[iii] Av Roy.
SIRE,
[26] Si ie presente à vostre Majesté ces Discours de vostre nouuelle France, la description du païs, & le recit des mœurs, & façons de faire estrange, & sauuage des Canadins: Ie suis obligé par toutes sortes de deuoir à ce faire. Son commandement expres, ioinct à celuy de la Royne vostre tres-honnorée mere lors Regente, m'y a porté, auec quelques miens Compagnons, plus fauorablement que le vent, & la marée, vostre liberalité Royale m'y a entretenu quelques années, & son authorité puissante m'a deliuré des mains de certains Corsaires Anglois, qui ennemis de nostre saincte [iv] foy (de laquelle nous jettions quelque semence en ces Terres Neuues, auec esperance d'en faire vne moisson plantureuse, seul motif de nostre voyage, & de vostre iussion, SIRE,) nous ont faict quitter la place à nostre grand regret, & nous ont tenu comme prisonniers quelques moys dans leur vaisseau, & preparé cent fois la hart, & la potence pour nous faire perdre la vie: le seul respect de V. Majesté les ayant empeschez d'executer leurs mauuais desseings, particulierement sur ma personne, laquelle possible la diuine prouidence a voulu reseruer par l'entremise vostre, pour estre commandée derechef de faire voile aux mesmes contrées, & continuer la culture de ce peuple sauuage. Eschappé donc de ce danger, & tout mouïllé encores du naufrage sur le port de vostre France; i'offre à vos pieds ce peu de cayers, comme vne table de tres-humble recognoissance, que si i'escris, si ie vis, c'est (apres Dieu) par vostre moyen, & faueur, SIRE. Et [v] ceste obligation signalée m'estant tousiours deuant les yeux, fera que ie prieray Dieu continuellement, auec tous [28] ceux de ma robbe, que V. Majesté croissant d'aage, & de zele puisse vn iour arborer l'estendart de la Croix auec ses fleurs de lys Royales, aux terres plus escartées des Infideles: tandis que ce grand Roy des Roys luy prepare au Ciel vne couronne tissuë d'honneur, & de gloire perpetuelle, que ie vous souhaitte, apres auoir porté la vostre en terre longuement, & heureusement; de mesme cœur, & affection que ie suis, De vostre Majesté,
Tres-humble, & tres-obeïssant subject, & seruiteur,
Pierre Biard.
[iii] To the King.
SIRE,
If I present to your Majesty these Discourses upon your new France, the description of the country, and the account of the manners and strange and barbarous ways of the Canadians, I am bound to do it by every consideration of duty. Your express command, with that of the Queen, your highly esteemed mother, then Regent, carried me and some of my Companions thither more propitiously than wind and tide; your Royal generosity supported me there for some years; and your mighty authority delivered me from the hands of certain English Pirates, enemies of our holy [iv] faith, (of which we cast some seeds in this New World, with the hope of one day having a plentiful harvest, sole object of our voyage and of your royal command, SIRE,) they compelled us to leave the place, to our great regret, and held us prisoners several months in their ship, and a hundred times prepared the rope and the gallows for our execution; respect for Your Majesty alone having prevented them from carrying out their wicked designs, particularly upon my person, which possibly divine providence has wished to preserve through your agency, to be again ordered to sail away to the same country, and to continue the education of this barbarous people. Delivered now from this danger, and still wet from the shipwreck in the port of your France, I lay at your feet this little book as an evidence of very humble gratitude that, if I am living and writing, it is due (after God) to your help and favor, SIRE. And [v] this signal obligation, being always before my eyes, will cause me to pray God continually, with all those of my order, that, as Your Majesty's years and zeal increase, you may one day plant the standard of the Cross with its Royal fleurs de lys upon the most distant Infidel lands, while the great King of Kings prepares for you in Heaven a crown of honor and of everlasting glory, which I wish for you, after having worn your crown upon earth long and happily, with the same love and devotion from which I am your Majesty's
Very humble and very obedient subject and servant,