[IV.] Sic. pro Kinibequi.
Such are the things achieved at home; let us now consider what has been done elsewhere. I have explored with Sieur Biencourt a large part of this whole region—all that portion, namely, which the old geographers called Norumbega, including the principal rivers. The result is that not only have we come to know the country, but also to be known ourselves, and the savages, who had never before seen a Priest or the rites of our Religion, have begun to learn something concerning it. Wherever and whenever we could do so, we offered the priceless host to the Omnipotent God, so that the altar might be as a seat dedicated to the savior of men, whence he should begin to extend his dominion among this people, while their own hobgoblin tyrants are stricken with terror and driven [33] from their usurpation. The Savages have often been present, always profoundly silent and reverent. Afterwards I would visit their huts to pray and to lay hands on the sick; I gave them little crosses of brass, or images, which I hung about their necks, and as far as possible I infused some religious notions into their minds. They received all these things very gladly, they made the sign of the Cross under my guidance, and nearly all the boys followed me a long distance in order to repeat it oftener. Once it happened that a savage whom I had visited a couple of days before, finding him sick and almost given up by his friends, as I heard, met me rejoicing and well, and glorying in his cross, manifesting his gratitude toward me with hands and countenance, so that I strongly suspected that he had not only experienced the help of the cross but even recognized it. Whenever we fell in with French vessels—and this often happened—salutary counsels were given to the men, in accordance with time and place; sometimes, too, the passengers made their confession. Sometimes calamities that threatened the welfare and fortune of many were averted through the grace of God; sometimes, too, [34] certain destruction and the slaughter of no small number. We have also succeeded in reclaiming a certain Young Man[13] of great courage and hope who, through fear of Sieur de Potrincourt, has roamed about for a whole year with the Savages, adopting their ways and dress—not without suspicion, too, of something worse. The Lord brought about a meeting between us. I spoke with him, and at last he confided himself to me. I brought him to Sieur de Potrincourt; he did not repent of having placed faith in me; peace was made, to the great joy of all, and next day the young man, before receiving the holy Eucharist, of his own free will begged the pardon of those who surrounded him, for his evil conduct. But as it would be superfluous to speak of the many perils so miraculously escaped by our vessels, so would it be to speak of the many sufferings of those who sojourn here. We make no complaint of having to drink water; as for bread, in less than six weeks the supply ran so short that now no more is allowed for a week than formerly for a single day. We are awaiting a ship that is to bring supplies. In the meantime, as Bakers and Artisans, a great and ancient quality withal, [35] we continue living here, but we have each fallen seriously ill; however, the Lord sustained us with his hand. For this did not last long, and whenever one of us was sick the other was well. We feel, indeed, how great a burden it is to attend to all these household duties, in going for wood and water, in cooking, in washing and mending our clothes, in repairing our cabin, and in giving the necessary time and attention to other material cares. Thus our days and nights wretchedly slip away; but the hope consoles and sustains us that God, who raises up those who are cast down, will some time in his mercy not despise our unworthiness. Though, certainly, when we consider our lack of resources, the trying nature of the country, and the manners of the natives, the difficulties incident to our undertaking and those incident to the establishing of a colony, the thousand perils and impediments interposed by the sea or by our fellow men, our enterprise seems but a dream and a Platonic idea. I might set forth all these things one by one, if this were not to imitate the Hebrew explorers, and rather with regard to our human strength than to God's help, and no less through the [36] faintness of our own hearts than in accordance with the truth of things, to say: "This land devours its inhabitants; we are locusts, while there are here monsters of the race of Giants." But yet, however great these Giants be, that David with the sling and stone shall prevail against them, even he who tramples the earth under foot in his anger, and in his rage strikes terror into the senses of men; that Jesus, the Savior of mankind, who blesses the world and leads it toward perfection in spite of all its shortcomings; he, even he, as we hope, will deem it a thing worthy of his love and his power that, as Isaiah prophesied, The solitude should exult and blossom like a lily; even as he deemed it good in his wisdom and his power that, as we see, the most civilized empires in the height of power and glory should receive the yoke of his cross and his humility. Amen, so be it. And may all heaven with its prayers further this, our hope, and above all the glorious Queen of heaven; and my own prayers be aided, too, by the universal Church and especially by that portion of the Church over which, in accordance with God's will, your Reverence has so long presided—the Society; and I also pray and beseech [37] your Reverence to further it with all possible aid, and to be pleased to bestow on us toward this end in all charity your benediction. From port Royal, in new France, the last day of January, 1611.
The son and unworthy servant of Your Reverence
Pierre Biard.
FOOTNOTES:
[III.] Sic. for Kinibequi.—[O'Callaghan.]
Index rerum ac nominum nunc primùm huic Epistolæ adjunctus
| ACADIA, duo Societatis Sacerdotes illuc missi sunt | iii |
| et ibi preveniunt | 26 |
| Algonquini gerunt bella perpetua cum Irocosiis | 9 |
| tribus Novæ Franciæ | 11 |
| et Montagnesii iuncti, multo plus mille capitum numerare non possunt | 13 |
| Anthropophagi, Excominqui et Armonchiqui perhibentur esse | 9, 14 |
| Aquitaniâ euocatus, Sacerdos ad Novam Franciam proficiscitur | 20 |
| Armonchiqui terram possident â fluvio Kinibequi vsque ad quadragesimum gradum | 11 |
| Anthropophagi perhibentur | 14 |
| Automoinos, vel veneficos, Barbari consulunt | 14 |
| Baia Fundij. vide, Sinus Francicus. | |
| Baptismum velut signum confœderationis cum Gallis Barbari accipiunt | 24 |
| Barbari lege ac magistratu carent [40] | 13 |
| Barbari quomodo vivunt | 13 |
| bella populatim gerunt | 14 |
| nec templa nec ædes sacras habent | 15 |
| cum corpore memoriam ac nomen mortuorum sepeliunt | 16 |
| Cacodæmonem colunt | 16 |
| tenuem cognitionem Dei habent | 16 |
| nonnulli in Galliam deuehuntur et ibi baptizantur | 23 |
| centum in Novâ Franciâ baptizati sunt | 24 |
| [108]velut signum confœderationis cum Gallis baptismum accipiunt | 24 |
| Gallos Nortmannos appellant | 25 |
| canes immolant cum mors cuivis suorum appropinquet | 28 |
| Barbarorum Novæ Franciæ tribuum nomina | 9 |
| Novæ Franciæ numeri ac nomina | 11, 13 |
| pelles unicus thesaurus | 12 |
| vultus color et mores | 13 |
| in quo constat religio | 14 |
| in conviviis consuetudo | 17 |
| infantes baptizantur | 27 |
| P. Biardus invisit casulas | 23 |
| Bella Barbari populatim gerunt | 14 |
| Biardus, P. Petrus, in Acadiâ mittitur | iii |
| casulas Barbarorum invisit | 33 |
| magnam Norumbegæ partum lustrat | 32 |
| quemdam iuvenem D. Potrincurtio reconciliat | 34 |
| Biencurtius, Ioannes, colonos pro Novâ Franciâ deposcit | 20 |
| (vide Potrincurtius). | |
| Biencurtius D. Potrincurtij filius, interpretis vices gerit | 31 |
| magnam Norembegæ partem cum P. Biardo lustrat [41] | 32 |
| Cacodæmonem Barbari colunt | 19 |
| Canadæ, Irocosii degunt ad capita magni fluminis | 9 |
| S. Ioannis flumen orsum suum habet propemodum ora fluminis | 10 |
| Canes, Barbari imminente morte assueti suntimmolare | 28 |
| Patres Societatis hunc morem increpant | 29 |
| Canoæ e cortice compinguntur | 17 |
| Chorographiam Novæ Franciæ P. Biardus proponit mittere | 18 |
| [110]Choucaoët brachium est terræ quod sinum Francicum excipit | 11 |
| Color Barbarorum | 13 |
| Conviviorum apud Barbaros consuetudo | 17 |
| Cotonus P. veniam obtinet ut Societas Iesv in Novâ Franciâ laboret | 19 |
| Dei, Barbari habent tenuem cognitionem | 16 |
| Dieppam, duo Iesuitæ eunt ad conscendendum | 20 |
| et solvunt ab hac portu | 22 |
| Etheminquenses inter S. Ioannis et Kinibequi fluvios habitant | 10 |
| tribus Novæ Franciæ | 11 |
| mille capita numerare non possunt | 13 |
| Excominqui fera gens est et Anthropophaga | 9 |
| Excommunicati, nomen vulgus Excominquorum | 9 |
| tribus Novæ Franciæ | 9, 11 |
| Anthropophagi perhibentur | 14 |
| Expositio seu capita hujusce Epistolæ | 6 |
| Flumina Novæ Franciæ | 9, 10 |
| Fœmina apud Barbaros | 16 |
| locum mancipii tenet | 17 |
| Francici sinûs positio [42] | 10 |
| Galli, quæ regio ab illis Nova Francia usurpatur | 8 |
| Novæ Franciæ regionem non incolant | 19 |
| Galliam, Barbari devehuntur et baptizantur | 23 |
| Gallis, Irocosii et Armonchiqui non multum noti sunt | 11 |
| Gallorum numerus in Acadiâ | 25 |
| Geographi antiqui erroribus pleni | 7 |
| Guerchevilia, Marchionisa, pro Patribus Societatis navem emit | 21 |
| Gurges S. Laurentii | 9 |
| Hæretici in navem Iesuitas recipere nolunt | 20 |
| Henricus Rex, veniam dat Societati in Novâ Franciâ laborandi | 19 |
| [112]mortuus est | 20 |
| Infantes Barbarorum baptizati | 27 |
| Insula Præsentis, Terra Nova Barbaris appellatur | 9 |
| Insulæ in Nova Francia frequentes sunt | 12 |
| Irocosii ad capita magni fluminis Canadæ iacent | 9 |
| perpetua bella cum Montagnesiis et Algonquiniis gerunt | 9 |
| tribus Novæ Franciæ | 11 |
| Isthmum, gurges S. Laurentii et sinus Francicus efficiunt | 10 |
| Kinibequi flumen. vide Rimbequi. | |
| Latitudo Novæ Franciæ | 8 |
| Leucas quingentas Isthmus continet | 10 |
| Linguæ indigenarum Patres Societatis ignari | 27 |
| Massæus, P. Enemundus, in Acadiam mittitur | iii |
| Medicæa Maria, regina regens, Societati Iesv patrocinatur | 20 |
| mandat ut Patres in navem recepti sint [43] | 21 |
| Membertou, Henricus, Sagamus Soricorum, cum familia ejus, baptizatur | 24 |
| filius ejus ægrotus deportatus est in ædes D. Potrincurtii | 28, 29 |
| Sagamus, moritur | 30 |
| magnâ pompâ sepulitur | 32 |
| Moluarum, Terra nova celeberrima piscatu | 9 |
| Montagnesii, ubi habitant | 9 |
| tribus Novæ Franciæ | 11 |
| Montes Novæ Franciæ nivosi et perpetuò rigentes sunt | 12 |
| Mores Barbarorum | 13, 16 |
| Mortuorum memoriam ac nomen Barbari cum corpore sepeliunt | 16 |
| Nomina Barbarorum Novæ Franciæ | 9 |
| Nortmannos, Barbari Gallos appellant | 25 |
| Norumbega nihil est quam umbra et vox | 8 |
| [114]Norumbegæ P. Biardus magnam partem lustrat | 32 |
| Nova Francia, quæ sit regio | 8 |
| numeri ac nomina tribuum Barbarorum in | 11 |
| quare regio perfrigida est et valdè aquosa | 12 |
| Societas Iesv permissionem obtinet laborare in | 19 |
| Novæ Franciæ chorographia à P. Biardo facienda | 18 |
| Novam Franciam Patres Societatis appellunt ad | 24 |
| Numerus Gallorum in Acadiâ | 25 |
| Panis in Portu-regali cœpit deficere | 34 |
| Patres Societatis Iesv in Portu-regali degunt | 10 |
| necessitates ac onera eorum | 35 |
| Pedunculos Barbari in deliciis habent | 18 |
| Pelles unicus thesaurus Barbarorum | 12 |
| Pontia, Antonia. vide Guerchevilia | |
| Pōtugoët fluvius [44] | 10 |
| Portus-regalis latitudo ac situs | 10 |
| Patres Societatis ibi perveniunt | 26 |
| Potrincurtius, D. Ioannes, colonos pro Novâ Franciâ poscit | 20 |
| in Novam Franciam pervenit | 24 |
| familia ejus unica est in Acadiâ | 25 |
| Patrûm sedulitatem collaudat | 27 |
| filius ægrotus Membertou deportatus est in ædes ejus | 29 |
| Potrincurtio D. quidam iuvenis reconciliatus est | 34 |
| Præsentis insula | 9 |
| Promontorium Sabulorum | 11 |
| Puella baptizatur | 27 |
| moritur in Sacerdotum tuguriolo | 28 |
| Religio Barbarorum | 14 |
| Rimbequi (seu potius Kinibequi) flumen | 10 |
| Sacerdos secularis centum ferè Barbaros in Novâ Franciâ baptizat | 24 |
| in Galliam remigrat | 26 |
| [116]Sagami sunt bellorum ductores sed imperium eorum precarium est | 13 |
| S. Ioannis flumen sese in Francicum gurgitem exonerat | 10 |
| S. Laurentii gurges | 9 |
| Sinus Francicus | 10 |
| Societas Iesv, quanam viâ missionem in hanc provinciam obtinet | 18 |
| permittitur in Novâ Franciâ laborare | 19 |
| evocat duos Sacerdotes ut ibi proficiscantur | 20 |
| impedimenta quæ eis afferuntur | 21 |
| patres in Portum-regalem perveniunt | 24, 26 |
| (vide Patres). | |
| Somniis Barbari fidem habent [45] | 15 |
| Soricorum Sagamus Henricus Membertou | 28 |
| Soriqui ubi habitant | 10 |
| tribus Novæ Franciæ | 11 |
| duo millia non conficiunt | 13 |
| Tabagia, convivium apud Barbaros vocatur | 17 |
| Tabagiam, apud Barbaros mos est moribundis facere | 28 |
| Templa nulla Barbari habent | 15 |
| Terra nova, nomen suum apud Barbaros | 9 |
| Tuguriola fœminæ ædificant | 17 |
| quomodo ædificantur | 18 |
| Venefici apud Barbaros | 14 |
| potestas eorum | 15 |
| Vultus Barbarorum | 13 |