CHAPTER XXX. [i.e., xxviii.]
[259] THE VOYAGE TO VIRGINIA; AND THE RETURN TO NEW FRANCE.
GOD be praised. Here were now two-thirds of our company conducted back to France, safe and sound, among their friends and kindred, who listen to them as they relate the stories of their wonderful adventures. Consequently you will wish to know what became of the other third, who remained behind in the hands of the English. In truth, a longer and more varied fate awaits them, and all will not emerge therefrom unharmed.
Les Anglois auoyent trois vaisseaux, sçauoir est le leur, auec lequel ils nous auoyent prins, de cent trente tonneaux. Le nostre, qu'ils auoyent saisi de cent tonneaux, [260] & vne barque de douze tonneaux, laquelle pareillement ils tenoyẽt de nous, & ne la nous auoyent point voulu quitter, pour fournir à nostre retour. Ils remplirent ces trois vaisseaux de leurs gens, & nous partagerent entre eux. Le sieur de la Mote, le Capitaine Flory, & le reste d'vne moitié faisant en tout huict personnes, furent logez en la Capitanesse, & les autres en nombre de sept, demeurerent dans le nauire captif, duquel le Lieutenant Turnel estoit faict Capitaine.
The English had three vessels; namely, their own, with which they had captured us, of a hundred and thirty tons; ours, which they had seized, of a hundred tons; [260] and a barque of twelve tons, which they had likewise taken from us, and would not give back to be used for our return. They filled these three vessels with their people, and distributed us among them. Sieur de la Mote, Captain Flory, and half of the rest, making in all eight persons, were placed in the "Capitanesse," and the others, seven in number, remained in the captured ship, of which Lieutenant Turnel was made Captain.
Or pour commencement de mal-heur, on ne conduisit point les Iesuites aux Isles de Peucoit, selon la promesse, ains on les mena droit à la Virginie auec le reste de la troupe, laquelle on consoloit par belles [32] esperances d'autant que (disoit-on) le Mareschal de la Virginie, qui a toute charge, [261] & autorité de iurisdiction, estoit grand amy des François, cõme ayant obtenu tous les principaux honneurs par la recommandation de feu Henry le Grand, & ayant esté son soldat, & son pensionnaire. Cela nous preschoit on souuent.
Now as the beginning of their ill luck, the Jesuits were not taken to the Peucoit Islands, according to promise, but were taken straight to Virginia with the rest of the crowd, who were consoled with bright hopes, inasmuch as (said they) the Marshal of Virginia,[4] who has full power [261] and authority of jurisdiction, was a great friend of the French, as he had secured all his more important honors through the recommendation of the late Henry the Great, having been his soldier and pensioner. This was preached to us frequently.
Mais nos prescheurs ne prenoyent pas leur texte de l'Euangile. Car ce beau Mareschal, qui à leur dire auoit le fil, & la trempe si Françoise, ayant ouy nouuelles de nous, ne parloit que de harts & gibets, & de nous faire pendre trestous. L'espouuante nous en fut donnée, & aucuns en perdirent le repos, ne s'attendants plus qu'à monter ignominieusement par vne eschelle, & deualer miserablement par vne corde. Mais le Capitaine Argal se mõstra genereux à nous defendre: car il resista audit Mareschal, opposant la [262] foy par luy donnée. Et comm'il se vid trop foible en ceste oppositiõ; il publia nos commissions, & lettres Royaux, dont ie vous ay parlé cy deuant, qu'il auoit subtilement enleué des coffres de la Saussaye. Et c'est par ce moyen que nous auons sceu qu'il auoit vsé de telle ruse, car autremẽt nous n'en eussions peu rien descouurir. Le Mareschal voyant ces autoritez de sa Majesté tres-Chrestienne, & la resolution du Capitaine, n'osa passer plus outre, ainsi apres quelques iours & quelques autres apprehensions, on nous fit sçauoir, que parole nous seroit gardée.
But our preachers did not take their text from the Gospels. For this charming Marshal, who had the fibre and character of a Frenchman, as they said, when he heard an account of us, talked about nothing but ropes and gallows, and of having every one of us hanged. We were badly frightened, and some lost their peace of mind, expecting nothing less than to ignominiously walk up a ladder to be let down disgracefully by a rope. But Captain Argal showed great magnanimity in defending us: for he opposed the Marshal, urging the [262] promise given by him. And as he found himself too weak in this opposition, he published our commissions and Royal patents, of which I have spoken before, which he had surreptitiously removed from la Saussaye's trunks. And it was in this way we learned that he had made use of such a trick, for otherwise we should never have found it out. The Marshal, seeing these warrants of his most Christian Majesty, and the determination of the Captain, did not dare go any farther; so, after several days spent in great apprehension, we were informed that their promise would be kept.
Or comment on nous la garderoit, & quel moyen on nous trouueroit de nous renuoyer en France, c'estoit vne grande question. Le General, le Mareschal & tous les Principaux chefs de la Virginie s'assemblerent [34] en Conseil. [263] Sur icelle le resultat & conclusion des opinions fut de pis faire que iamais, puis qu'il leur sembloit d'en auoir le moyen. Car il fut ordonné que le Capitaine Argal auec ses trois vaisseaux retourneroit en la nouuelle France, pilleroit, & raseroit toutes les forteresses, & habitations des François qu'il trouueroit en toute la coste jusques à Cap Breton: c'est à dire iusques au 46 degré, & demy: (parce qu'ils pretendent à tout tãt de pays: qu'il feroit pendre la Saussaye, & tous ceux de ses gens, lesquels il trouueroit estre demeurez dans ces confins; pilleroit de mesme tous les vaisseaux, qu'il rencontreroit, trouuant toutesfois moyen aux personnes de se pouuoir retirer en France: en cas qu'ils ne fissent point de resistance; & qu'on nous mettroit nous autres vieux prisonniers en compagnie [264] de ceux à qui en ceste façon lon feroit grace de la vie. Telle fut la deliberation. Mais Dieu estoit par dessus, & cõme vous orrés, il en disposa autrement, quant à plusieurs articles.
Now how they were going to keep it, and what means would be found to send us back to France, was the great question. The General,[5] the Marshal, and all the other Important personages of Virginia assembled in Council. [263] The result and conclusion of their consultation was to act still worse than ever, since it seemed to them they had the power to do so. For it was decreed that Captain Argal, with his three vessels, should return to new France, plunder and demolish all the fortifications and settlements of the French which he should find along the entire coast as far as Cape Breton: namely, to 46 and one half degrees north latitude, (for they lay claim to all this territory: that he was to have la Saussaye hanged, with all those of his men whom he found remaining within these limits; that he should likewise plunder the ships, which he encountered, finding means, however, to allow their people to return to France, in case they showed no resistance; and that we old prisoners should be placed in company [264] with those whose lives had thus been spared. Such was the decision. But God was on high, and, as you will hear, he decreed otherwise in regard to a number of things.
Selon ceste conclusion, Argal reprint vn'autrefois la route de la nouuelle France, plus fort que deuãt, car il auoit trois vaisseaux, & auec meilleure esperance: parce que le butin, qu'il auoit faict sur nous luy accroissoit, & la cupidité, & l'espoir. Il ne print cependant auec soy la moitié de nos gens, ie ne scay pourquoy. Dans son vaisseau estoit le Capitaine Flory, & quatre autres; dans celuy du Lieutenant Turnel (qui estoit le nostre captif) les deux Iesuites, & un garçon.
In accordance with this decision, Argal again started for new France, stronger than before, for he had three vessels, and higher expectations; because the booty he had taken from us strengthened both his cupidity and his hopes. However, he did not take with him the half of our people, I know not why. In his vessel were Captain Flory and four others; in that of Lieutenant Turnel, (which was the one captured from us) the two Jesuits and a boy.
Le premier lieu où ils tirerent fut S. Sauueur. Car ils s'attendoyẽt d'y trouuer la Saussaye: & vn nauire [36][263 i.e., 265] nouuellement venu. Ils furẽt trompez, d'autant que la Saussaye estoit en France, ainsi qu'a esté dit: ils bruslerent nos fortifications, & abbatirent nos Croix, en dressants vne pour marque, qu'ils se saisissoyẽt du pays, comme Seigneurs.
They directed their course first to St. Sauveur, for they expected to find la Saussaye and a newly arrived [263 i.e., 265] ship there. They were mistaken, inasmuch as la Saussaye was in France, as has been said. They burned our fortifications and tore down our Crosses, raising another to show they had taken possession of the country, and were the Masters thereof.
Ceste Croix portoit le nom graué du Roy de la grande Bretaigne. Ils pendirent aussi vn de leurs hommes, pour cause d'vne conspiration au mesme endroict, où huict iours au parauant ils auoyent abbatu la premiere de nos Croix.
This Cross had carved upon it the name of the King of great Britain. Also, on account of a conspiracy, they hanged one of their men in the very place where, eight days before, they had torn down the first of our Crosses.
De sainct Sauueur ils addresserent à S. Croix, ancienne habitation du sieur de Monts, & parce qu'ils auoyent sceu, que le P. Biard y auoit esté, Argal vouloit qu'il les y conduisit, mais ledit Pere ne le voulut point, ce qui le mit entierement en la disgrace dudit [264 i.e., 266] Argal, & en grand danger de sa vie. Ce neantmoins Argal roda tant en haut qu'en bas, & rechercha tant tous leurs endroits, les confrontans auec les cartes, qu'il nous auoit prinses, qu'en fin il la trouua de soy-mesme; il en enleua vn bon monceau de sel, qu'il y trouua, brusla l'habitation, & destruisit toutes les marques du nõ & droict de France, ainsi qu'il auoit eu commandement.
From saint Sauveur they sailed for Ste. Croix, sieur de Monts's old settlement; and, as they knew that Father Biard had been there, Argal wished him to conduct them thither; but the Father would not consent to do so. This caused him to be in complete disgrace with [264 i.e., 266] Argal, and in great danger of his life. Notwithstanding this, Argal wandered about, up and down, and, by dint of searching all places thoroughly and comparing them with the maps which he had taken from us, he at last found the place himself. He took away a good pile of salt, which he found there, burned the settlement, and destroyed all traces of the name and claims of France, as he had been commanded to do.