Part 15

I conjure Your Reverence, through the merits of Jesus Christ, to remember us and these solitary lands, and to come to our aid in so far as you are able, not only by the fervent prayers of our Society, but also by the blessing and favor of our Holy Father the Pope (which I have already invoked). Surely we sow in great poverty and in tears; may the Lord grant that we some day reap in joy. Which will come to pass, as I hope and have said, [43] through the prayers and blessings of Your Reverence, which are humbly solicited by your

Unworthy son and servant, PIERRE BIARD, S. J.

Port Royal, New France, or Canada, June 11, 1611.

VII

JOUVENCY'S CANADICÆ MISSIONIS RELATIO

ROME: GIORGIO PLACKO, 1710

SOURCE: We follow the general style of O'Callaghan's Reprint No. 4. The Title-page, Eulogy of Biard, and Table of Contents, are the work of that Editor. The Text, and List of Missions in 1710, he reprinted from Jouvency's _Historia Societatis Jesu_ (Rome, 1710), part v., pp. 321-325, 961, 962; the proof of these we have read from a copy of that work, found in the library of the College of St. Francis Xavier, New York. The bracketed pagination in Arabic figures is that of Jouvency; that in Roman, of O'Callaghan.

CANADICÆ

MISSIONIS

RELATIO

_Ab anno 1611 usque ad annum 1613, cum statu ejusdem Missionis, annis 1703 & 1710_,

Auctore JOSEPHO JUVENCIO, Societatis Jesu, Sacerdote.

Ex Historiæ Soc. Jesu. Lib. xv. Part. v, impressa

ROMÆ Ex Typographia Georgii Plachi M. D. CC. X.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE

CANADIAN

MISSION

_From the year 1611 until the year 1613, with the condition of the same Mission in the years 1703 and 1710_,

By JOSEPH JOUVENCY, a Priest of the Society of Jesus.

Printed from the History of the Society of Jesus, Book xv., Part v.

ROME From the Press of Giorgio Placko 1710.

[i] P. Petri Biardi Eulogium ac Vita.

DE Patre Petro Biardo qui tantam in Missione Canadica inchoanda partem gessit hæc scribit Pater Josephus Juvencius in sua Historiâ sub anno 1622.

"Ex omnibus qui hoc anno vivere in provincia Lugdunensi desierunt, luctu maximo elatus est Avenione P. PETRUS BIARDUS Gratianopolitanus. Religionis propagandæ studio navigaverat ad barbaros Canadenses, fueratque inter primos ejus terræ cultores, ut in quinta parte narratum est. Inde pulsus ab hæreticis Anglis, & redire in Galliam coactus, totum se impendit [ii] juvandis popularibus suis, quorum ut saluti consuleret, nihil sibi reliqui ad laborem diligentiamque faciebat. Ejus tamen industriam experti maxime sunt Parodienses in præfectura Carolitana, quam civitatem per usitata ordinis ministeria diu coluit. Novissime regionis præfectus Marchio Ragnius, jussus a rege copias in Campaniam ducere contra Ernestum Mansfeldium Galliæ finibus imminentem, Biardum sibi adsciverat comitem expeditionis, & sacrorum ministrum. Per eam occasionem nescias, utrum spectata magis sit apostolici viri charitas, an patientia. Magna erat in castris inopia commeatuum. Diaria militibus præbebantur adeo maligne, ut nonnulli fame perirent. Biardus cibario, & demensum suum, ac siquid præterea pecuniolæ a ditioribus emendicando corrogasset, inter egentissimos militum partiebatur, se ipsum fraudans diurno victu, ut aliis benigne faceret. Avenionem concesserat [iii] denique, ut attritas tot laboribus vires paucorum dierum otio reficeret. Verum quasi divinans, instare sibi omnium laborum & vitæ finem, totum illud tempus impendit excolendo piis commentationibus animo inter tirones, seque ad primam tirocinii formam senex emeritus ita composuit, ut nullam omitteret earum exercitationum, quibus ad sui mundique contemptum erudiri solent novitii. His intentum, nihilque jam præter cælestia cogitantem mors oppressit, xv. Cal. Decembris."

Adhæc non inutile forsan videbitur adjicere quæ ab auctore antiquiore Philippo scilicet Alegambe scripta sunt in Catalogo Scriptorum Societatis Jesu, sub verbo Biard:

"PETRUS BIARDUS natione Gallus, patriâ Gratianopolitanus, operarius magni zeli, atque adeò multarum palmarum, quas [iv] in horridis et inuiis Canadensium Septentrionalis Americæ populorum siluis primus legit. Extrema ibi omnia passus, nihil tamen inhumanum magis, quàm Hæreticos, expertus est. Feritatis oblita gens barbara integerrimi hominis innocentiam venerari discebat; cùm ecce tibi sanctitatis inimica, Deumque nesciens Hæresis, cum Anglis Canadæ oras irrupit; difficillimæ expeditionis ingens pretium fuit, exosum inde abducere Jesuitam. Habitus est in vinculis aliquamdiu; & vix tandem in Galliam nudus ab omni remissus. Intereà verò dum integrum illi esset ad noualia Canadæ redire, damnum ab Hæreticis illatum sanctè vitus est: reliquo vitæ tempore quæsiuit intentissimis studiis ad vitam illos, à quibus ad necem adductus fuerat. Docuerat olim Theologiam Lugduni, non sine laude. Reuersus è Missione Castrensi, cùm Auenionem diuertisset, & opportunitate temporis vsus secessisset in Nouitiatum, in ipsis [v] penè spiritualium Exercitiorum initiis, ad paradisi contemplationem, vt credimus, euocatus est, die XIX. Nouembris, Anno MDCXXIJ.

Præter _Epistolam ad R. P. Præpositum Generalem è Portu Regali_, et _Relationem Expeditionis Anglorum in Canadam_, P. Biardus scripsit _Librum pro auctoritate Pontificis_, contra Martinettum Ministrum. Gallicè etiam edidit seorsim _Relationem Novæ Franciæ & itineris Patrum Societatis Jesu ad illam_. Lugduni apud L. Muguet, MDCXVI. in 12."

[i] Eulogy and Life of Father Peter Biard.

CONCERNING Father Peter Biard, who performed so great a part in the establishment of the Canadian Mission, Father Joseph Juvency[46] writes these things in his History, under the year 1622:

"Of all who during the present year have departed this life in the province of Lyons, the most regretted was FATHER PETER BIARD, of Grenoble, who, was taken away at Avignon. With the desire of propagating religion, he had journeyed to the barbarous Canadians, and had been among the first settlers of that country, as has been narrated in the fifth part (of this volume). Upon being driven thence by the heretical English, and compelled to return to France, he entirely devoted himself [ii] to the service of his countrymen; and, that he might provide for their salvation, in no respect showed himself deficient either in labor or diligence. His industry, however, was especially enjoyed by the Paray le Monial, in the prefecture of Charolles, which community he long served with the customary ministrations of the order. Finally, the prefect of the district, Marchio Ragne, upon being ordered by the king to lead troops into Campania against Ernest von Mansfeld,[47] who was threatening the frontiers of France, had selected Biard as his companion during the expedition, and as a minister of sacred rites. Upon that occasion one would doubt whether the charity of the apostolic man, or his patience, were the more remarkable. There was in the camp a great scarcity of provisions. Rations were so poorly furnished to the soldiers that some perished with hunger. Biard divided among the most needy of them, both his own allowance and whatever small sums of money he had collected by begging from the more wealthy, depriving himself of daily sustenance, that he might do a kindness to others. He had retired to Avignon, [iii] at last, that he might with a few days' leisure refresh his energies, which had been worn out by so many toils. But divining, as it were, that the end of all labors and of life was at hand, he spent all that period in disciplining his spirit by pious meditations among the novices; and, although an aged man who had served his time, so adapted himself to the earliest form of the novitiate, that he omitted none of those exercises by which beginners are educated to a contempt of themselves and of the world. While intent upon these, and already thinking of nothing but heavenly things, death seized him on the 17th day of November."

To these things it will perhaps not seem useless to add what has been written by an earlier author, namely, Philip Alegambe,[48] in the Bibliography of the Authors of the Society of Jesus, under the word Biard:

"PETER BIARD, a French citizen, born in Grenoble, a laborer of great zeal, and of very many laurels which [iv] he first gathered in the dreadful and pathless forests of the Canadian tribes of North America. Although suffering there every extremity, he still experienced nothing more brutal than the Heretics. The barbarous race, forgetting its savageness, was learning to venerate the character of this most righteous man; when, behold, Heresy, hostile to holiness and ignorant of God, burst, together with the English, upon the shores of Canada. The reward of a very laborious expedition was great,--to drive thence the hated Jesuit. For some time he was kept in bonds; and at last, stripped of everything, he was with difficulty restored to France. But meanwhile, until it was safe to return to the wilds of Canada, he took vengeance in a holy manner for the injury inflicted by the Heretics; during the rest of his life he sought with the greatest enthusiasm to win to life those by whom he had been devoted to death. He had formerly taught Theology at Lyons, not without commendation. On his return from the Military Mission, when he had turned aside to Avignon, and, making use of his opportunity, had retired into the Novitiate, in [v] almost the very beginning of his spiritual Exercises, he was called away to the contemplation of paradise, as we believe, on the 19th day of November, in the year 1622.

Besides a _Letter to R. P. General Commander from Port Royal_, and _An Account of the Expedition of the English against Canada_, Father Biard wrote _A Book Advocating the authority of the Pontiff_ against Martinet, a minister. In French, also, he published separately _An Account of New France and of the journey thither of the Fathers of the Society of Jesus_. Lyons, by L. Muguet, 1616, in 12mo."--[O'CALLAGHAN.]

[vii] Tabvla Rervm. Pag.

_SOCIETAS Jesu, in Canadam, seu Novam Franciam inducta_ 5

II _Initium Canadicæ Missionis, & primi fructus_ 7

III _Domicilia Societatis & Missiones in Nova Francia_ 18

IV _Missio Canadensis ab Anglis proturbata_ 25

V _Unus è Societate interficitur; alii Canada ejiciuntur_ 27

VI _Missiones Societatis Jesu in America septentrionali, Anno 1710_ 37

[vii] Table of Contents.

[_The page numbers refer to O'Callaghan's Reprint._]

Page.

_THE Society of Jesus introduced into Canada or New France_ 5

II _Beginning and first fruits of the Canadian Mission_ 7

III _Settlements and Missions of the Society in New France_ 18

IV _The Canadian Mission driven out by the English_ 25

V _One of the members of the Society is killed; the others are expelled from Canada_ 27

VI _Missions of the Society of Jesus in North America, in the year 1710_ 37

Missionis Canadicæ Relatio.

[321 §. II.] SOCIETAS JESU, IN CANADAM, SEU NOVAM FRANCIAM INDUCTA.

AMERICAM septentrionalem tres præcipuè nationes obtinent, Hispani, Galli, & Angli. Mexicum, Floridæ pars & Californiæ, sunt Hispanæ ditionis. Littora orienti foli opposita & ad Austrum devexa occuparunt variis temporibus Angli, Sueci, & Hollandi. Quod inter illos & Mexicanos versus septentriones & occasum campi jacet, Galli tenent, ac Novam Franciam, sive Canadam, vulgo vocant. Nihil tetrius immaniusve barbaris Canadensibus fingi poterat, prius quam inducta religione mitescerent, ut patebit ex iis quæ Paragrapho decimo referentur. Nunc barbaries, & foeda scelerum cohors, rationi ac virtuti locum dedit, videturque huic oraculo [_Isai. c. 35._] veteri constare fides: _Lætabitur deserta & invia, & exultabit solitudo, & florebit quasi lilium._

An Account of the Canadian Mission.

[321 §. II.] THE SOCIETY OF JESUS INTRODUCED INTO CANADA, OR NEW FRANCE.

NORTH AMERICA is occupied principally by three nations--the Spanish, the French, and the English. Mexico, a part of Florida and of California, belongs to the Spanish dominions. The shores opposite to the rising sun, and stretching Southward, have been occupied at various times by the English, the Swedes, and the Dutch. The French possess the territory which lies between these and the Mexicans, towards the north and west, commonly called New France or Canada. Nothing fouler and more hideous than the savage Canadians could have been imagined, before they began to soften under the influence of religion, as will appear from matters to be presented in the tenth Paragraph. Now, barbarism and the vile array of sins have given place to reason and virtue, which seems to confirm our faith in this ancient prophecy: [_Isaiah, c. 35._] _The land that was desolate and impassable shall be glad, and the wilderness shall rejoice, and shall flourish like the lily._

INITIUM CANADICÆ MISSIONIS, & PRIMI FRUCTUS.

AMERICÆ littora, Franciæ obversa, Galli jam inde ab anno MDXXIV. identidem lustraverunt: sed obiter, & quasi prætereuntes. Demum superiori seculo ineunte, regionem interiorem subiit Samuel Camplenius, qui Canadensis coloniæ parens merito dici potest. Jamque negotiatio bellissimè procedebat, cum Henricus IV. de religione magis, quàm de commercio solicitus, in hanc Orbis novi partem inferre Christiana sacra decrevit, anno MDCVIII. ac Societatis homines ad hanc Apostolicam expeditionem postulavit. Certior de consilio Regis factus P. Petrus Cotonus, regiæ conscientiæ moderator, jussusque strenuos quamprimum designare sacerdotes, qui solida tanti operis jacerent fundamenta, Societatis Præpositum admonuit. Ex omni, non juvenum modo, sed etiam senum, numero, laboriosam Missionem flagitantium, delecti sunt P. Petrus Biardus, Gratianopolitanus, theologiæ professor in collegio Lugdunensi; & P. Enemundus Massæus, Lugdunensis. Moram consiliis felicibus attulit Regis improvisa mors; & Societatis amicorum studia, qui navem & reliqua itineri necessaria comparabant, debilitavit. Sed invicta rebus adversis Cotoni pietas, Reginæ auctoritatem interposuit, ut difficultates objectas profligaret. Ergo indicitur profectio: Patres Deppam advolant, inde vela Novam in Franciam facturi. Ecce autem repentè inexpectatus obex. Ea navis erat Potrincurtii, nobilis Galli: duobus tamen mercatoribus Calvinianis obnoxia, utpote qui sumptus non leves ad illam armamentis instruendam fecerant. Isti simul atque imponendos in hanc homines Societatis audierunt, negant enimvero se passuros ut è portu solvat. Opponitur imperium Reginæ, mandata ingeminantur. Respondent per se non stare quin sacerdotes alii quilibet admittantur; at sibi cum nostris hominibus nihil esse rei velle. Ubi vidit Cotonus improborum pertinaciam frangi non posse, alia rem aggressus est via. Erat matrona non pietate minus quàm genere nobilis, Antonia Guerchevillæa. Hæc negotium Missionis haud secus procurabat, ac suum: utque non vulgarem apud multos gratiam, virtutis opinione collegerat, magnam subito pecuniæ vim corrogavit, qua mercatoribus hæreticis summa rependeretur, ab iis in adornandam navim contributa. Sic illis rejectis & invitis, Patres admissi suerunt. At, quia interim extractum tempus fuerat, non ante VII. Kalend. Februarias, cum hyemaret asperum æquor, vela sunt facta. Hinc mensium quatuor cursus fuit, qui vulgo duorum est; ac morbis intus, tempestatibus foris, infestus. Ingressi demum ostia Laurentiani fluvii XI. Kal. Junias, ipso sacro Pentecostes die, vestigia Christianæ religionis aliqua invenere, leviter ab iis quos è Gallia profectos in hanc plagam diximus, impressa. Cum enim illis ignotus [322] gentis sermo, nec certum constansque in humo barbara domicilium esset, facultas non suppetebat erudiendi quos obiter baptizabant: quique pristinos in mores revoluti, Christianum vix retinebant nomen, illudque popularibus vitiis conspurcabant. Prima Patribus cura fuit ut sacellum construerent, perdiscerent linguam vernaculam, excolerent Gallos, qui è veteri Francia in novam navigaverant. Instituta est solennis supplicatio; Christus sanctissimi Sacramenti velo tectus, & quanto fieri potuit maximo apparatu circumvectus, in terræ felicis, tot sanctis postea frequentandæ veluti possessionem auspicatò venit. Proxima infantibus sacro lavandis fonte cura est data, quorum nonnulli, post susceptum salutis sacramentum, ad terram viventium possidendam, quasi gentis totius nomine, demigrarunt. Puellam annos natam novem, oppressam gravi morbo, parentes abjecerant. Cum enim artis medicæ prorsus ignara natio sit, ægrotos facile desperat, neque cibo, aut curatione ulla, juvat. Depositam Patres à parentibus postularunt, ut expiarent lympha salutari. Ultro illis permissa est, quippe quæ instar mortui canis haberetur. Abductam in mapale separatum curavere sedulo: edoctam, quantum erat necesse; baptizatam, ac nona post luce mortuam, coelo intulerunt. Eadem Sociorum caritas lætiorem exitum in juvene sortita est. Ejus pater Membertous, primus omnium, uti narrant, barbarorum, cum è Gallia navigatum illuc fuit, in Christianorum numerum venerat; homo strenuus, & omnium popularium testimonio, ceteris longè præstans animi robore, belli scientia, clientelarum multitudine, & gloriosi claritudine cognominis; quippe Magni Imperatoris titulum publico suffragio consecutus. Hunc obtinebat locum Membertous inter Souriquios, qui Acadiam, circa ostia Laurentiani amnis, incolunt. Ejus filium difficili ægritudine conflictatum P. Biardus invisit. Miratur nihil triste in tugurio; non planctum, non flebiles nænias: imo epulum, choream, & duos tresve canes alligatos. Quærit quid hæc sibi velint. Respondent juvenem brevi esse moriturum, amicos vocatos: illis epulum parari: funebrem choream postea ducendam: canes, quos videbat, interficiendos, placandis mortui Manibus. Exclamavit Pater nequaquam ista Christianis hominibus convenire, & impias consuetudines graviter increpuit. Senior, adolescentis parens, ignorantiam excusavit; ceterum se ac filium in ipsius esse potestate; doceret, juberet, imperata facturos. Sacerdos vetuit ne canes interficerentur: saltatores importunos amandavit: epuli partem, quæ superstitionis habere nihil videbatur, permisit: in primis autem, ne deponeretur penitus ægroti cura prohibuit; imo suasit ut ad Gallorum domicilia, quamvis longè disjuncta, deportaretur; sperare se, favente Deo, futurum ut convalesceret. Benignè auditus est à Membertoo: delatus æger ad nos fuit, ridentibus, ac bolum tantum tam subito è faucibus ereptum sibi dolentibus veneficis, & circulatoribus, quorum sententiâ conclamatus adolescens vivere posse negabatur. Ac sane agebat animam, cùm triduo post ad Gallorum domicilia pervenit, fractus itinere ac morbo. Patrum tamen arte ac studio, & scilicet Dei benignitate, recreatus est; nec ipse tantum in fide catholica confirmatus, sed ejus capessendæ desiderio complures inflammati.

Incidit aliquanto post in morbum pater adolescentis, & ad nos similiter deferri voluit, ubi nostrum in tugurium, atque adeo in unius è Patribus lectum acceptus, piè vitam clausit; quodque barbaris novum accidit ac molestum, illatus est in commune Christianæ plebi sepulcrum: nam ipsi a sepulcris majorum ægerrime divelluntur. Curatum funus illustri, ut rerum ferebant angustiæ, pompa. Nec honore isto qualicumque indigna barbari virtus erat, qui etiam ante quàm Christum nosset, non potuerat adduci ut plures una duceret uxores: id naturæ ac rationi magis consentaneum arbitratus. Post susceptam vero Christi Fidem ita vixerat, ut barbaris admirationi esset, Christianis exemplo.

Hæc domi gesta. Egressi deinde quasi pomerio præcones Evangelici magnam regionis partem lustravere. Divina res, ubicumque licuit, facta: impositæ manus ægrotis, conciliati munusculis parentes ac liberi; data Gallis, novas condentibus sedes, opera; necnon classiariis atque vectoribus. Non defuit patientiæ læta seges, ac tanta interdum exstitit annonæ penuria, ut singulis hebdomadis certum [323] unicuique demensum daretur, quod vix sufficiebat in unum diem, videlicet panis unciæ decem, selibra carnis sale maceratæ, & pisorum, fabarumve aliquantulum. Adhæc, erat sibi quisque faber, sarcinator, pistor, coquus, lignator, & aquator. Occurrebant interdum Patribus, in his ærumnis, voces illorum, quibus Moses provinciam explorandæ Chananitidis dederat, [_Num. c._ 13, 14.] _Terra hæc devorat habitatores suos; ibi vidimus monstra quædam filiorum Enac, de genere Giganteo, quibus comparati, quasi locustæ videbamur_. At simul veniebat in mentem oratio Josue, & Calebi, plena divinæ fiduciæ: _Terra valde bona est. Si propitius fuerit Dominus, inducet nos in eam. Neque timeatis populum terræ hujus, Dominus nobiscum est._

BEGINNING AND FIRST FRUITS OF THE CANADIAN MISSION.