CHAPTER XXXI. [i.e., XXX.]
THE DEPARTURE FROM PORT ROYAL; VARIOUS ADVENTURES OF THE SHIPS; AND HOW WE WERE COMPELLED TO STOP AT THE AÇORES.
ON the ninth of November of this year, 1613, the English left Port Royal, intending to go back to [276 i.e., 278] Virginia, and there to enjoy their booty during the following winter. Now from this time on, Lieutenant Turnel only looked upon Father Biard as an abominable rascal: he hated him still more when he thought of the past, for then he had openly shown his esteem and love for him on account of his naïve simplicity and open candor. But having seen the testimony in writing of so many Frenchmen, who assured him that he was a native Spaniard, and a wicked man, he preferred to believe that the Jesuit was a liar, rather than to disbelieve so many others who accused him. Therefore his hatred was all the more irreconcilable against the deep and impenetrable hypocrisy (as he thought) of a Spaniard, pretending to be a Frenchman, which he, reputed to be a man of sagacity and wisdom, had not been able to discover [277 i.e., 279] in so long a time, but had allowed himself to be drawn by it into great familiarity and friendship. Such was the wrath of Captain Turnel, whom I shall hereafter call simply Captain and no longer Lieutenant, because we are going to be separated [from the other ships]; hear in what way.
Le second iour apres nostre depart, veille de S. [52] Martin, vn si grand orage s'esleua, qu'il escarta nos trois vaisseaux en telle façon, que despuis ils ne se sont point reueus ensemble; ains ont tiré trestous bien diuerses routes.
On the second day after our departure, on the eve of St. Martin, so terrible a storm arose that our three vessels were scattered so effectually that they never came together afterwards, but all sailed away in different directions.
La barque n'a point comparu despuis, & nouuelles aucunes n'en ayant esté ouyes aucuns se doutent qu'elle soit perie, auec les six Anglois, qui estoyent dedans.
The barque was never seen again, and, no news of it having been heard, no one doubts that it was lost with the six Englishmen who were on board.
La Nau Capitanesse, où commendoit Argal, nonobstãt le contraste, vint à port heureusement [278 i.e., 280] à la Virginie dãs trois sepmaines, ou enuiron. Le Mareschal (duquel nous vous auons parlé cy deuant) ouyt fort volontiers du Capitaine Argal, tout ce qui s'estoit passé, & attendoit en bonne deuotion le P. Biard pour luy tost accourcir les voyages, luy faisant trouuer au milieu d'vne eschelle le bout du monde; mais Dieu, maistre de la vie, & des puissances dispose à son bon plaisir de ses creatures, & non à la fantasie du bras humain; prenant plaisir au tiltre, que luy donne son Psalmiste, d'estre le Seigneur, qui deliure le pauure des mains des plus forts, & le destitué, de la puissance de ceux, qui le pillent, comme ie m'en vais vous monstrer, qu'il a faict.
The Ship "Capitanesse," which Argal commanded, notwithstanding its hindrances, safely reached port [278 i.e., 280] in Virginia, after three weeks or thereabout. The Marshal (of whom we have spoken above) listened very willingly to Captain Argal as he related all that had taken place, and in a proper spirit of devotion awaited Father Biard, to shorten for him his voyages and to make him find the end of the world from the middle of a ladder; but God, master of life and all-powerful, disposes of his creatures according to his own good pleasure, and not according to the whims of human authority; taking pleasure in the title given him by the Psalmist, of being the Lord, Who delivers the poor from the hands of the strong, and the destitute from the power of those who strip him, as I am going on to show you he did.
Les deux Iesuites, & vn garçon François estoyent dans le nauire captif, sur lequel auoit esté commis le Capitaine Turnel; ce nauire [279 i.e., 281] separé d'auec Argal par la tẽpeste en fut tant incessamment poursuiuy seize iours durant, que le Capitaine perdant esperãce de pouuoir aborder la Virginie, appella tous ses gents, & mit en deliberation, qu'est-ce qu'il faudroit faire pour sauuer leurs vies. Car de combattre les orages plus long temps pour ne se pas esloigner de ladicte Virginie, il n'y auoit point d'apparence, [54] parce que on auoit dans le nauire des cheuaux prins à Port Royal, qui les ruinoyent d'eau tant ils en beuuoyent, les tourbillons rompoyẽt tant de voiles, ausuents, & cordages, qu'il n'y auoit plus de quoy les refaire, & les viures estoyent bien bas, hors la mouluë seulement, de laquelle y auoit assez; mais de pain on n'en auoit eu, par l'espace de trois mois, que deux onces chasque iour pour teste, [280 i.e., 282] bien rarement trois: & si il en restoit fort peu. En ceste deliberation les mariniers furẽt d'aduis qu'il falloit soustenir encores quelques iours pour leur hõneur. Et (approbation de leur conseil) le bon temps leur arriua au iour suiuant, & les conduisit si auant qu'ils ne s'estimoyent pas estre à plus de vingt & cinq lieuës de leur port.
The two Jesuits and a French boy were in the captured ship which had been committed to the care of Captain Turnel; this ship, [279 i.e., 281] separated from Argal by the tempest, was so incessantly followed by it for sixteen days, that the Captain, losing hope of being able to reach Virginia, called together all his people, and took counsel with them upon the best way to save their lives. For there seemed to be no probability that they would longer be able to combat the storms so as to keep near Virginia, because they had in the ships the horses taken from Port Royal, and these spoiled as much of the water as they drank; the winds had so torn their sails, and broken their gunwales and ropes, that they had nothing left with which to repair them; the stock of food was low, except the codfish, of which they had enough; but as to bread, they had had, during three months, only two ounces a day to each person, [280 i.e., 282] very rarely three; and so there remained but little of it. In this consultation, the sailors were of the opinion that their honor demanded them to hold out some days longer. And (in approval of their decision) fair weather came the next day, and bore them so far ahead that they judged they were no more than twenty-five leagues from their port.
Pour en confesser la franche verité, les Iesuites ne prioyent point pour ce bon temps, car ils sçauoyent assez où c'est qu'il les conuoyoit. Or Dieu, croy-ie, ayãt pitié d'eux, suscita vu gaillard, & fougueux suroüest, qui vint donner droict en face à nos Anglois, & les contraignist de mettre le nauire en cappe (comme l'on dit) de plier toutes les voiles, & de penser à leur conscience.
To tell the honest truth, the Jesuits did not pray for this fair weather, knowing very well to what fate it was carrying them. Now God, taking pity on them, as I believe, aroused a lively and vigorous south-wester, which blew right in the Englishmen's teeth, and forced them to lie to (as the saying is), to reef the sails, and to examine their consciences.
Le Capitaine voyant ceste rage [281 i.e., 283] de vents, & de vagues ne voulut plus s'opiniastrer, ains conclud, qu'il falloit relascher aux Açores à 7. cents lieuës de là, pour s'y pouruoir de leurs necessitez, & attendre le bon temps. Il fit tourner le cap pour adresser là, & aussi tost apres on tua les cheuaux qui nous auoyent gasté & consumé nostr'eau, de maniere qu'elle estoit toute infecte, & puante, & encores la donnoit on en bien petite mesure. Mais la chair de cheual estoit fort bonne, au goust des Iesuites.
The Captain, seeing this fury [281 i.e., 283] of the winds and waves, thought it well not to persist in his course, but decided to make for the Açores, 7 hundred leagues from there, to provide for their necessities and to wait for good weather. He turned the prow in that direction, and immediately thereafter they killed the horses which had been spoiling and drinking the water, so that it was all infected and had a bad smell; and even this was measured out to us in small quantities. But the horseflesh was very good, according to the taste of the Jesuits.
Or durant ces furieuses, & horrib[l]es tempestes, [56] comme tous auoyent bien occasion de penser à leur conscience, Dieu particulierement disposoit le Capitaine. De maniere, qu'vne fois bien repentant, il appella le P. Biard, & luy tint ces discours, que ie vais inserer quasi de mot à mot: car ce [282 i.e., 284] Capitaine parloit bon François, & beaucoup d'autres lãgues vulgaires, outre le Latin & le Grec, qu'il entendoit bien, homme de grand esprit, & qui a bien estudié: P. Biard, (disoit-il) Dieu est courroucé contre nous, ie le voy biẽ; il est courroucé contre nous, di-je, mais non pas contre vous; contre nous, parce que nous vous sõmes allés faire la guerre, sans la vous premierement denõcer, ce qu'est contre le droict des gens. Mais ie proteste, que ç'a esté contre mon aduis, & mon gré. Ie n'eusse sceu qu'y faire, il me falloit suiure, i'estois seruiteur. Ainsi ie vous dy, que ie voy biẽ que Dieu est courroucé contre nous, mais non pas contre vous, ains à l'occasion de vous: car vous ne faictes que patir. Le Capitaine s'arrestãt icy, vo9 pouués estimer si le Iesuite manqua de respõdre à propos. Le Capitaine, [283 i.e., 285] le prit d'vn autre endroit, mais, P. Biard (dit-il) c'est chose estrange, que vos François de Port Royal vous accusent ainsi. Le Pere respondit, Mais mõsieur, m'aués-vous iamais ouy mesdire d'eux? Nenny, dit-il; ains i'ay fort bien remarqué que quand on mesdisoit d'eux, & deuant le Capitaine Argal, & deuant moy, tousiours vous les aués defendus, i'en suis bon tesmoin. Monsieur (dit le Pere) prenez argument de là, & iugés, qui a Dieu, & la verité de son costé; ou les mesdisants, ou bien les charitables. Ie l'entends bien, dit le Capitaine: mais, Pere Biard, la charité ne vous a elle point fait mentir, quãd vous me disiez, que [58] nous ne trouuerions que misere à Port Royal? Le Pere repartit, Pardonnez moy, monsieur, vous priant de vous souuenir, que ie ne vous ay dit [284 i.e., 286] sinon que moy estant là, ie n'y auois veu, & trouué que misere. Cela seroit bon, dit le Capitaine, si vous n'estiés Espagnol, comme l'on dit que vous estes, car l'estãt, ce que vous desirés tant de bien aux Frãçois n'est pas pour amour que vous leur portés, ains pour haine des Anglois. A cecy le Pere Biard respondit fort au long: mais il ne luy peut iamais desraciner cest'opinion, disant, qu'il n'estoit point croyable, que cinq, ou six François constitués en affliction eussent voulu signer vne fausse accusation contre vn leur concitoyen Prestre: n'y ayants autre profit que de le faire perdre, & par ce moyen satis-faire à leur maudite passion.
Now during these furious and horrible tempests, when all had good reason to look into their consciences, God especially inclined the Captain to do so, in such a manner, that once, when he was feeling very repentant, he called Father Biard and held with him the following conversation, which I here insert almost word for word: for this [282 i.e., 284] Captain spoke good French, and many other common languages, besides Latin and Greek, which he understood very well; he was a man of great intelligence and a thorough student. "Father Biard" (said he) "God is angry at us, I see it clearly; he is angry at us, I say, but not at you; angry at us, because we went to make war upon you without first giving you notice, which is contrary to the rights of nations. But I protest that it was contrary to my advice, and my inclination. I did not know what to do, I had to follow, I was merely a servant. But I tell you I see very clearly that God's wrath is kindled against us, but not against you, although on your account: for you do nothing but suffer." The Captain pausing here, you may judge whether or not the Jesuit failed to make a suitable answer. The Captain [283 i.e., 285] took up another phase of the question. "But, Father Biard" (says he) "it is strange that your countrymen from Port Royal should accuse you thus." The Father answers, "But, Sir, have you ever heard me slander them?" "By no means," he says, "but I have clearly observed that when evil things are said of them, both before Captain Argal and before me, you have always defended them, of which I am a good witness." "Sir" (the Father says) "draw your own conclusions from that, and judge which have God and truth on their side, whether the slanderers, or the charitable." "I know that very well," says the Captain, "but, Father Biard, did not charity make you lie, when you told me we should find nothing but misery at Port Royal?" "Pardon me," answers the Father, "I beg you to remember that I told you only [284 i.e., 286] that when I was there, I saw and found nothing but misery." "That would be all right," says the Captain, "if you were not a Spaniard, as they say you are; for, being one, the great good which you desire for the French is not on account of the love you bear them, but on account of your hatred of the English." Upon this Father Biard entered into a long explanation; but he could never eradicate this opinion from the Captain's mind, who said it was not credible that five or six Frenchmen, surrounded by afflictions, would have consented to sign a false accusation against a Priest, one of their own fellow-citizens, deriving no other profit therefrom than to destroy him, and in this way to satisfy their evil passions.
Ie vous ay faict ce recit à fin que la suaue disposition de la diuine prouidence soit recogneuë, & que vous entendiez, cõme Dieu [285 i.e., 287] alloit preparant peu à peu le cœur du Capitaine. Car il se trouua biẽ perplex, & luy & ses gens, quand ils se virent pres des Açores. La cause en estoit, parce que ces Isles sont habitées des Portugais Catholiques; par ainsi les Anglois consideroyent, que venants à y anchrer, il faudroit souffrir la visite du nauire. Que si en la visite on descouuroit les Iesuites que c'estoit faict d'eux, parce qu'on deliureroit lesdits Iesuites, comme Catholiques: & qu'eux seroyent pendus, ou pour le moins mis à la cadene comme voleurs de Prestres.
I have narrated this to you that the kindly dispositions of providence may be recognized, and that you may understand how God [285 i.e., 287] proceeded, little by little, to prepare the heart of the Captain. For both he and his crew were greatly perplexed, when they found themselves near the Açores. The reason for this was, that these Islands are inhabited by Catholic Portuguese, so the English judged that, in anchoring there, they would have to allow the ship to be visited; and if in this visit the priests were discovered, it would be all over with them, for the Jesuits, as Catholics, would be liberated, and they [the English] would be hanged, or at least condemned to the chain and ball, as robbers of Priests.
Le remede à ce mal estoit facile, faisant faire ausdits Iesuites vn saut dans la mer. Neantmoins comme ie vous ay monstré, la crainte de Dieu s'estoit [60] resueillée, qui combattoit pour eux. Nostre Seigneur en fin, qui les [286 i.e., 288] protegeoit aux prieres de sa glorieuse Mere, fit que le Capitaine se resolut de les cacher au fonds du nauire, esperant que cela suffiroit pour seurté: comme il suffit aussi, mais la bõne foy des Iesuites y aydant, ainsi que vous entendrés tout à cest'heure.
The remedy for this evil was an easy one; namely, to make the Jesuits take a leap into the sea. Nevertheless, as I have shown you, the fear of God was awakened, and this contended for them. Our Lord indeed who [286 i.e., 288] protected them through the prayers of his glorious Mother, caused the Captain to decide to conceal them in the hold of the ship, hoping this would suffice for their security, as it did; but the good faith of the Jesuits assisted therein, as you will soon hear.