Il vous a esté raconté, comme sur la fin de ladicte [160] année 1607. tout le train du sieur de Monts s'en reuint en France, & fut lors ceste nouuelle France entieremẽt abandonnée des François. Neantmoins l'an suiuant 1608. le sieur de Monts constitua son Lieutenãt le sieur Champlain, & le manda descouurir au long de la grande riuiere S. Laurens; Champlain y fit vaillamment, & fonda l'habitation de Kebec. Mais quant aux [122] faicts, voyages, & descouuertures dudit Champlain, il n'est ja besoin, que ie les vous crayonne, puis que luy mesme les a si bien, & si au long depeint en ses liures.
You have been told how, towards the end of the year 1607, sieur de Monts's entire company returned to France, and this new France was then entirely deserted by our countrymen. However, in the following year, 1608, sieur de Monts chose as his Lieutenant sieur de Champlain, and sent him on a tour of discovery along the great St. Lawrence river; Champlain did admirably there, establishing the settlement of Kebec.[26] But as to the [122] deeds, journeys, and discoveries of the said Champlain, there is no need of my outlining them to you, as he himself has given such long and excellent descriptions of them in his books.
Or le sieur Iean de Biencourt, appellé de Potrincourt auant que le sieur de Monts partist de la nouuelle France, luy demanda en don Port Royal. Le sieur de Monts le luy accorda, moyennant, que dans les deux ans prochains ledit de Potrincourt s'y transportast auec plusieurs autres familles pour le cultiuer, & habiter ainsi qu'il promettoit de faire. Doncques l'an 1607. tous les François estants reuenus (ainsi qu'a esté dict,) le sieur de Potrincourt presenta à feu d'immortelle memoire Henry le Grand la donnation à luy faicte par le sieur de Monts, requerant humblemẽt sa Majesté de la ratifier. Le Roy [123] eust pour agreable ladicte Requeste, & proiettant en soy de puissamment remettre sus ceste Françoise peuplade, dit au P. Coton, qu'il vouloit se seruir de leur Compagnie en la conuersion des Sauuages. Qu'il en escriuit au P. General: & qu'on designast aucuns, qui se disposassent à ces voyages. Qu'il les appelleroit au premier temps; promettant dés lors deux mille liures pour leur entretien.
Now sieur Jean de Biencourt, called de Potrincourt, before sieur de Monts left new France, asked from him the gift of Port Royal. Sieur de Monts granted it to him, stipulating that within the two succeeding years sieur de Potrincourt should go there with several other families to cultivate and inhabit it, which he promised to do. Now in 1607, all the French having returned (as has been said), sieur de Potrincourt presented to the late Henry the Great, of immortal memory, the deed of gift made to him by sieur de Monts, humbly requesting his Majesty to ratify it.[27] The King [123] favored the Request, and, contriving some way by which he could give effective aid to this French colony, told Father Coton that he would like to make use of his Society for the conversion of the Savages; that he should write to the Father-General about it; and that they should designate some persons who should prepare to undertake these voyages; that he would summon them at the first opportunity; promising henceforward two thousand livres for their support.
Le Pere Coton obeït à sa Majesté, & bien tost par tous les Colleges de la France fut entendu, qu'on en [162] deuoit choisir quelques vns pour ceste mission. Plusieurs se presenterent pour estre de la partie, comme est la coustume en telles expeditions beaucoup penibles, & peu honorables; & entre autres se presenta le P. Pierre Biard, enseignant [124] pour lors la Theologie à Lyon, Dieu voulust que ledit Pere fut choisi, & enuoyé à Bourdeaux sur la fin de l'an 1608. Parce qu'on pensoit à Lyon, que le project d'vn Prince tant efficace, ayant esté signifié dés tant de mois, l'execution n'en pouuoit estre que bien proche. Mais le P. Biard fut autant deceu du lieu, que du temps. Car à Bourdeaux on fut estonné, quand on ouyt ce pourquoy il y venoit. Nulle nouuelle d'embarquement pour Canada, ouy bien du debris, & desroute passée, de laquelle chacun philosophoit à sa façon. Nul apprest, nul bruit ou nouuelle.
Father Coton obeyed his Majesty, and soon through all the colleges of France it was understood that persons were to be chosen for this mission. Many offered themselves to take part in the work, as is usual in such expeditions, in which there is a great deal of work and very little honor; and among others who presented themselves was Father Pierre Biard, then teaching [124] Theology at Lyons; God willed that the said Father should be chosen and sent to Bourdeaux towards the end of the year 1608. For they thought at Lyons that the project of so powerful a Prince, having been known so many months before, could not be otherwise than speedily executed. But Father Biard was as much deceived in regard to the place, as the time. For at Bourdeaux they were very much surprised when they heard why he had come there. There was no news of any embarkation for Canada, but there was of the former wreck and ruin, upon which each one philosophized in his own fashion. No preparation, no reports or tidings.
Sur la fin de l'an suiuant 1609. Le sieur de Potrincourt vint à Paris, où sa Majesté ayant sceu, que contre son opinion ledit sieur n'auoit bougé de France (car le Roy le croyoit auoir passé la mer aussi [125] tost apres auoir obtenu la confirmation de Port Royal.) Il se fascha cõtre luy. Dequoy ledit sieur fort touché, respondit, que puis que sa Majesté auoit cest affaire tant à cœur deslors il prenoit congé d'elle, & que de ce pas il s'en alloit mettre ordre à s'equipper pour son voyage. Or le P. Coton, qui estoit en peine pour le Pere Biard, & pour la grande semonce, qu'il auoit faict au nom du Roy, ayant sceu le congé prins du sieur de Potrincourt, l'alla trouuer, & luy offrit compagnie d'aucuns de son Ordre. Il receut response que mieux seroit d'attendre l'an suiuant; qu'aussi tost estãt arriué à Port Royal il renuoyeroit son fils en France; & qu'auec iceluy toutes choses [164] estant mieux disposées, ceux-là viendroyẽt, qu'il plairoit au Roy d'enuoyer. Sur ce il partit de Paris, & consuma tout [126] l'Hyuer à se preparer.
Towards the end of the year 1609, sieur de Potrincourt came to Paris, where his Majesty, having learned that, contrary to his belief, the said sieur had not stirred from France, (for the King supposed that he had crossed the sea immediately [125] after having obtained confirmation of the Port Royal grant), was angry with him. Whereupon the said sieur, very much aggrieved, answered that, since his Majesty had this affair so much at heart, he would take leave of him at once, to go directly and look after the equipment for his voyage. Now Father Coton, who was troubled about Father Biard, and about the great invitation he had given him in the King's name, having heard of the farewell of sieur de Potrincourt, went to see him and offered him the company of some of his Order. He received the answer that it would be better to wait until the following year; that as soon as he arrived at Port Royal he would send his son back to France, and that with him, all things being better arranged, such persons should come as it might please the King to send. Thereupon he left Paris, and consumed the entire [126] Winter in making preparations.
L'an suiuant 1610. il s'embarqua sur la fin de Feurier, & n'arriua que bien tard à Port Royal, sçauoir est sur le commencement de Iuin, où ayant assemblé le plus de Sauuages qu'il peut, il en fit baptiser enuiron 24. ou 25. le iour de la sainct Iean, par vn Prestre appellé Messire Iossé Flesche, surnommé le Patriarche. Peu apres, il renuoya en France le sieur de Biencourt son fils, aagé d'enuiron 19. ans, pour apporter ces nouuelles du baptesme des Sauuages; & rapporter bien tost secours: car on estoit assez mal pourueu, pour passer l'Hyuer contre la faim.
The following year, 1610, he embarked towards the end of February, but arrived very late at Port Royal, to wit, about the beginning of June: here, having assembled as many Savages as he could, he had about 24 or 25 of them baptized on saint John's day, by a Priest named Messire Jossé Flesche,[28] surnamed "the Patriarch." A little while afterwards, he sent back to France sieur de Biencourt, his son, about nineteen years old, to take this news of the baptism of the Savages, and to speedily bring back relief: for they were very poorly provided against hunger for the coming Winter.