appease the great Captain whom I have offended."
As he said these words, [22] great tears fell from his
eyes; the sighs and sobs issuing from his mouth
prevented his speaking, and caused him to put off
his Confession to the following day. He could say
only these words: " I have offended God."

Another went much further; hear what Father
Buteux says of it, who gave me this account : ' ' This
good man waited for me on his knees for a long half-
hour after my Mass, and, seeing that I was about to
go out, he stopped me, saying: ' I have offended
God. I wish to make Confession.' He seemed to
me quite carried away with grief. ' During the
night,' he said, 'I remembered my sin; I arose,
went to the woods, and cut branches from the trees,
with which I beat and scourged myself until I was
exhausted. I have a great desire to do so again,
when I shall have made my Confession. Thou shalt
tell me what must be done to make amends to God,
and to appease him.' I heard his Confession,"
said the Father; " he was affected to tears. I gave
him a penance three times as severe as I would have
given to a Frenchman for the same offense. ' Is
that all,' he said, ' that thou dost appoint to me for



62 LES RELATIONS DES J&SUITES [Vol.22

t'obeiray, i'ay fafchd Dieu, ie le veux appaifer. Le
Pere luy repart: ie ne veux pas que tu ieufnes
auiourd'huy ny demain: ce font des iours de rejouif-
fances, on fera feftin dans vos Cabanes pour l'arri-
u6e du Pere le Ieune que Dieu nous a rendu, c'eft
pour cela dit ce bon homme, qu'il faut que ie ieufne
affin que ie foufrre dauantage, i'ay fafche Dieu, il
ne faut pas que ie me rejouyffe auec les autres, ie
m'abfenteray bien aifement de ces feftins, & fi ie
m'y doibs trouuer, ie feray bien femblant de manger
fans que perfonne s'en appercoiue. Ce bon Penitent
pouuoit bien dire : Dolor mens in confpeftu meo femper,
mes yeux enuifageants mon offence ne voyent que
des obiets de douleur.

Ce n'eft pas tout il me vint trouuer en ma cham-
bre, fi toft que ie fus arriu6 pour me faire part de fes
regrets: du moins ie coniedture que c'eft le mefme,
dont le Pere faidt mention en fon memoire, il me
monltre fes mains toutes fanglantes, il s'eftoit faidt
des taillades bien cuifantes aux doits, & comme ie
luy en demandois la raifon ! Ah mon Pere ie fuis
bien trifte i'ay [24] fafche" Dieu & ie fuis caufe que
d'autres, l'ont fache, ie me fuis decouppe les doigts
pour leur monft[r]er qu'il ne falloit pas faire ce que
i'ay faidt, & pour leur apprendre que ceux qui font
baptifes ne doiuent plus commettre aucune mauuaife
adtion.

Vn autre papier qu'on ma mis entre les mains
parle en cette facon: l'vn des deux Capitaines de la
refidence de S. Iofeph, eft fi touche de Dieu & fi zel6
pour la foy qu'il reffent les moindres fautes que fes
gens commettent, il n'a point de repos qu'il n'y ait
mis ordre, il n'y a pas long-temps que fe venant con-



1642] RELA TION OF 1642 63

so great a sin? Make me endure something [23] that
will torment my body; command me to fast. Fear
not, — I will obey thee; I have offended God and I
wish to appease him.' " The Father replied: " I do
not wish thee to fast to-day, nor to-morrow; for
these are days of rejoicing. A feast will be held in
your Cabins in honor of the arrival of Father le
Jeune, whom God has given back to us." " It is for
that reason," said the good man, " that I must fast,
so that I may suffer more. I have offended God ; I
must not rejoice with the others. I will very gladly
keep away from these feasts ; and, if I must be pres-
ent at them, I will make pretense to eat, without any
one noticing it." This good Penitent might well
say : Dolor metis in conspectu meo semper; ' ' My eyes,
beholding my offense, see but subjects for sorrow."

That is not all ; he sought me in my room, as soon
as I arrived, to inform me of his grief, — at least, I
imagine that he is the same whom the Father men-
tioned in his account. He showed me his hands all
bleeding. He had made very painful cuts in his
fingers, and, when I asked him the reason of this, he
said: " Ah, my Father, I am very sad; I have [24]
offended God and I am the cause of others offending
him. I have cut my fingers, to show them that what
I did should not have been done ; and to teach them
that those who are baptized should not commit any
bad action."

Another paper that has been handed to me relates
the following: " One of the two Captains of the
residence of St. Joseph is so moved by God, and
so zealous for the faith, that he feels the slightest
faults committed by his people, and has no rest until
he has set things right. Not long ago, he came for



64 LES RELATIONS DES J&SUITES [Vol.22

foler aupres de l'vn des peres qui font en cette refi-
dence, il luy difoit: ie ioiiy d'vne paix & d'vn repos
tranquille dedans mon ame, quand ie vois que mes
gens honorent la priere, il me femble que mon coeur
eft en vn banquet; mais quand ie vois quelqu'vn s'e-
carter du droit chemin ie m'afflige, mon coeur n'eft
point a fon aife il eft come vn homme qui eft mal
affis, ie ne dors plus d'vn bon fommeil, ie ne fais que
fonger aux moyens d'y apporter remede. Sa femme
qu'il a gagnee a Dieu ne luy cede pas maintenant en
piet£; eftant malade il y a quelque temps vn pere
l'alla vifiter auec le Sieur [25] Giffart qui fert de
Medecin a Kebec, apres luy auoir touche le poulx &
confidere fa maladie il luy fit dire qu'elle prift cou-
rage, qu'elle ne s'atriftaft point pour ce que fa mala-
die n'eftoit point mortelle, cette femme regardat le
Pere come etonnee, luy dit; C6t homme f9ait-il bien
que ie fuis baptifee? II le fcait bien, dit le Pere.
Pourquoy done, replique-elle, me dit-il que ie prenne
courage, & que ie ne m'attrifte point, & que ie n'en
mourray pas? Dieu n'eft-il pas mon Pere? [n']eft-ce
pas luy qui determine de ma vie? pourquoy done
m'attrifter de ce que fera mon Pere? qu'il en faffe
comme il voudra, il eft le Maiftre ; ie fuis Chreftienne,
ie ne m'attrifteray point. Le Medecin n'attendoit
pas vne telle reponfe d'vne femme qui eft nee dans
la barbarie ; il y en a de plus experts en France que
luy, a qui on n'a iamais fait vne femblable reponfe.
Vn Sauuage nouuellement baptife\ f e voyant aff ailly
& viuement pique fur quelque different qu'il auoit
auec l'vn de fes compatriotes, retint fa parole ; & fen-
tant que fon cceur bondiffoit, Tout beau, difoit-il en
foy-mefme, il vaut mieux perdre ce que Ton me dif-
pute & tout ce que [26] i'ay de vaillant, que de falir



1642] RELA TION OF 1642 65

consolation to one of the fathers who are at this resi-
dence, and said to him : ' I enjoy peace and tranquil
repose in my soul when I see that my people honor
prayer, — it seems to me that my heart is at a ban-
quet; but, when I see any one stray from the right
path, I am afflicted at it. My heart is not at ease,
but is like a man who is uncomfortably seated ; I do
not sleep soundly, and do nothing but think of the
means of remedying the evil.' His wife, whom he
has won over to God, now does not yield to him in
piety. When she was ill, some time ago, a father
went to visit her with Sieur [25] Giffart who is
employed as a Physician at Kebec. After feeling her
pulse and considering her disease, he had her told to
take courage and not to be unhappy, because her
malady was not mortal. The woman looked at the
Father as if astounded, and said to him : ' Does that
man know that I am baptized? ' ' He knows it well,'
said the Father. ' Then, ' she replied, ' why does he
tell me to take courage, not to be unhappy, and that
I shall not die ? Is not God my Father ? Is it not he
who decides about my life? Why, then, grieve at
what my Father shall do? Let him arrange as he
will ; he is the Master. I am a Christian, and I will
not be unhappy.' The Physician did not expect
such an answer from a woman born in a state of
barbarism. There are in France more experienced
physicians than he, to whom such an answer has
never been given."

A newly-baptized Savage, who was offended and
greatly nettled in a dispute with one of his country-
men, held his tongue, and, feeling his heart filled
with rage, he said to himself : ' ' Gently ; it is better
to lose what we are disputing about, and everything



66 LES RELATIONS DES JESUITES [Vol.22

mon Baptefme. II s'en alia de ce pas trouuer le Pere
qui l'auoit baptife, pour luy demander ce qu'il feroit
a fon cceur qui vouloit eftre mefchant. Le Pere fut
bien edifie" de fa bonte. Dieu beniffe tous ceux qui
par leurs prieres, ou par leurs fecours, font tomber la
pluye du Ciel fur cette nouuelle vigne, en verite elle
porte de bons fruits.

Vn ieune Sauuage marie depuis peu de temps, fe
fentit tete de quitter fa femme, & cette penfee le
iette dans vne profonde trifteffe. Le Diable luy
reprefente le plaifir qu'il y a de changer vne femme
qu'on hait, en vne autre qu'on aime. Son bon Ange
luy fait voir que la contrainte qu'on fe fait dans les
temps, eft recompenfee d'vn bonheur eternel. II fe
fouuient de la parole qu'il a donnee a Dieu & a fon
6poufe, il veut eftre fidele, & neantmoins il fe fent
porte" a l'infidelite; il s'en va trouuer fon Diredteur,
& le prie de chercher quelque remede a fa tentation,
qu'il eftime eftre vn grand peche. Le Pere le mene
deuant le Sain (it Sacrement, le fait prier Dieu, il
demande qu'on l'entende en Confeffion. Les groffes
larmes luy tombent des yeux. La fimple penfee de
changer [27] de femme luy paroift vn fi grand crime,
qu'il prie qu'on l'enuoye en prifon, & qu'on le mette
en vne baile foffe, ou qu'on le face publiquement
fuftiger. Se voyant ^conduit de fa demande, il fe
gliffe dans vne chambre proche de la Chappelle, &
auec vne corde qu'il rencontre, il fe frappe fi rude-
ment par tout le corps, que le bruit en vint iufques
aux oreilles du Pere : il accourt, & luy defend vne fi
rude penitence. Le Diable qui n'aime point l'efprit
de mortification le quitta bien toft, & fa tentation
s'6uanoiiyt.

Nous auons toufiours creu que les mariages des



1642] RELA TION OF 1642 67

[26] of any value that I own, than to disgrace my
Baptism." He went at once to the Father who had
baptized him, to ask him what he should do to his
heart that wished to be wicked. The Father was
greatly edified at his goodness. May God bless all
who by their prayers, or by their aid, cause the rain
to fall from Heaven on this new vine. Verily, it
bears good fruit.

A young Savage, recently married, felt tempted to
leave his wife, and the thought caused him deep
sorrow. The Devil pictures to him the delight of
changing a wife whom one hates for another whom
one loves. His good Angel shows him that the re-
straint exercised in this life is rewarded by happiness
throughout eternity. He remembers the word that
he has plighted to God and to his wife ; he wishes
to be faithful, but, nevertheless, he feels himself
inclined toward infidelity. He goes to his Director,
and begs him to find some remedy against his tempta-
tion, which he regards as a great sin. The Father
takes him before the Blessed Sacrament, and makes
him pray to God. He asks that his Confession be
heard. Great tears fall from his eyes. The mere
idea of changing [27] his wife seems to him so great
a crime that he entreats to be sent to prison and to
be put in a dungeon, or to be publicly flogged. See-
ing his request refused, he slips into a room near the
Chapel, and, with a rope that he finds, he beats him-
self so hard all over the body that the noise reaches
the ears of the Father, who runs in and forbids so
severe a penance. The Devil, who loves not the
spirit of mortification, soon left him, and his tempta-
tion vanished.

We have always been of opinion that the mar-



68 LES RELATIONS DES JESUITES [Vol. 22

Sauuages nous donneroient de la peine ; la liberte de
tenir plufieurs femmes, & d'en changer quand on
veut, eft vn grand obftacle a la Foy, mais il n'eft pas
infurmontable ; la grace eft plus puiffante que la na-
ture. Monfieur le Cheualier de Montmagny voulant
donner vne grande idee de ce Sacrement a ces bons
Neophytes, honore affez fouuent leurs mariages, fai-
fant dreffer vn beau feftin le iour de leurs nopces, ou
fe trouuent quelques vns des principaux de nos Fran-
cois, apres auoir affifte aux fainct.es ceremonies de
l'Eglife. La on ne manque [28] pas de parler de la
ftabilite' du Mariage, de l'importance qu'il y a d'obeir
a Dieu en ce poindt. Les Capitaines Sauuages font
les premiers a donner de la crainte aux nouueaux
maries, de fe feparer : ces bone[s] gens ont vne candeur
& vne fimplicite qui feroit bien nouuelle en France.
Le Preftre qui fait les ceremonies de ce Sacrement,
eftant fur le poindt de tirer le confentement des deux
parties, s'il fe rencontre la quelque Sauuage de con-
fideration & zele, il s'ecrie tout haut ; Attends, mon
Pere, ie veux parler: la deffus s'addreffant a l'epoux
& a l'epoufe qui font debout deuant l'Autel, il leur
dit; Prenez garde, il n'y a plus qu'vn pas a faire; fi
vous vous auancez dauantage, il n'y a plus moyen de
reculer. Voftre parole eft vn lien qui vous va vnir fi
6troittement, qu'il ne vous fera plus permis de le
coupper; fermez la bouche fi vous ne voulez point
eftre liez; fi vous parlez, que vos paroles foient de
fer, que iamais elles ne fe rompent ; vous eftes encore
libres, perfonne ne vous force ; mais fi vous parlez,
nous vous contraindrons de garder voftre parole : Or
fus parlez done, ou vous taifez a la bonne heure:
puis fe tournant vers le Preftre, pourfuis; [29] Mon
Pere, pourfuis, i'ay finy mon difcours. Cette ron-



1642] RELA TION OF 1642 69

riages of the Savages would give us trouble. The
liberty of having several wives, and of changing them
at pleasure, is a great obstacle to the Faith, but it is
not insurmountable. Grace is more powerful than
nature. Monsieur the Chevalier de Montmagny,
who wishes to give these good Neophytes a high
opinion of that Sacrament, frequently honors their
marriages with his presence. He has a fine feast
prepared on the wedding day, which is attended by
many of the principal among our French, after they
have been present at the holy ceremonies of the
Church. On these occasions we do not neglect [28]
to speak of the stability of Marriage, as well as the
importance of obeying God on that point. The Cap-
tains of the Savages are the first to frighten the new-
ly-married couples against separating. The candor
and simplicity of these good people would be some-
thing quite novel in France. When the Priest who
officiates at the ceremonies of this Sacrament is about
to question both parties as to their consent, if there
be any Savage of importance present who is zealous,
he calls out: " Stay, my Father, I wish to speak."
Then, addressing the bridegroom and the bride who
are standing before the Altar, he says to them:
' ' Take care ; there is but one more step to be taken, —
if you go any further, you can never draw back.
Your word is a bond that will unite you so closely
that you will no longer be permitted to sever it.
Keep your mouths closed, if you do not wish to be
bound. If you speak, may your words be of iron,
that they may never break. You are still free, — no
one compels you ; but if you speak, we will force you
to keep your word. Now then, speak, or be silent,
as you please." Then, turning towards the Priest,



70 LES RELATIONS DES JESUITES [Vol.22

deur reffent ces vieux Siecles dorez, ou la nature
marchoit reueftue d'vne fimplicit6 plus agreable que
tous les artifices des Nations les plus polies.

Puis que ie fuis tombe" fur ce fujet, i'en feray la
conclufion de ce Chapitre. Voicy vne nouuelle facon
de fe rechercher en mariage. On a dit autrefois qu'vn
Sauuage Payen faifant l'amour a vne fille, l'alloit
voir la nuidt, luy demandoit en fecret fi elle l'auoit
pour agreable. Si la fille r6pondoit qu'elle ne fe
vouloit pas marier, le ieune homme ne paffoit pas
outre: fi elle repondoit, qu'il ne falloit pas s'addref-
fer a, elle pour cette affaire, il faifoit fes pourfuites.
Or comme nous auons puiffammet crie" contre cette
facon de faire, les Chreftiens l'ont improuuee; fi bien
qu'ils s'addreffoient a nous pour demander vne fille,
mais voicy comme quelques-vns fe comportent a pre-
fent. lis peignent vn ieune homme & vne ieune
fille fur vne ecorce fe tenans par la main, en la pofture
qu'ils font dans l'Eglife quand ils fe marient, & le
feruiteur enuoye ce tableau a fa maiftreffe par quel-
qu'vn de fes amis.

Or iacoit que ce portrait ne foit pas [30] d'Appel-
les, la fille neantmoins entend bien ce qu'il veut dire.
Si elle agree le ieune homme, elle prend le tableau:
fi elle dit qu'elle n' entend rien a cette peinture, c'eft
a dire que le ieune homme fe doit pouruoir ailleurs,
& qu'il a fon conge: & n'ayez pas peur qu'il s'aille
battre en duel contre celuy qu'il verra eftre le bien-
venu : il a plus de cceur que de fe laiff er gourmader
a la paffion qu'il auoit pour vne fille : c'eft foibleff e
de [fe laiff er] vaincre par le tyran de l'amour, ou par
le demon de la haine. Ce feruiteur econduit ira
congratuler a fon camarade, qui fera bien venu
aupres de fa maiftreffe.



1642] RELA TION OF 164.2 71

" Go on, [29] my Father, go on; I have finished my
speech." This plain speaking reminds one of the
golden Age of old, when nature was clothed in a
simplicity more agreeable than all the artifices of the
most polished Nations.

While I am on this subject, I will conclude this
Chapter with it. Here is a new way of seeking a
person in marriage. It has already been stated that,
when a Pagan Savage wooed a maiden, he went to
see her at night, and asked her in secret if she would
accept him. If the maid replied that she did not
wish to marry him, the young man went no further.
If she replied that he was not to address her about
the matter, he pressed his suit. Now, as we have
vigorously rebuked such conduct,' the Christians dis-
approve of it, and they apply to us to ask for a maid ;
but observe how some of them now act. They paint
on a piece of bark a young man and a maiden, hold-
ing each other by the hand, in the position that they
assume in Church when they get married; and the
swain sends this picture to his mistress by one of his
friends.

Now, although this portrait may not be painted
[30] by Apelles, the maiden knows very well what it
means. If she accepts the young man, she takes the
picture. If she says that she does not at all under-
stand the painting, it means that the young man
must look elsewhere, and that he is rejected. Do
not fear that he will fight a duel with him whom he
sees welcomed. He has more spirit than to let him-
self be dominated by his passion for a maid ; to allow
oneself to be vanquished by the tyrant of love or the
demon of hatred, is weakness. The rejected suitor
will go and congratulate his comrade who shall be
welcome to his mistress.



72 LES RELATIONS DES jE'SUITES [Vol.22



CHAPITRE III.

CONTINUATION DES BONS SENTIMENS & DES BONNES
ACTIONS DES CHRESTIENS.

L? VN des Peres qui enfeignent les Sauuages en la
refidence de S. Iofeph, lifant certain iour vne
lifte des pechez aufquels ces peuples font fub-
jets deuant leur Baptefme, comme il vint a parler
de leurs [31] fuperftitions, des inuocations qu'ils
faifoient des Demons, on des Genies du iour, d'vn
certain padte tacite qu'ils ont auec le Diable, par le
moyen d'vne pierre myfterieufe, dont on a parle
autres fois. Vn bon Chreftien s'ecria; Voila, mon
Pere, ce qui f e garde encore parmy nous ; allons dans
les cabanes, cherchons par tout, nous trouuerons quel-
ques-vnes de ces petites Idoles cachees, perfonne ne
s'en fert aupres de vous; mais ceux qui en ont, les
portent auec eux dans les bois; le Diable les tente,
& leur fait croire qu'ils feront mal-heureux s'ils les
iettent, qu'ils ne feront pas bonne chaffe, & par ce
moyen il les tient toufiours a la cadene. Ie ne dis
pas cecy pour aucun mal que ie leur fouhaitte, le
defir que i'ay qu'ils eloignent les Demons de leurs
cabanes, & qu'ils prennent le chemin le plus droit du
Paradis, me fait tenir ce difcours.

Cet homme eft fi zele* pour la conuerfion des Sau-
uages, qu'il s'en alia ce printemps bien auant dans
les terres vers vne Nation qui n'aborde quafi point
les Francois pour leur faire des prefens, & pour les
inuiter a embraffer la Foy [32] de Iesvs-christ.



1642] RELA TION OF 1642 73



CHAPTER III.

CONTINUATION OF THE GOOD SENTIMENTS AND GOOD
ACTIONS OF THE CHRISTIANS.

ONE of the Fathers who teach the Savages at the
residence of St. Joseph, read out one day
a list of the sins to which these peoples are
liable before their Baptism. When he spoke of
their [31] superstitions, — of their invocations to the
Demons, or to the Genii of the light ; 4 of a certain
tacit compact that they have with the Devil by means
of a mysterious stone, which we have already men-
tioned, — a good Christian called out: " That, my
Father, still remains among us. Let us go into the
cabins and look about everywhere ; we shall find some
of those little Idols hidden away. No one makes
use of them before you, but those who have any,
carry them with them into the woods. The Devil
tempts them, and makes them believe that they will
be unlucky if they throw them away, — that they
will not have a successful hunt ; and, by this means,
he keeps them always in chains. I do not say this
because I wish them evil ; my desire that they should
send away the Demons from the cabins, and take the
straightest road to Paradise, makes me speak."

This man is so zealous for the conversion of the
Savages that he went last spring very far inland, to
a Nation that hardly ever approaches the French, to
give them presents, and to urge them to embrace the
Faith [32] of Jesus Christ. He had already



74 LES RELATIONS DES J&SUITES [Vol.22

II y fut defia l'an paffe auec vn tres-heureux fucces,
voicy comme le Pere Ragueneau m'en efcrit cete
annee: nos Hurons qui l'Efte paffe 1 allerent en traitte
a OndS'tab'aKa (ie croy que ce font les peuples du Sagne
ou alloit ce bon Neophyte) nous ont raporte que foir
& matin ils voyoient faire les prieres, & qu'on y
chantoit les mefmes chofes que Charles Tfondatfaa
auoit entendu chanter aux Chreftiens de S. Iofeph.
D'oii les Hurons concliient que ces peuples croyent
en Dieu, & que la Foy eft defia en poffeffion de tous
les pais Septentrionnaux Dominus benedicat, fans doute
conuertifans bien vne nation, on aduance beaucoup
la conuerfion des autres, aufquelles mefme on ne
trauaille pas. Ten fuis tout conuaincu auffi bien
que V. R. ce font des paroles du pere.

Ce mefme Neophyte a vne deuotion toute particu-
liere aux images des faints: il en a quelques vnes
qu'il conferue auec vn tres grand foing. Les def-
pliant certain iour deuant l'vn de nos Francois, il les
baif oit toutes auec vne grande humilite : Mais quand
il vint aux Crucifix, il le baifa trois fois ; Voila, difoit-
il, le portrait [33] de celuy que i'ayme par deffus toute
chofe, il luy rendoit vn fi grand honneur, qu'on
voyoit bien qu'il auoit de l'amour pour celuy qui en
a tant eu pour tous les hommes.

Ce pauure homme fe voyant lie auec vne femme,
autant eloignee de la Foy que fon mary l'honore, la
quitta en vn beau matin, fe feruant du priuilege que
luy donne faindt Paul. Quelques Chreftiens s'en
formalifent; ils luy reprochent qu'il ne croit que du
bout des levres; qu'vn vray Chreftien ne doit iamais
abandonner fa femme. Le voila tout afflige ; car il
ne peut auoir d'amour pour vne femme qui n'en a



1642] RELA TION OF 1642 75

gone there last year, and had met with very great
success. This is what Father Ragueneau writes me
about it this year : ' ' Our Hurons who went last Sum-
mer on a trading expedition to Ondoutawaka 5 (I
think that it is the peoples of the Sagne where this
good Neophyte went) have informed us that, even-
ing and morning, they heard the prayers recited and
the same things sung that Charles Tsondatsaa had
heard sung by the Christians of St. Joseph. Hence
the Hurons conclude that those people believe in God
and that Faith is already in possession of all the
Northern countries. Dominus benedicat. Of course,
by thoroughly converting one nation we greatly
further the conversion of others for which we do not
even labor. I am quite convinced of this, as well as
Your Reverence. ' ' Such are the words of the father.

This same Neophyte has quite a special devotion
for the images of the saints ; he has some of these,
which he preserves with the greatest care. While