Preface to Volume IV[1]
Documents:—
XIV.Relation de la Novvelle France, de ses Terres, Natvrel dv Païs,& de ses Habitans. [Chapters xxvi.-xxxvii. and Index, completing thedocument.] Pierre Biard; Lyons, 1616[7]
XV.Lettre au Sievr de Champlain. Charles Lalemant; Kebec, July 28,1625[170]
XVI.Lettre au R.P. Prouincial des RR. Pères Recollects. CharlesLalemant; Kebec, July 28, 1625[172]
XVII.Epistola ad R.P. Mutium Vitelleschi, Præpositum GeneralemSocietatis Jesu, Romæ. Carolus Lalemant; Nova Francia, August 1,[1626][176]
XVIII.Lettre au Pere Hierosme l'Allemant. Charles Lalemant; Kebec,August 1, 1626[185]
XIX.Lettre au R.P. Supérieur du Collége des Iésuites à Paris. CharlesLalemant; Bordeaux, November 22, 1629[229]
Bibliographical Data: Volume IV[247]
Notes[253]

ILLUSTRATIONS TO VOL. IV

I.Portrait of Jean de Brébeuf, S.J.; photo-engraving from oil portrait by Donald Guthrie McNab[Frontispiece]
II.Photographic facsimile of title-page, Charles Lalemant to Jerome[188]

PREFACE TO VOL. IV

Following is a synopsis of the documents contained in the present volume:

XIV. In the concluding portion (Chapters xxvi.-xxxvii.) of the Relation of 1616, Biard relates how he and Father Quentin were taken to Virginia, where they narrowly escaped death; they then were sent to England, and finally to France, arriving there after a captivity of over nine months, and being subjected to many perils by sea and land. The annalist records what progress the Christian religion has made in New France. The missionaries have now learned the nature of the country, and the character and needs of the people; and the colonists have established friendly relations with the savages. The latter have some general knowledge of religion, and are anxious to be baptized. Several miracles are recounted, in the cure of persons given up as dying. Biard then discusses at length the respective territorial claims of the French and English in the New World, and contends that New France should extend southward at least to 39°. He concludes by urging that more attention should be given in France to both the temporal and religious interests of Canada, especially to the conversion of the savages.

Between the Documents XIV. and XV. in our series, there is a break of nine years. The Jesuit mission in Acadia had abruptly closed with the attack by Argall, so fully described in the writings of Biard, who, in his Relation of 1616, appears for the last time upon our stage. Meantime, the Récollet friars were conducting their missions upon and beyond the St. Lawrence; but,—as related in the Introduction (Volume [I.] of this series) and in [Notes] to this Volume, post,—finding themselves unequal to the great task, they invited the Jesuits to return to New France and aid them in the conversion of the savages. The first of the "black gowns" to arrive (April, 1625) were Charles Lalemant, Massé, and Brébeuf.