CHAPITRE XX. [i.e., xix.]
COMME MADAME LA MARQUISE DE GUERCHEUILLE OBTINT DU ROY LES TERRES DE LA [187] NOUUELLE FRANCE, & LE SECOURS QU'ELLE Y MOYENNA.
[230] LE sieur du Potrincourt estãt reuenu en France au mois d'Aoust de l'an 1611. ainsi qu'a esté dit cy deuant, esuentoit de tous costés la trace, & le moyen de pouuoir secourir ses gẽts, lesquels il sçauoit ne pouuoir long temps durer sans renfort, & rauitaillement nouueau. La peine estoit de trouuer quelque bon Æole, Roy des Autans Bursins, qui les voulust donner, non comme ils le furent à Vlysses, liés dans le cuir pour ne souffler pas, ains deliés, & de bon cours pour bouffer dans les voiles, car sans cela point de nauire ne sçauroit auancer. Or considerant que Madame la Marquise de Guercheuille affectionnoit extremement la conuersion des Sauuages; qu'ell'auoit [188] ja procuré des aumosnes aux Iesuites, à laquelle ils faisoit fort bõ accueil, & voyãt que plusieurs rares vertus brilloyent en elle, il cuida qu'elle pourroit bien encliner à ceste bonn'œuure. Il luy en parla, & ladicte Dame respondit, que volontiers ell'entreroit en l'association que le sieur Robin, & les Iesuites auoyent auecques luy pour le secours de Canada, moyennant que ce fust de la bonne volonté des associés, & qu'elle les aideroit trestous de bonn'affectiõ. Vous pouuez estimer si les Iesuites deuoyent [232] resister à ceste proposition, ou si le sieur Robin en estoit malcontent, à qui ja Canada ne pesoit que trop. Ainsi donc contract fut passé d'association. Ladicte Dame estant à ce autorisee par le sieur de Liencourt premier Escuyer de sa Majesté, & Gouuerneur de Paris son honnoré, [189] & digne mary. Par ce contract estoit arresté qu'icelle Dame dõneroit presentement mille escus pour la cargaison d'vn nauire, & moyennant ce ell'entreroit en part, & des profits que ledit nauire rapporteroit du pays, & des terres que sa Majesté auoit donné audit sieur de Potrincourt, ainsi qu'il est amplement porté dans la minute. En ce contract, le sieur de Potrincourt se reserue Port Royal & ses terres, & dit n'entendre point, qu'il entre en diuision, ny communication des autres Seigneuries, Caps, Haures, & Prouinces, qu'il donne à entendre d'auoir audit pays, outre Port Royal. Or Madame la Marquise somma ledit sieur de Potrincourt de produire les papiers & instruments, par lesquels il constast de ces siennes appartenances & domaine si grand; il s'excusa, disant, [190] qu'il les auoit laissé en la nouuelle France. Ceste response fit soupçõner ladicte Dame & comme ell'est prudente, engin ne luy manqua pas pour se garder d'estre surprise: car elle fit auec le sieur Pierre du Gua, dit de Monts, qu'il luy retrocedast tous les droicts, actiõs, & pretensions qu'il auoit, & auoit oncques eu, en la nouuelle France à cause de la donation à luy faicte par feu Henry le Grand. Item d'autre part, elle impetra lettres de sa Majesté à present regnant, par lesquelles donation luy est faicte de nouueau de toutes les terres, portes & haures de la nouuelle France dés la grande riuiere, iusques à la Floride, [234] horsmis seulement Port Royal. Et en ceste façon celuy qu'on eust pensé estre le plus fin se retrouua contre son opinion serré & confiné comm'en prison dedans son Port [181 i.e., 191] Royal, parce qu'en verité, il n'a, ny n'a iamais eu autres terres, Caps, ny aures, Isles, ny continent, sinon Port Royal, & sa coste: Là où maintenant la dicte Dame tient tout le reste par double tiltre, sçauoir est, & de donation ou cession du sieur de Monts, & de donation nouuelle faicte par sa Majesté à present regnant.
CHAPTER XX. [i.e., xix.]
HOW MADAME LA MARQUISE DE GUERCHEVILLE OBTAINED FROM THE KING THE LANDS OF [187] NEW FRANCE, AND THE HELP WHICH SHE SENT THERE.
SIEUR du Potrincourt having returned to France in the month of August of the year 1611, as has been said above, searched on all sides for ways and means of being able to help his people, who he knew could not continue long without reinforcements and fresh food. The trouble was to find some good Æolus, King of the South and North winds, who would be willing to give them, not as they were given to Ulysses, bound up in a leather bag so as not to blow, but free and propitious to swell the sails, for without this no ship could advance. Now considering that Madame la Marquise de Guercheville had the conversion of the Savages very much at heart; that she had [188] already procured some donations for the Jesuits, which they received very gratefully; and seeing that many rare virtues shone in her character, he thought that she might readily favor this good work. He spoke to her about it, and the Lady responded that she would willingly enter into the partnership which sieur Robin and the Jesuits had formed with him for assisting Canada, provided that this was the wish of the partners, and that she would aid them all with affectionate interest. You may judge whether the Jesuits ought to have refused this proposition, or whether sieur Robin, upon whom Canada already weighed rather heavily, was dissatisfied with it. Thus then the contract of association[33] was entered into, the Lady being authorized to do this by sieur de Liencourt, chief Equerry of his Majesty, and Governor of Paris, her honored [189] and worthy husband.[42] By this contract it was arranged that the Lady should give at once a thousand écus for the lading of a ship, and in consideration of this she would have a share both in the profits which said ship would bring back from the country, and in the lands which his Majesty had given to sieur de Potrincourt, as is amply set forth in the minutes. In this contract, sieur de Potrincourt reserves for himself Port Royal and its lands, and says that it is not to be understood that he enters into partition or transference of other Seigneuries, Capes, Harbors, and Provinces, which he gives to understand he possesses in that country, outside of Port Royal. Now Madame la Marquise summoned sieur de Potrincourt to produce the papers and documents, by which he could prove these his so great appurtenances and domains; he excused himself, saying [190] that he had left them in new France. This answer made the Lady suspicious, and, as she is prudent, means were not lacking to guard against fraud; for she arranged with sieur Pierre du Gua, called de Monts, that he should give up to her all rights, claims and pretensions that he had, and ever had had, in new France, based upon the deed of gift made to him by the late Henry the Great. Also on the other hand she secured letters from his Majesty now reigning, by which a deed of gift was newly granted her of all the lands, ports, and harbors of new France from the great river to Florida, with the sole exception of Port Royal. And in this way he, who was thought to be so shrewd, found himself, against his choice, locked up and confined as in a prison within his Port [181 i.e., 191] Royal; because, in truth, he has not and never has had, other lands, Capes or harbors, Islands or continent, except Port Royal and its coasts. Whereas now this Lady holds all the rest by a double title; namely, by donation or cession of sieur de Monts, and by a deed of gift newly granted by his Majesty now reigning.
Or icelle craignant, que son argent ne fist naufrage auãt que de monter sur mer, elle l'auoit confié entre les mains d'vn Iesuite coadiuteur, qu'on enuoyoit à la nouuelle France, pour aider les Prestres qui ja y estoyent. Le Iesuite deuoit consigner cest argent à Dieppe entre les mains d'vn marchand, qui l'employast en l'achept de victuailles, marchandises, & affretement; mais il fut trop à la bonne foy. Car à la requisition du sieur de Potrincourt il s'en laissa [192] tirer quatre cẽts escus sans autre caution, que d'en retirer vne cedule. Ainsi il n'y eust que six cents escus employez en tout cet affretement; Emplete bien digne de Canada.
Now she, fearing her money might be wrecked before it had embarked upon the sea, confided it to the hands of a Jesuit lay brother,[43] who was being sent to new France to help the Priests who were already there. The Jesuit was to deliver this money at Dieppe into the hands of a merchant, that he might use it in the purchase of food, merchandise, and freight; but he was too confiding. For at the requisition of sieur de Potrincourt, he allowed [192] four hundred écus to be drawn without other security than a note of hand. Therefore he used only six hundred écus for this entire cargo; an investment very worthy of Canada.
Ce n'est pas tout. Le sieur de Potrincourt cõmit à l'administratiõ du nauire, & maniemẽt des affaires vn certain sien seruiteur, appellé Simon Imbert, anciennement tauernier à Paris, & alors cherchant parmy les bois de la nouuelle France de quoy payer ses creanciers. Le nauire appartenoit à vn Capitaine, appellé Nicolas l'Abbé, de Dieppe, honneste, & sage personne. Ce nauire donc ainsi equippé & freté partit de Dieppe le 31. de Decembre au le plus fort de l'hyuer, & paruint heureusement à Port Royal le 23. [236] de Ianuier en l'an suiuant 1612. n'ayant consumé que deux moys en chemin.