CHAPTER XXXVII. [i.e., xxxvi.]
THE REASONS WHY THE FRENCH HAVE APPROPRIATED BY GOOD RIGHT THE LANDS OF NEW FRANCE, AGAINST THE PRETENSIONS OF THE ENGLISH.
NOW as I have fulfilled the first two [320 i.e., 322] parts of my promise, that is, I have given an Account of the character of the lands and the inhabitants of new France, and have described to you the conduct of the Jesuits, and the adventures that befell them; there remains then the third topic: the explanation of the dispute that has now arisen between the French and English in regard to these countries, and the arguments for and against both sides. For the curious Reader, I believe, will be glad to learn just what the point of contention is, and the arguments which are advanced by both parties; it is even due to the honor of the French people, to make known to all nations how just are the titles, how suitable the reasons, and in what sincerity of conscience our Kings have made themselves Masters, and have taken possession of these lands up to the present.
[321 i.e., 323] Il faut doncques sçauoir tout premierement, que les Anglois ne nous disputent point toute la nouuelle France; Car ils n'osent nous denier, ce que tout le monde nous accorde; ains seulement ils contestent des confins. Ils nous accordent doncques [100]vne nouuelle France, mais limitée par les bords du Golfe, & grande riuiere de sainct Laurens, & nous restreignent dans les 47. 48. & 49. degrés d'eleuatiõ polaire. Du moins ils ne nous permettent pas de descendre plus bas vers le midy, que du quarantesixiesme degré; s'attribuans tout ce qui est dés la Floride, & le 33. degré iusques à Campseau, & les Isles de Cap Breton.
[321 i.e., 323] Accordingly it must be understood that the English do not dispute with us all of new France. For they dare not refuse what everybody grants us, but they only contest some of the boundaries. They grant us then a new France, but bound it by the shores of the Gulf and great river saint Lawrence, and restrict us within the 47th, 48th, and 49th degrees of north latitude. At least they do not allow us to go farther south than the forty-sixth degree, claiming all that country from Florida and the 33rd degree up to Campseau and the Islands of Cape Breton.
Les fondements de ceste leur pretension sont parce que enuiron l'an 1694. il y a vingt deux ans, estants entrez dans ce grand sein [322 i.e., 324] de la mer Americane, que les Anciens appelloyent de Mocosa, & y ayants trouué vne riuiere, & païs, qui leur agrea: ils commencerent à le vouloir habiter, luy imposants le nom de Virginie: mais ayants esté contrariez par les naturels, & autres accidents leur estoyent arriuez, ils furẽt en fin contraints de le quitter entierement, n'y ayants pas demeuré plus de deux, ou trois ans. Neantmoins despuis le Serenissime Roy Iacques à present regnant, venu à la couronne, ils ont prins resolution de le reconquester, & cultiuer. A quoy ledit Roy fauorisant, a baillé des grands Priuileges à ceux, qui entreprenoyent ceste peuplade, & entre autres a estendu le droict de leur tenuë dés le 33. degré d'eleuation iusques au 45. leur donnãt puissance de courir sus à tous estrangers, qu'ils trouueroyẽt dans [323 i.e., 325] ce destroict de terre, & cinquante mille auant dedans la mer. Ces lettres du Roy on esté expediees l'an quatriesme de son règne, & de grace 1607. le 10. d'Auril, il y a sept ans: car ie descry cecy l'an 1614.
The reasons for these their pretensions are, that about the year 1694 [sic], twenty-two years ago, having entered that great gulf [322 i.e., 324] of the American sea which was formerly called Mocosa, and there having found a river and country which pleased them, they made attempts at settlement, giving it the name of Virginia; but, having been opposed by the natives, and other accidents having overtaken them, they were at last obliged to give it up entirely, not having lived there more than two or three years. Nevertheless since the Most Serene King James, now reigning, came to the throne, they resolved to reconquer and cultivate it. The King, favoring this project, granted some important Privileges to those who undertook this colony, and, among other things, extended their right of occupation from the 33rd degree of north latitude up to the 45th, giving them power to attack all foreigners whom they might find within [323 i.e., 325] these limits, and fifty miles out into the sea. These patents of the King were drawn up during the fourth year of his reign, and in the year of grace 1607 on the 10th of April, seven years ago, for I am writing this in 1614.[11]
Voyla ce que i'en ay peu apprendre de toutes les parchartes & enseignements, que nos contendants apportent [102]pour se maintenir en droict, & cause; & nous confiner dans le destroict de la vieille Canada, eux se tenants au large, & à franches coudées, nous faisants la part à leur bon plaisir. Voicy ce que nous leur repartissons legalement.
So that is what I have been able to learn from all the charters and instructions which our contestants bring forth to support them in their rights and claims; and, while we are being confined within the limits of old Canada, they are holding themselves at large with plenty of elbow room, giving us our share at their good pleasure. Now this is how we would answer them according to law:
1. En premier lieu, que par vne prouidence admirable de Dieu leurs propres lettres Royaux sur lesquelles ils se fondent, les desdisent de leur pretention: Parce qu'il est dit expressement dans [324 i.e., 326] icelles auec exception specifique: Nous leur donnons toutes les terres iusques au 45. degré, lesquelles ne sont point actuellement possedées par aucun Prince Chrestien. Or est-il, que lors de la datte de ces lettres, le Roy de France actuellement & reellement possedoit pour le moins iusques au 39. degré desdictes terres. Tout le monde le sçait par les voyages de Champlain: car il conste par iceux, que l'an 1607. le sieur de Mõts estoit à port Royal, & par ses gens, & authorité gouuernoit tout iusques au 39. degré, comme Lieutenant de sa Majesté tres-Chrestienne.
1. In the first place, as by an admirable providence of God, their own Royal patents, upon which they found their claims, contradict them in their pretensions. Because it is said expressly in these, [324 i.e., 326] with specific exception: We give them all the lands up to the 45th degree, which do not actually belong to any Christian Prince. Now it happens that at the time of the date of these letters, the King of France actually and really possessed the said lands at least up to the 39th degree. Every one knows this through the voyages of Champlain, for he relates in these that, in the year 1607, sieur de Monts was at port Royal, and, through his people and authority, ruled all the country to the 39th degree as Lieutenant of his most Christian Majesty.
2. En apres, si les Anglois veulẽt dire, qu'ils n'ont pas commencé de posseder leur Virginie dés l'an seulement 1607, ains dés l'an 1594. qu'ils la trouuerent (comme nous auons dit:) Nous respondõs, que la riuiere, laquelle ils commencerent [325 i.e., 327] lors à posseder est au 36. degré, & que ceste leur allegation à l'auenture pourroit valoir, s'il n'estoit question, que de retenir ceste dicte riuiere, & sept ou huict lieües de l'vn, & l'autre costé d'icelle: car autant loin se peut porter nostre veuë pour l'ordinaire; mais que subitement vn vaisseau pour entrer dans vn fleuue enjambe par dominatiõ trente fois plus loin, qu'il ne peut estendre sa veuë; c'est vouloir auoir les bras, ou plustost la conuoitise bien monstrueuse, mais posons que cela se puisse faire.
2. Again, if the English wish to say that they did not begin to take possession of their Virginia from the year 1607 only, but from the year 1594, when they discovered it (as we have said), we answer that the river, which they began [325 i.e., 327] then to possess [the James river], is in latitude 36 degrees, and that this their claim might perchance be of some value, if it were only a question of retaining this said river, and seven or eight leagues on either side of it, for our eyes can generally reach as far as that; but that a ship, merely because it had entered a river, should claim dominion thirty times farther than the eye can reach—this is wishing to have arms, or rather greediness, indeed monstrous. But let us suppose it could be done.
[104] Il s'ensuiura donc, que Ribaud & Laudoniere estans allez à la Floride en tres-bel arroy, par authorité du Roy Charles IX. l'an 1564. 1565. & 1566. pour cultiuer le païs; & y ayant edifié la Caroline au 30. degré d'eleuation: ils prindrent possession iusques au 38. & [326 i.e., 328] 39. degré, & par ainsi voila les Anglois hors de leur Virginie, suiuãt leurs propres maximes.
It will follow, then, that Ribaud and Laudoniere,[12]—having gone to Florida in fine array by the authority of King Charles IX., in the years 1564, 1565, and 1566, to cultivate the land, and there having extended Carolina to the 30th parallel of north latitude,—took possession as far as the 38th and [326 i.e., 328] 39th parallels; and so behold the English out of their Virginia according to their own maxims.
3. Quoy que, si pour estre en vn lieu, lon possede aussi tost (selon la presupposition des Anglois) huict ou neuf degrez plus auant; Pourquoy est-ce, qu'eux estants au 36. auanceront plustost iusques au 45. que nous (comme ils confessent) estans ja au 46. ne descendrons iusques au 37. Quel droict y ont-ils plus que nous? Voila donc ce que nous respondons aux Anglois.
3. Yet if being in a place gives possession (as the English presuppose) of eight or nine degrees farther on, why is it that they, being at the 36th, can advance to the 45th, better than we (as they acknowledge) being at the 46th, can go down to the 37th? What greater rights have they than we? So thus we answer the English.
4. Mais pour mieux declarer le fonds de nostre iustice; il faut se ressouuenir de ce que nous auons monstré cy-deuant; sçauoir est, que sa majesté tres-Chrestienne a prins possession de ces terres, auant tout autre Prince Chrestiẽ, par droict d'inuention premiere. Car il est asseuré, & confessé de [327 i.e., 329] tous, que les Bretons & Normãds trouuerent premierement le grãd Banq, & les Terres Neusues, rangeants la coste iusques au Cap de Sable, qui est au 43. degré, iusques où le grand Banq s'estend. Ceste inuention fut faicte l'an 1504. il y ja cent & dix ans.
4. But to better declare the justice of our cause, what we have explained above most be recalled; namely, that his most Christian Majesty took possession of these lands before any other Christian Prince, by right of first discovery. For it is true, and is acknowledged by [327 i.e., 329] all, that the Bretons and Normans first discovered the great Bank, and Newfoundland, sailing along fine coast to Cape Sable, which is in the 43rd degree, up to where the great Bank extends. This discovery was made in the year 1504, one hundred and ten years ago.
5. D'auantage tous confessent, que par le commandement du grãd Roy François Iean Verazan print possession de cesdictes terres au nom de la France; [106]commençant dés le 33. degré d'eleuation iusques au 47. Ce fut par deux voyages desquels le dernier fut faict l'an 1523. il y a quatre vingts & dix ans.
5. Furthermore, all acknowledge that, by the command of the great King Francis, Jean Verazan took possession of these countries in the name of France, beginning at the 33rd degree of north latitude up to the 47th. This was done in two voyages, the last of which was made in the year 1523, ninety years ago.
6. Outre plus, Jacques Cartier entra premier dans la grande riuiere par deux voyages, qu'il y fut, & descouurit les terres de Canada. Son dernier voyage fut l'an 1534. Donc c'est merueille [328 i.e., 330] que les Anglois nous accordent les terres de la descouuerture de Jacques Cartier, nous voulants oster le 45. degré: car il est asseuré, que ceste descouuerture est de beaucoup posterieure aux autres cy-deuant dictes des parties plus meridionales. Et la grande riuiere est tellement situee, que la possession de ses terres est presque inutile à qui ne tiẽt du moins iusques au 40. degré. Qu'on regarde la charte.
6. In addition to this, Jacques Cartier[13] first entered the great river in two voyages that he made, and discovered the lands of Canada. His last voyage was in the year 1534. Now it is a wonder [328 i.e., 330] that the English grant us the lands of Jacques Cartier's discovery, wishing as they do to deprive us of the 45th degree; for it is very certain that this discovery dates back much farther than the others heretofore cited of the more southern parts. And the great river is so situated that the possession of these lands is almost useless to any one who does not possess at least as far as the 40th degree. Look at the map.
7. Aussi est-ce merueille comme lesdicts Anglois disent nous accorder les Terres Neufues, & cependant ils y sont allez habiter despuis quatre ans, enuiron le 48. ou 49. degré.
7. Also it is wonderful how these English say they have granted us Newfoundland, and nevertheless went there to live four years ago, near the 48th or 49th degree.[14]
8. Or est-ce le commun consentement de toute l'Europe, que de depeindre la nouuelle France, l'estendant au moins iusques au 38. ou 39. degré, ainsi qu'il appert [329 i.e., 331] par les mappemondes, imprimées en Espagne, Italie, Holande, Allemagne, & Angleterre mesme. Ce sont aussi les François, qui en ont faict description, ont imposé les noms, ont appriuoisez les Sauuages, ont trocqué, & tousiours conuersé auec eux dés la premiere inuention iusques à ce temps, & non point autres. Et ce fut au quarante troisiesme degré, que le Marquis de la Roche s'alla loger, dressant sa peuplade l'an 1598. Et despuis l'an 1603. le sieur de Mõts receut en don toutes ces terres dés le 40. degré iusques au 46. de feu d'heureuse memoire Henry le Grand, lequel aussi declara par lettres [108]expresses, que rien de ce qu'on apportoit de là, ou qu'on y emportoit ne deuoit traicte foraine, comme estant ce païs vne partie iuste, & legitime accreüe à ce Royaume, & nullemẽt estrãgere.
8. Now, by the common consent of all Europe, new France is represented as extending at least as far as the 38th or 39th degree, as it appears [329 i.e., 331] on the maps of the world printed in Spain, Italy, Holland, Germany, and England itself.[15] Also, it is the French, and not others, who have made a description of it, have given it its names, have tamed the Savages, have traded and always had communication with them from the first discovery up to the present time. And it was in the forty-third degree that the Marquis de la Roche went to settle, establishing his colony in the year 1598. And, since the year 1603, sieur de Monts received as a gift all the lands from the 40th degree to the 46th degree, from the late Henry the Great, of happy memory, who also declared by express letters, that nothing which was brought away from there, or taken there, was liable to foreign custom duty, as that country was a just part and legitimate outgrowth of this Kingdom, and in no wise a foreign one.
[330 i.e., 332] 9. Et certes, outre les raisons apportées, l'equité naturelle fauorise à cette declaration; parce que ces terres là sont paralleles à nostre France, & non point à l'Angleterre. Elles sont dy-ie tout d'vne tenuë auecques nous: de maniere, qu'ayant esté trouuées vaquãtes par nous au delà de nostre riuage; elles accroissent à nostre heritage, ainsi que la loy des Alluuions en determine. ff. acq. rer. domin. l. 29. inter multos. & l. 30. Ergo.
[330 i.e., 332] 9. And surely, in addition to the reasons here given, common justice favors this declaration; for those lands are parallel to our France, and not to England. They are, I say, contiguous with us, so that having been found unoccupied by us and beyond our shores they accrue to our inheritance, as the law of Alluvions determines. ff. acq. rer. domin. l. 29. inter multos. & l. 30. Ergo.[16]
10. En effect, feu Monsieur le Comte de Soyssons fut pourueu du gouvernement desdites contrées, & en a porté le tiltre de son viuant; & auiourd'huy Monsieur le Prince met ceste là au rang de ses autres prerogatiues, & principaux honneurs.
10. Finally the late Comte de Soyssons was invested with the government of the said countries,[17] and bore the title to it in his lifetime; and to-day the Prince places this in the rank of his other prerogatives and principal honors.[18]