Ie me monstray fort mal content de cecy, craingnant que les Françoys et Sauvages ne prinssent de la suspicion qu'il n'estoit mort gueres bon Chrestien. [55] Mais on m'opposa que telle promesse lui avoit esté faicte avant qu'il fut baptisé; et qu'autrement si on l'enterroit en nostre cimetière, ses enfans et amis ne nous viendroyent jamais plus veoir, puisque c'est la façon de cette nation d'abhorrer toute memoire de la mort et des morts.

I manifested great dissatisfaction with this, fearing that the French and Savages would suspect that he had not died a good Christian. [55] But I was assured that this promise had been made before he was baptized, and that otherwise, if he were buried in our cemetery, his children and his friends would never again come to see us, since it is the custom of this nation to shun all reminders of death and of the dead.

Je disputay contre, et avec moy M. de Biancourt (car c'est quasi mon unique truchement), neantmoins en vain; le mourant demeuroit resolu. Le soir assez tard, nous luy donnasmes l'extreme onction, puisque autrement il y estoit assez preparé. Voyez l'efficace du sacrement: le lendemain matin, il mande M. de Biancourt et moy, et de nouveau il recommence sa harangue. Par icelle il declaroit avoir de soy mesme changé de volonté; qu'il entendoit d'estre inhumé avec nous, commandant à ses enfans de ne point pour [22] cela fuyr le lieu comme infideles, ains d'autant plus le frequenter comme chrestiens, à celle fin d'y prier pour son ame et pleurer ses pechez. Il recommanda aussi la paix avec M. de Potrincourt et son fils; que de luy, il avait toujours aymé les Françoys, et avoit souvent empesché plusieurs conspirations contre eux. De là à peu d'heures il mourut entre mes mains fort chrestiennement.

I opposed this, and M. de Biancourt, for he is almost my only interpreter, joined with me, but in vain; the dying man was obdurate. Rather late that evening we administered extreme unction to him, for otherwise he was sufficiently prepared for it. Behold now the efficacy of the sacrament; the next morning he asks for M. de Biancourt and me, and again begins his harangue. In this he declares that he has, of his own free will, changed his mind; that he intends to be buried with us, commanding his children not, for that reason, to shun the place like unbelievers, but to frequent it all the more, like christians, to pray for his soul and to weep over his sins. He also recommended peace with M. de Potrincourt and his son; as for him, he had always loved the French, and had often prevented conspiracies against them. A few hours afterward he died a christian death in my arms.

C'a esté le plus grand, renommé et redouté sauvage qui ayt esté de memoire d'homme: de riche [56] taille, et plus hault et membru que n'est l'ordinaire des autres, barbu comme un françoys, estant ainsy que quasi pas un des autres n'a du poil au menton; discret et grave, ressentant bien son homme de commandement. Dieu luy gravoit en l'ame une apprehension plus grande du Christianisme, que n'estoit ce qu'il en avoit pu ouyr, et m'a souvent dict en son sauvageois. "Apprend vistement nostre langue, car aussy tost que tu la sçauras et m'auras bien enseingné, je veux estre prescheur comme toy." Avant mesme sa conversion, il n'a jamais voulu avoir plus d'une femme vivante; ce qu'est esmerveillable, d'autant que les grands sagamos de ce païs entretiennent un nombreux serail, non plus pour luxure, que pour ambition, gloire et necessité: pour ambition, à celle fin d'avoir plusieurs enfans, en quoy gist leur puissance; pour gloire et necessité, d'autant qu'ils n'ont autres artisans, agens, serviteurs, pourvoyeurs ou esclaves que les femmes; elles soustiennent tout le faix et fatigue de la vie.

This was the greatest, most renowned and most formidable savage within the memory of man; of splendid [56] physique, taller and larger-limbed than is usual among them; bearded like a Frenchman, although scarcely any of the others have hair upon the chin; grave and reserved; feeling a proper sense of dignity for his position as commander. God impressed upon his soul a greater idea of Christianity than he has been able to form from hearing about it, and he has often said to me in his savage tongue: "Learn our language quickly, for as soon as thou knowest it and hast taught me well I wish to become a preacher like thee." Even before his conversion he never cared to have more than one living wife, which is wonderful, as the great sagamores of this country maintain a numerous seraglio, no more through licentiousness than through ambition, glory and necessity; for ambition, to the end that they may have many children, wherein lies their power; for fame and necessity, since they have no other artisans, agents, servants, purveyors or slaves than the women; they bear all the burdens and toil of life.

C'a esté le premier de tous les Sauvages qui en ces régions aye receu le baptesme et l'extreme-onction, le premier et le dernier sacrement, et le premier qui, [24] de son mandement et ordonnance, aye été inhumé chrestiennement. Monsieur de Biancourt honora ses obsèques, imitant à son possible les [57] honneurs qu'on rend en France aux grands Capitaines et Seigneurs.

He was the first of all the Savages in these parts to receive baptism and extreme unction, the first and the last sacraments; and the first one who, by his own command and decree, has received a christian burial. Monsieur de Biancourt honored his obsequies, imitating as far as possible the [57] honors which are shown to great Captains and Noblemen in France.

Or, à ce que l'on craigne les jugemens de Dieu, aussy bien que l'on ayme sa misericorde, je mettray icy la fin d'un françoys, en laquelle Dieu a monstré sa justice, aussy bien qu'en celle de Membertou nous recognoissons sa grâce. Celuy-cy avoit souvent esvadé le danger d'estre noyé, et tout fraischement le beau jour de la Pentecoste derniére. Le bénéfice fut mal recogneu. Pour n'en rien dire de plus, la veille de S. Pierre et S. Paul, comme le soir on fust entré en discours des perils de mer, et des vœux qu'on faict aux Saincts en semblables hazards, ce miserable se print à s'en rire et moquer impudemment, se gaudissant de ceux de la compagnie qu'on disoit en telles rencontre savoir esté religieu. Il eut tost son guerdon. Le lendemain matin, un coup de vent l'emporta tout seul dehors de la chaloupe dans les vagues, et jamais depuis, n'est apparu.

Now, that the judgments of God may be feared as much as his mercies are loved, I shall here record the death of a Frenchman, in which God has shown his justice as much as he has given us evidence of his mercy, in the death of Membertou. This man had often escaped drowning, and only recently upon the blessed day of last Pentecost. He showed but little gratitude for this favor. Not to make the story too long, the evening before St. Peter's and St. Paul's day, as they were discoursing upon the perils of the sea, and upon the vows made to the Saints in similar dangers, this wretch began impudently to laugh and to sneer, jeering at those of the company who were said to have been religious upon such occasions. He soon had his reward. The next morning a gust of wind carried him, and him only, out of the boat into the waves, and he was never seen again.