Entre les autres j'en trouvay un à leur mode estendu auprés du feu, les yeux et visage fort estonnés, suant à grosse goutte de la seule teste, qui à peine pouvoit parler, en un grand acces. Il me dirent qu'il estoit malade dés quatre mois, et que comme il apparoissoit, il ne la feroit pas longue. Or ne sçay-je quelle estoit sa maladie; si elle venoit seulement par intervalles, ou non, je n'en sçay rien: tant y a que le 2. jour d'aprés, je le vis dans nostre barque sain et gaillard, ayant sa croix pendue au col, et me fit recognoissance d'un fort bon visage, [74] me prenant par la main. Je n'eus moyen de luy parler, d'autant que lors on faisoit la troque, et à cette cause le tillac estoit tout remply des gens, et tous les truchemens empeschez. De vray je fus fort ayse que la bonté de Dieu commençoit à faire sentir à ces pauvres et abandonnées nations n'y avoir que tout bien et que toute prosperité au signe de la saincte et salutaire Croix.
Among others I found one stretched out, after their fashion, before the fire, wonder expressed in his eyes and face, great drops standing out upon his forehead, scarcely able to speak, so severe was the attack. They told me that he had been sick for four months and, as it appeared, he could not last long. Now I do not know what his malady was; whether it only came intermittently or not I do not know; at all events, the second day after that I saw him in our barque, well and happy, with his cross around his neck. He showed his gratitude to me by a cheerful smile [74] and by taking my hand. I had no means of speaking to him, as the trading was then going on, and for this reason the deck was full of people and all the interpreters were busy. Truly I was very glad that the goodness of God was beginning to make these poor and abandoned people feel that in the sign of the holy and salutary Cross there was every good and every blessing.
Enfin, pour ne redire souvent le mesme, et en cet endroit et en tous les autres où nous avons pû converser avec ces pauvres gentils, nous avons tasché de leur imprimer quelques premieres conceptions de la grandeur et verité du Christianisme, autant que les [52] moyens s'en addonnoyent. Et pour le sommaire en un bloc, celuy a esté le fruict du voyage: nous avons commencé de cognoistre et estre cogneus; nous avons prins possession au nom de l'Eglise de Dieu de ces regions icy, y asseants le throsne royal de nostre Sauveur et Monarque Iesus Christ, son sainct autel; les Sauvages nous ont veu prier, celebrer, prescher par nos discours, les images et croix, la façon de vivre et choses semblables, (ils) ont receu les premieres apprehensions et semences de nostre saincte foy, lesquelles s'esclorront et germeront abondamment, s'il plaist à Dieu, quelque jour, y survenant un plus long est meilleur cultivage.
Finally, not to continue repeating the same story, both in this place and in all others, where we have been able to talk with these poor gentiles, we have attempted to impress upon them some of the simplest conceptions of the grandeur and truth of Christianity, in so far as our means would permit. And to sum it up in a word, this has been the result of our journey. We have begun to know and to be known, we have taken possession of these regions in the name of the Church of God, establishing here the royal throne of our Savior and King, Jesus Christ, his holy altar; the Savages have seen us pray, celebrate the mass, and preach; through our conversations, pictures, and crosses, our way of living, and other similar things, they have received the first faint ideas and germs of our holy faith, which will some day take root and grow abundantly, please God, if it is followed by a longer and better cultivation.
[75] De vray aussi, tel est quasi le principal fruict que nous faisions pour encores icy mesmes à Port-Royal, jusques à ce que nous ayons apris le langage. Cependant cela nous console de veoir ces petits Sauvageois, encores que non chrestiens, porter neantmoins volontiers, quand ils se trouvent icy, les cierges, les clochettes, l'eau benite et autre chose, marchans en bel ordre aux processions et enterremens que l'on faict. Ainsy s'accoustument-ils à estre chrestiens, pour en son temps le bien estre.
[75] And indeed such is about all we are accomplishing, even here at Port Royal, until we have learned the language. However, it comforts us to see these little Savages, though not yet christians, yet willingly, when they are here, carrying the candles, bells, holy water and other things, marching in good order in the processions and funerals which occur here. Thus they become accustomed to act as christians, to become so in reality in his time.
Il ne seroit besoin sinon que fussions meilleurs ouvriers de Nostre Seigneur, et n'empeschassions pas tant de graces d'iceluy sur nous et autruy, par tant de péchés et indignité. Quant à moy certes, j'ay grande occasion d'en battre bien rudement ma poictrine, et tous ceux qui ont le zele de charité en debvroyent bien estre touchés au cœur. Nostre Seigneur, par sa saincte misericorde et par les prieres de sa glorieuse mere et de toute son Eglise celeste et militante, en veuille estre fleschy à compassion!
No need is felt except that we ought to be better workers for Our Lord, and ought not to divert from ourselves and others so many of his blessings by our many sins and great unworthiness. As for me, truly I have good reason to severely reproach myself; and all those who are imbued with earnest charity ought to be deeply touched in their hearts. May Our Lord, by his sacred mercy, and by the prayers of his glorious mother and of all his Church; both heavenly and militant, be moved to compassion!
Particulierement je supplie Vostre Reverence et [54] tous nos RR. PP. et FF. de vouloir se ressouvenir, en vos meilleures devotions, et de nous, et de ces pauvres ames, esclaves miserablement soubs la tyrannie de Satan. Qu'il plaise à ce bening Sauveur [76] du monde, la grace duquel personne ne previent et de qui les liberalités sont tousjours par dessus nos merites, qui luy plaise, dy-je, regarder enfin d'un œil pitoyable ces pauvres nations, et les retirer tost dans sa famille, en l'heureuse franchise des fortunés enfans de Dieu. Ainsy soit-il.
Particularly I beg Your Reverence and all our Reverend Fathers and Brothers to be pleased to remember in your most earnest devotions both us and these poor souls, miserable slaves under the tyranny of Satan. May it please this benign Savior [76] of the world, whose grace is denied to no one, and whose bounty is ever beyond our merits, may it please him, I say, to look down with a pitying eye upon these poor tribes, and to gather them soon into his family, in the happy freedom of the favored children of God. Amen!