Ce rencontre de butin non attendu, pensa couster la vie au P. Biard: voicy comment. Les Anglois ayant ja perdu beaucoup de temps à chercher saincte Croix: & despuis à attraper vn Sauuage, qui fust leur conducteur, le Lieutenãt Turnel estoit d'aduis de laisser le voyage de Port Royal, & s'en retourner au plustost à la Virginie, alleguant pour raisons, que le lieu [267 i.e., 269] estoit tres-dangereux, & la saison par trop auancée (car c'estoit la fin d'Octobre,) & qu'au bout de tant de peines, ils n'y auroit point de profit, parce qu'on n'y trouueroit rien, sinon misere, & la haine des François, qu'ils s'acquerroyent bien meritoirement par le bruslement qu'ils y alloyent faire, sans recompense d'aucun emolument. Le Lieutenãt Turnel auoit ouy ces raisons du P. Biard, auec lequel il prenoit souuẽt plaisir de deuiser, & les estimoit fort valides. Or le Capitaine Argal ayant eu le bõheur d'vne facile entrée, & despuis dans Port Royal (ainsi qu'à esté dit) vn assez bon butin, en viures, hardes, & vtensiles dans l'habitation; il reprochoit à son dit Lieutenant, son conseil, & la croyance qu'il auoit eu au Iesuite: & mesmes pour ceste cause luy faisoit moindre part de la proye. [268 i.e., 270] Le Lieutenant en estoit en grande cholere, & d'autant plus qu'on l'auoit tousiours en reputation d'homme d'esprit, & de bon conseil, de quoy il se voyoit deçeu à l'occasion comm'il pensoit, du Iesuite.

This unlooked-for capture of booty nearly cost Father Biard his life, in this way. As the English had already lost a great deal of time looking for sainte Croix, and afterward in finding a Savage who might act as their guide, Lieutenant Turnel was of the opinion that it would be better to abandon the voyage to Port Royal, and return as soon as possible to Virginia; giving as his reasons that the place [267 i.e., 269] was very dangerous and the season too far advanced (for it was the end of October); that, after so much trouble, there would be no profit in the end, because they would find nothing there but misery and French hatred, which they would very deservedly draw down upon them by the conflagration they were going to kindle there, without being requited for it by any reward. Lieutenant Turnel had heard these arguments from Father Biard, with whom he often took pleasure in conversing, and considered them very good. Now when Captain Argal had such an easy entry, and afterwards at the settlement of Port Royal (as we have said) found such a quantity of booty in food, clothes and utensils, he reproached his Lieutenant for his advice, and for his confidence in the Jesuits: and on that account gave him a smaller part of the plunder. [268 i.e., 270] The Lieutenant was very angry, and so much the more so, as he had always had the reputation of being a man of intelligence and good judgment, which he had now forfeited, as he thought, on account of the Jesuit.

Or il y auoit vn Puritain Anglois, maistre du grand nauire plus malin que tous les autres, dissimulé neantmoins, car ils faisoit les plus beaux semblants du [42] monde: mais les autres Anglois nous aduertissoiẽt de ne no9 point fier en luy, d'autant qu'il estoit malignement enuenimé contre nous. Cestuy-cy donc voyant son coup, persuadoit au Capitaine, & au Lieutenant, lesquels il voyoit esmeus, d'abandonner à terre le Iesuite, disant, qu'il estoit estoit indigne que les Anglois, luy donnassent des viures, puis qu'il les auoit voulu empescher d'ẽ auoir, [269 i.e., 271] & mille autres raisons qu'il alleguoit. Ie ne sçay qui secourust tant à propos le Iesuite en ce danger, que sa simplicité. Car tout de mesme, que s'il eust esté bien fauorisé, & qu'il eust peu beaucoup enuers ledit Anglois, il se mit à genoux deuãt le Capitaine par deux diuerses fois, & à deux diuerses occasions, à celle fin de le flechir à misericorde enuers les François dudit Port Royal esgarés par les bois, & pour luy persuader de leur laisser quelques viures, leur chaloupe, & quelqu'autre moyen de passer l'Hyuer. Et voyez combien differentes petitions on faisoit audit Capitaine: car au mesme temps, que le P. Biard le supplioit ainsi pour les François, vn François crioit de loin auec outrages, & iniures tres indignes à haute voix, qu'il le falloit massacrer. Or Argal (qui est d'vn cœur [270 i.e., 272] noble,) voyant ceste tant syncere affection du Iesuite, & de l'autre costé ceste tant bestiale & enragée inhumanité de ce François, laquelle ne recognoissoit ny sa propre nation, ny biens-faicts, ny Religion, ny estoit domtée par l'affliction & verges de Dieu, estima que ce luy seroit tousiours reproche, & impropere, si sans iugement, & sans auoir ouy parties, il venoit à delaisser pour vne accusation subtile, celuy à qui il auoit donné sa parole. Et par ainsi reietta tout ensemble, [44]& la suasion de l'Anglois, & la forcenerie du François, d'autant plus appaisé enuers le Iesuiste, que plus il le voyoit attaqué sans qu'il remarquait en luy changement, ou alteration.

Now there was an English Puritan, master of the larger vessel, more malicious than all the others, yet hypocritical, for he made the finest pretensions in the world: but the other Englishmen advised us not to trust him, as he was wickedly prejudiced against us. So this man, seeing his opportunity, persuaded the Captain and Lieutenant, who he saw were aroused, to leave the Jesuit on shore, saying he did not deserve that the English should give him food since he had tried to prevent them from obtaining it, [269 i.e., 271] and offering a thousand other arguments. I know not what rescued the Jesuit so opportunely from this danger, unless it were his simplicity. For just as if he had been highly favored, and had great influence with these English, he dropped upon his knees before the Captain, two different times and upon two different occasions, to move him to pity towards the French of Port Royal who were wandering about through the woods, and to persuade him to leave them some food, their boat, and other means of passing the Winter. And see now what different requests were being made to this Captain: for at the same time that Father Biard was thus petitioning him in behalf of the French, a Frenchman was shouting out from afar, with most scandalous insults and abuse, that he ought to be slain. Now Argal (who has a noble [270 i.e., 272] heart), seeing the so sincere affection of the Jesuit, and, on the other hand, the so brutal and infuriated inhumanity of this Frenchman, who remembered neither his own country, nor kindnesses, nor Religion, nor was crushed by God's afflicting rod, considered that it would always be a reproach and disgrace to him, if, without trial and hearing from both sides, he should cast off, on account of a sly and cunning accusation, him to whom he had given his word. And so he rejected both the persuasions of the Englishman, and the rage of the Frenchman, looking upon the Jesuit all the more favorably as he saw that, however much he was attacked, there was no change or deterioration in his conduct.

Or ledit Capitaine ayant enleué de Port Royal tout ce qui luy sembla commode, iusques aux [271 i.e., 273] ais, verroils, serrures, & cloux; il y mit le feu. Chose certes bien pitoyable, car dans vn'heure ou deux on vit reduit en cendres le trauail & despense de plusieurs années & personnes de merite. Et plaise à nostre Seigneur que ce mesme feu aye tellement destruit tous les pechés, qui peuuent auoir esté commis en ceste place, que iamais ils ne resuscitent plus en aucune part, ny ne prouoquent la iuste & redoutable vengeance de nostre Dieu. L'Anglois (comme i'ay dit autre part) effaçoit par tout, tous monuments, & indices de la puissance Françoise: ce qu'il n'oublia pas icy iusques à faire vser du pic, & ciseau sur vne grosse & massiue pierre, en laquelle estoyent entaillés les nõs du sieur de Monts, & autres Capitaines auec les fleurs de lys. Ce faict, il leua l'anchre pour s'en aller; mais [272 i.e., 274] il fut retenu par le mauuais temps à l'emboucheure du Port trois, ou quatre iours.

Now this Captain, having taken away from Port Royal everything that seemed convenient to him, even to the [271 i.e., 273] boards, bolts, locks, and nails, set the place on fire. A truly pitiable thing, for in an hour or two the work of several worthy people, during a number of years, was reduced to ashes. And may our Lord grant that this same fire has so completely destroyed all sins, which may have been committed in this place, that they may never again arise in any other place, nor ever provoke the just and dreadful vengeance of our God. The English (as I have stated elsewhere) destroyed, everywhere, all monuments and evidences of the dominion of the French; and this they did not forget to do here, even to making use of pick and chisel upon a large and massive stone, on which were cut the names of sieur de Monts and other Captains, with the fleurs-de-lys. This done, they weighed anchor to sail away, but [272 i.e., 274] bad weather detained them three or four days at the mouth of the Harbor.

Tandis qu'il seiournoit icy à l'Anchre, vn François de ceux dudit Port demanda de parlementer: ce qui luy fut accordé. Or entre les bõs affaires, que ce beau parlementateur vint traicter, fut de dire au Capitaine Anglois, qu'il s'esmerueilloit bien fort, comment il n'auoit pieça deliuré le monde du pernicieux Iesuite, qui estoit en ses nauires, Si ce n'estoit, peut-estre que le mal-heur l'y conseruast pour reuancher les François par quelque trahison meschante, que [46]ledit Iesuite ioüeroit à son coup, & occasion. Car c'estoit (disoit-il) vn vray, & naturel Espagnol, qui ayant commis plusieurs forfaicts en France, à cause desquels il en estoit fuitif, leur auoit encores donné beaucoup [273 i.e., 275] de scandales à Port Royal, & qu'il ne falloit aucunement douter, qu'encores ne fit-il pis aux Anglois. Argal oyant dire, que le P. Biard estoit naturel Espagnol, ne le pouuoit croire; mais on luy donna cest'accusation par escrit, & soub-signé de cinq ou six: & le pressoit-on fort à ce qu'il iettast en terre à l'abandon ledit P. Biard. Mais tant plus qu'on l'en pressoit, tant moins l'Anglois y consentoit, parce que y consentant il ne pouuoit fuir le deshonneur d'auoir manqué de foy, & de iustice; là où le gardant pour la Virginie, il s'attendoit de l'y faire mourir en acquerant loüange de fidelité à son office, & de patience à supporter. Car en communiquant au Mareschal ceste deposition des François, & adioustant par dessus comme ledit Pere n'auoit voulu monstrer l'Isle S. [274 i.e., 276] Croix, & auoit tasché de diuertir les Anglois d'aller à Port Royal; il n'auoit garde deschapper des mains du Mareschal, desquelles à peine l'auoit-on peu arracher, lors mesme, qu'on n'auoit aucune prinse sur luy. Ainsi Dieu le voulut sauuer pour lors, & encores pl9 merueilleusement despuis, comme vous orrez. Cependant vous remarquerez sagement iusques à quelle rage le malin esprit agite ceux, qui se vendent à luy, & combien il faut estre reserué à croire les delations & detractiõs, puis que le P. Biard auoit vescu dans Port Royal, & auoit tousiours esté notoirement recogneu pour ce qu'il est, c'est à dire bon François naturel, & qui iamais ne fut en Espagne ny luy, ny son pere, ou mere, ou aucun de ses parens. Or que [48] ce neantmoins vn François se soit trouué si possedé par l'esprit [275 i.e., 277] sanguinaire, que pour le faire mourir il soit venu à imposturer si furieusement, & receuant le chastiment de Dieu n'en aye faict autre profit, que de se prostituer si desesperement à Sathan, & à calomnie, cela surpasse toute apprehension commune de malice, & à peine peut-on conceuoir, qu'vn homme puisse deuenir si vendu, & si desesperement asserui à peché.

While they remained anchored here, a Frenchman from among those at the Port asked to confer with them; his request was granted. Now among the nice things which this fine parliamentarian did, was to say to the English Captain that he was very much surprised indeed that he had not already rid the world of the pernicious Jesuit, who was in one of his ships. If he were not despatched, perhaps some ill luck might keep him there to take revenge for the French upon the English by some wicked treason, which the Jesuit would be guilty of, in his way and at his opportunity. For he was (said he) a true and native Spaniard, who, having committed several crimes in France, on account of which he was a fugitive from justice, had also been the cause of a great deal [273 i.e., 275] of scandal at Port Royal, and there could not be the slightest doubt that he would do something still worse to the English. Argal, when he heard it said that Father Biard was a native Spaniard, could not believe it; but this charge, made in writing and signed by five or six persons, was handed to him; and they urged him strongly to put on shore and desert Father Biard. But the more they urged him, the less the Englishman would yield to them, because in giving his consent, he could not escape the dishonor of having broken faith and failed in doing justice; whereas, if he kept him until he got to Virginia, he could count upon having him executed there, at the same time receiving praise for his fidelity to his word, and for his patience in bearing with him. For when he would communicate to the Marshal this statement of the French, and add to it that the Father would not consent to guide them to the Island of Ste. [274 i.e., 276] Croix, and had tried to keep the English from going to Port Royal, there would be no danger of his escaping from the hands of the Marshal, from which they had hardly rescued him before, although then they had no claim upon him. Thus God willed that he should be saved that time, and still more wonderfully since then, as you will hear. Meanwhile, you will wisely observe to what madness the evil spirit incites those who sell themselves to him, and how necessary it is to be cautious in believing slanders and detractions; for Father Biard had lived in Port Royal, and had always been universally recognized for what he is; namely, a good, native-born Frenchman, who had never even been in Spain, neither he, nor his father, nor his mother, nor any of his kindred. Now notwithstanding all this, a Frenchman was found so possessed with the spirit of [275 i.e., 277] bloodshed, that to have him killed he was led to commit such a monstrous act of imposition, and while under the chastisement of God, derived no other advantage therefrom than to sell himself so hopelessly to Satan and to calumny. This exceeds all ordinary conceptions of wickedness, and it is difficult to conceive how a man can be so desperately given up to and enslaved by sin.

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