Chapter VIII: Preface: To Vol. VIII (7)

28 A thousand times the thought of saint François Xavier passes
through our minds, and has great power over us. If the men of the
world, in order to have Beaver skins, and codfish, and I know not
what commodities, do not fear either the storms on the sea, or
the Savages on land, or the sea, or death; how dreadful will be
the confusion of God's servants for being afraid of these things,
or of a few little hardships, in trying to win souls ransomed by
the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and empurpled by his blood of
inestimable value? On the day of judgment will not these petty
traders and fishers of cod rise up to condemn us, if they take more
pains to gain a piece of money than we do to help save the Savages?
This thought stings our hearts so [241] deeply that we do not feel
our sufferings, or if we feel them we do not dare to complain of
them.

29 Il y a mille personnes en France qui sont fort inutiles, & qui n'ont nul employ; ils sont sçauans, & puis c'est tout, & cela ne sert de rien du tout à l'Eglise de Dieu; helas! en la Nouuelle France ce seroient des Apostres s'ils vouloient y venir employer leur talent; moins de sçauoir & plus d'humilité & de zele, feroit miracle icy, & ils gagneroient possible plus en vn an, qu'ils ne feront toute leur vie en France.

29 There are many persons in France who are of no use, and have
nothing to do there; they are scholars and that is all, and that is
of no use in the Church of God; alas! in New France these men would
be Apostles, if they would come here to use their talents; less
wisdom, and more humility and zeal, would perform miracles here,
and it is possible they would gain more in one year than they will
do in a lifetime in France.

30 L'experience nous fait voir, que ceux de la Compagnie qui viennent en la Nouuelle France, il faut qu'ils y soient appellez par vne vocation speciale & bien forte; que ce soit gens morts & à soy, & au monde; hõmes veritablement Apostoliques, qui ne cherchent que Dieu, & le [242] salut des ames, qui aiment d'amour la Croix, & la mortification; qui ne s'espargnent point; qui sçachent supporter les trauaux de la mer & de la terre, & qui desirent plus la conuersion d'vn Sauuage, que l'Empire de toute l'Europe; qui ayent des cœurs de Dieu, & tous remplis de Dieu; qui soient comme des petits Iean Baptistes, criant parmy ces deserts & ces forests, comme des voix de Dieu, qui appellent tous ces pauures Sauuages à recognoistre Iesus-Christ; en fin que ce soient des hommes qui ont tous leurs contentemens dans Dieu, & ausquels les souffrances soient leurs plus cheres delices. Voila ce que l'experience nous fait veoir tous les iours: mais aussi il est vray, qu'il semble que Dieu respande bien plus abondamment les rosées de ses graces sur cette Nouuelle France, que sur la vieille, [243] & que les cõsolations interieures, & les Diuines infusions y sont bien plus solides, & les cœurs bien plus embrasez. _Nouit Dominus qui sunt eius._ Mais il n'appartient qu'à Dieu de faire le choix de ceux dont il se veut seruir, & ausquels il fait cette misericorde de les amener en la Nouuelle France, pour en faire des saincts. Sainct François Xauier disoit qu'il y auoit vne Isle en Orient, qui estoit bien propre pour faire perdre la veuë à force de plorer de ioye excessiue du cœur; ie ne sçay si nostre Nouuelle France ressemble point ceste Isle: mais nous experimẽtons que si quelqu'vn icy s'abandonne à Dieu à bon escient, il court hazard d'y perdre la veuë, & la vie, & tout, & auec grande ioye à force de trauailler; il n'appartient qu'à ceux qui y sont, & qui goustent Dieu, d'en parler par experience.

30 Experience shows us that those of the Society who come to New
France should be impelled to it by a special and very forcible
call; persons who are dead to themselves and to the world; men
truly Apostolic, who seek God alone, and the [242] salvation of
souls, who love with real love the Cross and self-mortification;
who do not spare themselves; who can endure the hardships of the
sea and of the land, and who desire the conversion of a Savage more
than the Empire of all Europe; who have Godlike hearts, all filled
with God; who are like little John the Baptists, crying through
these deserts and forests like voices from God, which summon all
these poor Savages to acknowledge Jesus Christ; in fine let them
be men whose sole satisfaction is in God and to whom suffering is
the greatest delight. That is what experience shows us every day;
but it is also true that it seems as if God shed the dew of his
grace much more abundantly upon this New France than upon the old,
[243] and that the internal consolations and the Divine infusions
are much stronger here, and hearts more on fire. _Novit Dominus
qui sunt ejus._ But it belongs to God alone to choose those whom
he will use, and whom he favors by taking them into New France, to
make saints of them. Saint François Xavier said that there was an
Island in the Orient which was quite capable of making a person
lose his sight, by crying from excessive joy of the heart; I know
not if our New France resembles this Island, but we know from
experience that, if any one here gives himself up in earnest to
God, he runs the risk of losing his sight, his life, his all, and
with great joy, by dint of hard work; it belongs only to those who
are here and who enjoy God to speak from experience.

[244] 31 Nous recognoissons euidemmẽt, qu'il faut que ce soit le Ciel qui conuertisse la terre de la Nouuelle Frãce, & que nous ne sõmes pas assez forts. Nous ne craignõs rien tãt, sinon que nos imperfectiõs n'empeschẽt la cõuersiõ de ces pauures Sauuages; c'est pourquoy nous auõs tous esté d'auis de recourir au Ciel, & à la tres saincte Vierge Mere de Dieu, par laquelle Dieu a coustume de faire ce qui ne se peut faire, & conuertir les cœurs les plus abandonnez. A cet effet nous auons resolu de faire vn vœu fort solemnel, dont voicy la teneur.

[244] 31 We clearly recognize that it must be Heaven which shall
convert the land of New France, and that we are not strong enough.
We fear nothing so much as that our imperfections may prevent the
conversion of these poor Savages; that is why we have all been
minded to have recourse to Heaven and to the very holy Virgin,
Mother of God, through whom God is accustomed to do what seems
impossible, and to convert the hearts of the most abandoned. To
this end, we have resolved to make a very solemn vow, of which the
following is the purport:--

Mon Dieu & mon Sauueur Iesus, quoy que nos pechez nous doiuent esloigner de vostre presence, si est-ce qu'épris d'vne affection de vous honorer & vostre tres-Ste Mere, poussez d'vn desir de nous veoir dans la fidelle correspondance que vous desirez de vos seruiteurs, souhaittãs en [245] outre de vous veoir recõneu & adoré de ces pauures peuples: Nous vous promettons & faisons vœu, comme aussi à la tres-saincte Vierge vostre Mere, & à sõ glorieux Espoux S. Ioseph, de celebrer douze fois és douze mois suiuant le sacrifice de la Ste Messe, pour ceux qui sont Prestres; & pour les autres de reciter douze fois la Couronne ou le Chappellet de la Vierge en l'honneur & en action de grace de son immaculee Cõception, & de ieusner tous la veille de ceste feste: vous promettans en outre que si on erige quelque Eglise ou Chappelle stable dãs ces pais, dans le cours de ce tẽps limité, que nous la ferõs dedier à Dieu sous le tiltre de l'immaculée Cõception, si cela est en nostre pouuoir, le tout pour obtenir de la bõté de N. S. la conuersion de ces Peuples, par l'entremise de sa saincte Mere, & de son sainct Espoux. Receuez [246] cependant, ô l'Emperiere des Anges & des hommes, les cœurs de ces pauures Barbares abandonnez, que nous vous presentons par les mains de vostre glorieux Espoux, & de vos fidelles seruiteurs S. Ignace & S. François Xauier, & de tous les Anges Gardiens de ces miserables contrées, pour les offrir à vostre Fils, afin qu'il leur donne sa cognoissance, & leur applique le merite de son pretieux sang. Ainsi soit-il.

My God and my Savior Jesus, although our sins ought to banish us
from your presence, yet being inspired with a desire to honor you
and your very Holy Mother, urged by a wish to see ourselves in the
faithful correspondence [to your graces] that you desire in your
servants, wishing [245] besides to see you acknowledged and adored
by these poor people: We promise and make a vow unto you and also
to the very holy Virgin your Mother, and to her glorious Spouse St.
Joseph, to celebrate twelve times in twelve succeeding months the
Sacrifice of the Holy Mass, for those who are Priests; and for the
others to say twelve times the Crown or Chaplet of the Virgin, in
honor of and as an act of grace for her immaculate Conception, and
all to fast the day before this festival; promising you further
that, if a permanent Church or Chapel is erected in this country
within this specified time, we will have it dedicated to God under
the title of the immaculate Conception, if it is in our power,--all
this, to secure by the goodness of Our Lord the conversion of these
Peoples, through the mediation of his holy Mother and of her holy
Spouse. In [246] the meantime receive, O Empress of Angels and of
men, the hearts of these poor abandoned Barbarians that we present
to you through the hands of your glorious Spouse and of your
faithful servants, St. Ignace and St. François Xavier, and of all
the Guardian Angels of these wretched countries, to offer them to
your Son, that he may give them knowledge of himself and apply to
them the efficacy of his precious blood. Amen.

Dieu par son infinie bonté nous rende dignes de cette excellente vocation, pour dignement cooperer à sa grace, au profit de ces pauures Sauuages.

May God in his infinite goodness render us worthy of this noble
calling, worthily to coöperate with his grace, to the benefit of
these poor Savages.

Extraict du Priuilege du Roy.

PAR Grace & Priuilege du Roy il est permis à Sebastien Cramoisy, Marchand Libraire Iuré en l'Vniuersité de Paris, & Imprimeur ordinaire du Roy, d'imprimer ou faire imprimer vn liure intitulé, _Relation de ce qui s'est passé en la Nouuelle France en l'année mil six cens trente cinq. Enuoyée au R. P. Provincial de la Compagnie de Iesus en la Prouince de France. Par le Pere Paul le Ieune de la mesme Compagnie, Superieur de la Residence de Kebec_: & ce pendant le temps & espace de cinq années consecutiues. Auec defenses à tous Libraires & Imprimeurs d'imprimer ou faire imprimer ledit liure, sous pretexte de desguisement, ou changement qu'ils y pourroient faire, à peine de confiscation, & de l'amende portée par ledit Priuilege. Donné à Paris le douziesme Ianuier, mil six cens trente six.

Par le Roy en son Conseil.
VICTON.

Extract from the Royal License.

BY the Grace and License of the King, permission is granted to
Sebastien Cramoisy, Bookseller under Oath in the University of
Paris, and Printer in ordinary to the King, to print or to have
printed a book entitled, _Relation de ce qui s'est passé en la
Nouvelle France en l'année mil six cens trente cinq. Envoyée au R.
P. Provincial de la Compagnie de Jesus en la Province de France.
Par le Pere Paul le Jeune de la mesme Compagnie, Superieur de la
Residence de Kebec_: and this during the time and space of five
consecutive years. Prohibiting all Booksellers and Printers to
print or to have printed the said book, under pretext of disguise
or change that they might make therein, on pain of confiscation of
the copies, and of the fine provided by the said License. Given
at Paris on the twelfth of January, one thousand six hundred and
thirty-six.

By the King in Council.
VICTON.

Approbation.

NOVS ESTIENNE BINET Prouincial de la Compagnie de IESVS en la Prouince de France. Suiuant le Priuilege qui nous a esté octroyé par les Roys Tres-Chrestiens Henry III. le 10. May 1583. Henry IV. le 10. Decembre 1605. & Louys XIII. à present regnant le 14. Feurier 1612. par lequel il est defendu à tous Libraires de n'imprimer aucun Liure de ceux qui sont composez par quelqu'vn de nostre dite Compagnie, sans permission des Superieurs d'icelle: Permettons à Sebastien Cramoisy Marchand Libraire Iuré à Paris, & Imprimeur ordinaire du Roy, de pouuoir imprimer pour dix ans la _Relation de ce qui s'est passé en la Nouuelle France, en l'année 1635._ à nous enuoyée par le Pere Paul le Ieune de nostre mesme Compagnie, Superieur de la Residence de Kebec. En foy dequoy nous auons signé la presente à Paris ce quinziesme Ianuier 1635.

Signé,
E. BINET.

Approbation.

WE, ESTIENNE BINET, Provincial of the Society of JESUS in the
Province of France, in accordance with the License that has been
granted to us by the Most Christian Kings, Henry III. May 10th,
1583, Henry IV. December 10th, 1605, and Louys XIII. now reigning
February 14th, 1612, by which all Booksellers are prohibited from
printing any of the Books which are composed by any one of our said
Society, without the permission of the Superiors thereof: We permit
Sebastien Cramoisy, Bookseller under Oath in Paris, and Printer in
ordinary to the King, to print for ten years the _Relation de ce
qui s'est passé en la Nouvelle France en l'année 1635_, sent to
us by Father Paul le Jeune of our same Society, Superior of the
Residence of Kebec. In testimony whereof we have signed the present
at Paris, this fifteenth of January, 1635.

Signed,
E. BINET.

XXVI

LE JEUNE'S RELATION, 1636

PARIS: SEBASTIEN CRAMOISY, 1637

SOURCE: Title-page and text reprinted from the copy of the first issue (H. 65), in Lenox Library.

The document consists of two parts; the first by Le Jeune, as superior, the second by Brébeuf. In the present volume we give chaps. i.-ii., of