchandises demeurant riere lesdits Robin, & Biencourt, ou leurs Agents. Voila le contract [137] d'associatiõ, duquel l'on a tãt crié iusques à l'enrouëment, si auec cause, on le peut voir. Dieu face, qu'on ne crie iamais contre nous auec plus de raison.
Now this Lady, being very discreet, considered that this sum, in paying the Merchants who had furnished the cargo, and in dismissing them from all association, would also accomplish two great benefits for new France. The first was, that this would always be a good fund with which to maintain the Jesuits there, so that they would not be a burden to sieur de Potrincourt, or any [136] one else, nor would it be necessary to repeat every year the taking up of collections for them. The second was, that by this arrangement the profit from peltries and fish, which this ship would bring back, would not return to France to be lost in the hands of the Merchants, but would redound to the interests of Canada, and there would remain in the possession and power of sieurs Robin and Potrincourt, and would be used for the maintenance of Port Royal and the French residing there. For this reason, it was concluded that this money, having been applied and used for the benefit of Canada, the Jesuits should participate in the business with sieurs Robin, and Biencourt, and should share with them the profits which would be derived therefrom; the management and sales of said merchandise to remain with said Robin and Biencourt or their Agents. This was the contract [137] of partnership,[33] over which they have cried until they are hoarse, whether or not with reason, may be seen. God grant, that they never have greater cause to rail at us.