Now during these furious and horrible tempests, when all had good reason to look into their consciences, God especially inclined the Captain to do so, in such a manner, that once, when he was feeling very repentant, he called Father Biard and held with him the following conversation, which I here insert almost word for word: for this [282 i.e., 284] Captain spoke good French, and many other common languages, besides Latin and Greek, which he understood very well; he was a man of great intelligence and a thorough student. "Father Biard" (said he) "God is angry at us, I see it clearly; he is angry at us, I say, but not at you; angry at us, because we went to make war upon you without first giving you notice, which is contrary to the rights of nations. But I protest that it was contrary to my advice, and my inclination. I did not know what to do, I had to follow, I was merely a servant. But I tell you I see very clearly that God's wrath is kindled against us, but not against you, although on your account: for you do nothing but suffer." The Captain pausing here, you may judge whether or not the Jesuit failed to make a suitable answer. The Captain [283 i.e., 285] took up another phase of the question. "But, Father Biard" (says he) "it is strange that your countrymen from Port Royal should accuse you thus." The Father answers, "But, Sir, have you ever heard me slander them?" "By no means," he says, "but I have clearly observed that when evil things are said of them, both before Captain Argal and before me, you have always defended them, of which I am a good witness." "Sir" (the Father says) "draw your own conclusions from that, and judge which have God and truth on their side, whether the slanderers, or the charitable." "I know that very well," says the Captain, "but, Father Biard, did not charity make you lie, when you told me we should find nothing but misery at Port Royal?" "Pardon me," answers the Father, "I beg you to remember that I told you only [284 i.e., 286] that when I was there, I saw and found nothing but misery." "That would be all right," says the Captain, "if you were not a Spaniard, as they say you are; for, being one, the great good which you desire for the French is not on account of the love you bear them, but on account of your hatred of the English." Upon this Father Biard entered into a long explanation; but he could never eradicate this opinion from the Captain's mind, who said it was not credible that five or six Frenchmen, surrounded by afflictions, would have consented to sign a false accusation against a Priest, one of their own fellow-citizens, deriving no other profit therefrom than to destroy him, and in this way to satisfy their evil passions.
Ie vous ay faict ce recit à fin que la suaue disposition de la diuine prouidence soit recogneuë, & que vous entendiez, cõme Dieu [285 i.e., 287] alloit preparant peu à peu le cœur du Capitaine. Car il se trouua biẽ perplex, & luy & ses gens, quand ils se virent pres des Açores. La cause en estoit, parce que ces Isles sont habitées des Portugais Catholiques; par ainsi les Anglois consideroyent, que venants à y anchrer, il faudroit souffrir la visite du nauire. Que si en la visite on descouuroit les Iesuites que c'estoit faict d'eux, parce qu'on deliureroit lesdits Iesuites, comme Catholiques: & qu'eux seroyent pendus, ou pour le moins mis à la cadene comme voleurs de Prestres.
I have narrated this to you that the kindly dispositions of providence may be recognized, and that you may understand how God [285 i.e., 287] proceeded, little by little, to prepare the heart of the Captain. For both he and his crew were greatly perplexed, when they found themselves near the Açores. The reason for this was, that these Islands are inhabited by Catholic Portuguese, so the English judged that, in anchoring there, they would have to allow the ship to be visited; and if in this visit the priests were discovered, it would be all over with them, for the Jesuits, as Catholics, would be liberated, and they [the English] would be hanged, or at least condemned to the chain and ball, as robbers of Priests.
Le remede à ce mal estoit facile, faisant faire ausdits Iesuites vn saut dans la mer. Neantmoins comme ie vous ay monstré, la crainte de Dieu s'estoit [60] resueillée, qui combattoit pour eux. Nostre Seigneur en fin, qui les [286 i.e., 288] protegeoit aux prieres de sa glorieuse Mere, fit que le Capitaine se resolut de les cacher au fonds du nauire, esperant que cela suffiroit pour seurté: comme il suffit aussi, mais la bõne foy des Iesuites y aydant, ainsi que vous entendrés tout à cest'heure.
The remedy for this evil was an easy one; namely, to make the Jesuits take a leap into the sea. Nevertheless, as I have shown you, the fear of God was awakened, and this contended for them. Our Lord indeed who [286 i.e., 288] protected them through the prayers of his glorious Mother, caused the Captain to decide to conceal them in the hold of the ship, hoping this would suffice for their security, as it did; but the good faith of the Jesuits assisted therein, as you will soon hear.
CHAPITRE XXXII. [i.e., xxxi.]
COMME LE NAUIRE FUT VISITÉ AUX AÇORES, & LA BONNE FOY, QUE LES IESUITES GARDERENT AUX ANGLOIS.
LA main de Dieu estoit euidemment sur les Iesuites pour les proteger, ainsi que vous auez peu apperceuoir par cy deuant: Et fut manifeste en vn autre danger, qu'ils passerent; que nous ne racontons pas icy, pour n'estre longs, auquel neantmoins [287 i.e., 289] ils confessent d'auoir eu plus de peur, qu'en beaucoup d'autres, & non sans cause. Ceste protection diuine se monstra encores clairement en ce quell'osta l'apprehension du peril au Capitaine. Car s'il eust preueu les grands dangers qu'il courut puis apres, ie ne scay s'il eust esté assez conscientieux, ou ses gens pour ne se point resoudre au meurtre, auant que de tomber aux perplexités, ausquelles ils furent reduits, en ceste façon.