becommeth dampish and rotten the fishes that are giuen them alike and the waters stincking they which carie sweet meates be it flesh or fruits and that vse good bread good wine and good brothes do easily auoide those sicknesses and I durst in some sort be answerable vnto them for their healthes vnlesse they be very vnhealthfull by nature And when I consider that this disease is as well taken in Holland Frizeland in Spaine and in Guinie as in Canada I am brought to beleeue that the chiefe cause thereof is in that which I haue said and not peculiar nor particular to New France After all these causes and considerations it is good in euery place to haue a wel disposed body for to be in health and liue long For those which naturally gather colde and grosse humors and haue the masse of their bodie pory Item they that be subiect to the oppilations of the spleene and they that vse not a sturring life but sitting and without frequent motion are more apt and subiect to these sicknesses Therefore a Physitian might say that a student is not fit for that Countrie that is to say he shall not liue there in health nor those which ouertoile in labors nor melancholy people men which haue drowsie dreaming spirits nor those that be often visited with agues and such other sort of people Which I might easily beleeue because that these things doe heape much melancholy cold and superfluous humors Notwithstanding I haue tried the contrarie both by my selfe and by others against the opinion of some of ours yea of Sagamos Membertou himselfe which plaieth the Soothsaier among the Sauages who arriuing in that countrie said that I should neuer returne into France nor Monsieur Boullet sometimes captaine of Monsieur De Poutrincourt his regiment who for the most part of the time hath had agues there but he did farewel And they themselues did aduise our labourers to take but small labour in their worke which counsell they could very well obserue For I may say and that truely that I neuer made so much bodily worke for the pleasure that I did take in dressing and tilling my gardens to inclose and hedge them against the gluttony of the hogges to make knots to draw out allies to build arbours to sowe wheat rie barly oates beanes pease garden hearbs and to water them so much desire had I to know the goodnesse of the ground by my owne experience So that Summers daies were vnto mee too short and very often did I worke by Moonelight Concerning the labour of the minde I tooke a reasonable part of it for at night euery one being retired among the pratings noises and hurliburlies I was shut vp in my studie reading or writing of something Yea I will not be ashamed to speake that being requested by Monsieur De Poutrincourt our Commander to bestow some houres of my industrie in giuing Christian instructions to our small company for not to liue like beasts and for to giue to the Sauages an example of our maner of life I haue done it according to the necessitie and being thereof requested euery Sunday and sometimes extraordinarilie almost during all the time we haue beene there And well was it for me that I had brought my Bible and some bookes vnawares for otherwise it had beene very difficult for me and had beene cause to excuse me of that worke It hath not beene without fruit many witnessing vnto me that they had neuer heard so much good talke of God not knowing before any principle of that which belongeth to Christian doctrine And such is the state wherin liue the most part of Christendome And if there were any edifying of one part there was backbiting on the other by reason that vsing a French liberty I willingly spake the truth Whereupon I remember the saying of the Prophet Amos They haue hated saith he him that reproued them in the gate and haue had in abomination him that spake in integrity But in the end we became all good friends And amongst these things God gaue me alwaies a sound and a perfect health alwaies a good taste alwaies mery and nimble sauing that hauing once laien in the woods neere to a brooke in snowey weather I was touched with a Crampe or Sciatika in my thigh a fortnights space not loosing my appetite nor stomacke for the same for indeed I tooke delight in that which I did desiring to confine there my life if it would please God to blesse the voyages I should be ouer tedious if I would set downe heere the disposition of all persons and to speake concerning children that they are more subiect to this sicknesse then others for that they haue very often vlcers in the mouth and gummes because of the thin substance that abound in their bodies and also that they gather many crude humours by their disorder of liuing and by the quantity of fruits they eate being neuer filled with it by which m eans they gather great quantity of waterish bloud and the spleene being stopped cannot soake vp those moisturs And as for old folkes that haue their heat weakened and cannot resist the sicknes being filled with crudities and with a cold and moist temperature which is the qualitie proper to stirre vp and nourish it I will not take the Physitians office in hand fearing the censuring rod and notwithstanding with their leaue not touching with their orders and receits of Agaric aloes rubarbe and other ingrediens I will write heere that which I thinke more ready at hand for the poore people which haue not the abilitie and meanes to send to Alexandria as well for the preseruation of their health as for the remedie of this sicknesse It is a certaine axiome that a contrary must be healed by his contrarie This sicknesse proceeding from an indigestion of rude grosse cold and melancholie meates which offend the stomacke I thinke it good submitting my selfe to better Iudgement and aduice to accompany them with good sawces be it of butter oyle or fat all well spiced to correct as well the quality of the meate as of the bodie inwardly waxen colde Let this be said for rude and grosse meates as beanes pease and fish for he that shall eat good capons 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â—idges good duckes and good rabets he may be â—â—sured of his health or else his body is of a very bad constitution We haue had some sicke that haue as it were raised vp from death to life for hauing eaten twice or thrice of a coolice made of a cocke good wine taken according to the necessity of nature is a soueraigne preseruatiue for all sicknesses and particularily for this Master Macquin and Master Georges worshipfull Marchants of Rochel as associates to Monsieur De Monts did furnish vs with 45. toones of wine which did vs very much good And our sicke folkes themselues hauing their mouthes spoiled and not being able to eat haue neuer lost
Indeed I doe not wonder if a people poore and naked bee theeuish but when the heart is malicious it is vnexcusable This people is such that they must be handled with terrour for if through loue and gentlenesse one giue them too free accesse they will practise some surprise as it hath beene knowen in diuers occasions heeretofore and will yet heereafter beseene And without deferring any longer the second day after our comming thither as they saw our people busie awishing linnen they came some fifty one following another with bowes arrowes and quiuers intending to play some bad part as it was coniectured vpon their maner of proceeding but they were preuented some of our men going to meet them with their muskets and matches at the cocke which made some of them run away and the others being compassed in hauing put downe their weapons came to a Peninsule or small head of an Iland where our men were and making a friendly shew demanded to trucke the Tabacco they had for our merchandises The next day the Captaine of the said place and Port came into Monsieur De Poutrincourts barke to see him we did maruell to see him accompanied with Olmechin seeing the way was maruellous long to come thither by land and much shorter by sea That gaue cause of bad suspition albeit he had promised his loue to the Frenchmen Notwithstanding they were gently receiued And Monsieur De Poutrincourt gaue to the said Olmechin a complet garment wherewith being clothed he viewed himselfe in a glasse and did laugh to see himselfe in that order But a little while after feeling that the same hindred him although it was in October when he was returned vnto his Cabins he distributed it to sundry of his men to the end that one alone should not be ouerpestered with it This ought to be a sufficient lesson to so many finnical both men and women of these parts who cause their garments and brest-plates to be made as hard and stiffe as wood wherein their bodies are so miserably tormented that they are in their clothes vnable to all good actions And if the weather be too hot they suffer in their great bummes with a thousand folds vnsupportable heats that are more vntolerable than the torments which felons and criminall men are sometimes made to feele Now during the time that the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt was there being in doubt whether Monsieur De Monts would come to make an habitation on that coast as he wished it he made there a peece of ground to be tilled for to sow corne and to plant vines which they did with the helpe of our Apothecary Master Lewes Hebert a man who besides his experience in his art taketh great delight in the tilling of the ground And the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt may be heere compared to good father Noah who after he had made the tillage most necessarie for the sowing of corne he began to plant the vine whose effects he felt afterwards As they were a deliberating to passe farther Olmechin came to the Barke to see Monsieur De Poutrincourt where hauing taried certaine houres either in talking or eating he said that the next day 100. boates should come containing euery one six men but the comming of such a number of men being but troublesome Monsieur De Poutrincourt would not tarry for them but went away the same day to Malebarre not without much difficultie by reason of the great streames and sholds that are there So that the Barke hauing touched at three foot of water onely we thought to be cast away and we began to vnlade her and put the victuals into the Shaloup which was behinde for to saue vs on land but being no full sea the barke came aflote within an houre All this Sea is a land ouerflowed as that of Mount Saint Michels a sandy ground in which all that resteth is a plaine flat country as far as the Mountaines which are seene 15. leagues off from that place And I am of opinion that as far as Virginia it is all alike Moreouer there is heere great quantity of grapes as before and a country very full of people Monsieur De Monts being come to Malebarre in an other season of the yeare gathered onely greene grapes which he made to be preserued and brought some to the King But it was our good hap to come thither in October for to see the maturity thereof I haue heere before shewed the difficulty that is found in entering into Malebarre This is the cause why Monsieur De Poutrincourt came not in with his Barke but went thither with a shaloup onely which thirty or forty Sauages did helpe to draw in and when it was full tide but the tide doth not mount heere but two fadames high which is seldome seene he went out and retired himselfe into his said barke to passe further in the morning as soone as hee should ordaine it CHAP. XV. Dangers vnknowen languages the making of a forge and of an ouen Crosses set vp plenty a conspiracy disobedience murther the flight of three hundred against tenne the agility of the Armouchiquois bad company dangerous the accident of a Musket that did burst the insolency of the Sauages their timorosity impiety and flight the fortunate Port a bad sea reuenge the counsell and resolution for the returne new perils Gods fauours the arriuall of Monsieur De Poutrincourt at Port Royall and how he was receiued THe night beginning to giue place to the dawning of the day the sailes are hoised vp but it was but a very perilous nauigation For with this small vessell they were forced to coast the land where they found no depth going backe to sea it was yet woorse in such wise that they did strike twice or thrice being raised vp againe onely by the waues and the rudder was broken which was a dreadfull thing In this extremity they were constrained to cast anker in the sea at two fadams deepe and three leagues off from the land Which being done Daniel Hay a man which taketh pleasure in shewing foorth his vertue in the perils of the sea was sent towards the Coast to view it and see if there were any Port. And as he was neere land he saw a Sauage which did daunce singing yo yo yo he called him to come neerer and by signes asked him if there were any place to retire ships in and where any fresh water was The Sauage hauing made signe there was he tooke him into his shaloup and brought him to the Barke wherein was Chkoudun Captaine of the riuer of Oigoudi otherwise Saint Iohns riuer who being brought before this Sauage he vnderstood him no more than did our owne people true it is that by signes he comprehended better than they what he would say This Sauage shewed the places where no depth was and where was any and did so well indenting and winding heere
Membertou he taried yet one day But it was pitious to see at his departing those poore people weepe who had beene alwaies kept in hope that some of ours should alwaies tarry with them In the end promise was made vnto them that the yeare following housholds and families should be sent thither wholly to inhabit their land and teach them trades for to make them liue as we doe which promise did somewhat comfort them There was left remaining ten hogsheads of Meale which were giuen to them with the Corne that we had sowed and the possession of the Mannour if they would vse it which they haue not done For they cannot be constant in one place and liue as they doe The eleuenth of August the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt departed with eight in his company from the said Port Royall in a Shaloup to come to Campseau A thing maruellously dangerous to crosse so many baies and seas in so small a vessell laden with nine persons with victuals necessary for the voyage and reasonable great quantity of other stuffe Being arriued at the Port of Captaine Saualet he receiued them all as kindly as it was possible for him And from thence they came to vs to the said Port of Campseau where we taried yet eight daies The third day of September we weighed ankers and with much adoe came we from among the rockes that be about the said Campseau Which our Mariners did with two shaloups that did carry their ankers very farre into the sea for to vphold our ship to the end she should not strike against the rockes Finally being at sea one of the said shaloups was let goe and the other was taken into the Ionas which besides our lading did carry 100000. of fish as well drie as greene We had reasonable good winde vntill we came neere to the lands of Europe But we were not ouercloied with good cheere because that as I haue said they who came to fetch vs presuming we were dead did cramme themselues with our refreshing commodities Our workmen dranke no more wine after we had left Port Royall And we had but small portion thereof because that which did ouer abound with vs was drunke merrily in the company of them that brought vs newes from France The 26. of September we had sight of the Sorlingues which be at the lands end of Cornewall in England and the 28. thinking to come to Saint Maloes we were forced for want of good wind to fall into Roscoff in Base Bretaigne where we remained two daies and a halfe refreshing our selues We had a Sauage who wondred very much seeing the buildings steeples and Wind-mils in France yea also of the women whom he had neuer seene clothed after our maner From Roscoff giuing thankes to God we came with a good winde vnto Saint Maloes Wherein I cannot but praise the watchfull foresight of our Master Nicolas Martin in hauing so skilfully conducted vs in such a nauigation and among so many bankes and dangerous rocks wherewith the coast from the Cap of Vshant to Saint Maloes is full If this man be praise worthie in this his action Captaine Foulques deserueth no lesse praises hauing brought vs thorow so many contrary windes into vnknowen lands where the first foundations of New France haue beene laid Hauing taried three or foure daies at Saint Maloes Monsieur De Poutrincourts sonne and my selfe went to Mount Saint Michael where wee saw the relikes all sauing the Buckler of this holy Archangell It was told vs that the Lord Bishop of Auranches had foure or fiue yeares ago forbidden to shew it any more As for the building it meriteth to be called the 8. wonder of the world so faire and great is it vpon the point of one only rocke in the middest of the waues at full sea True it is that one may say that the sea came not thither when the said building was made But I will replie that howsoeuer it be it is admirable The complaint that may be made in this respect is that so many faire buildings are vnprofitable in these our daies as in the most part of the Abbies of France And would to God that by some Archimedes means they might be transported into New France there to be better emploied to Gods seruice and the Kings At the returne we came to see the fishing of Oysters at Cancale After we had soiorned eight daies at Saint Maloes we came in a Barke to Honfleur where Monsieur De Poutrincourt his experience stood vs in good stead who seeing our Pilots at their wits end when they saw themselues betweene the Iles of Ierzy and Sare not being accustomed to take that course where we were driuen by a great winde East South-East accompanied with fogs and rain he tooke his sea-chard in hand and plaied the part of a Pilot in such sort that we passed the Raz Blanchart a dangerous passage for small Barkes and we came easily following the coast of Normandie to Honfleur for which eternall praises be giuen to God Amen Being at Paris the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt presented the King with the fruits of the land from whence he came and especially the Corne Wheat Rie Barly and Oates as being the most precious thing that may bee brought from what country soeuer It had beene very fit to vow these first fruits to God and to place them in some church among the monuments of triumph with more iust cause than the ancient Romanes who presented to their country Gods and Goddesses Terminus Seia and Segesta the first fruits of their tillage by the hands of the Priests of the fields instituted by Romulus which was the first order in new Rome who had for Blason a hat of the eares of Corne. The said Monsieur De Poutrincourt had bred tenne Outards taken from the shell which he thought to bring all into France but fiue of them were lost and the other fiue he gaue to the King who delighted much in them and they are at Fonteine Belleau Vpon the faire shew of the fruites of the said Country the King did confirme to Monsieur De Monts the priuiledge for the trade of Beuers with the Sauages to the end to giue him meanes to establish his Colonies in New France And by this occasion he sent thither in March last Families there to begin Christian and French Common-wealths which God vouchsafe to blesse and increase The said ships being returned we haue had report by Monsieur De Champ-dorè and others of the state of the Country which we had left and of the wonderfull beauty of the Corne that the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt had sowed before his departure together of the graines that be fallen in the gardens which haue so increased that it is an incredible thing Membertou did gather six or seuen barrels of the corne that we had sowed and had yet one left which he reserued for the
bringing vp of children of the Women of our time of the ancient Germain Women CHAP. IIII. Of the loue towards Children the Sauage Women loue their children more then the Women of these parts vse to do and the cause why wherein New France is profitable to the ancient France Possession of the land CHAP. V. Of Religion the origine of Idolatrie he which worshipeth nothing is more capable of Christian Religion than an idolater the Canadians Religion People easie to be conuerted the Astorgie and impietie of the Christians of this day the giuing of foode and teaching of Arts is the meanes to conuert Sauage people of the name of God of certaine Sauages already Christians in minde the Religion of the Sauages in Virginia fabulous tales concerning the Resurrection the Simulachers of gods the Floridians religion the error of Belle-forest the Cosmographer the worshipping of the Sunne the kissing of hands the Brasilians vexed by the diuell they haue some obscure knowledge of the generall floud and of some Christian which anciently hath beene among them CHAP. VI. Of the Soothsà iers and Aoutmoins of Priesthood the Idols of the Mexicans the Indian Priests are Phisicions withall pretence of Religion the Aoutmoins subtilties how they call vpon diuels songs to the praises of the diuell the Sabbath of the Sauages Bonefiers vpon Saint Iohns daies Vrim and Thummim the office of Priesthood successiue of the Caraibes deceiuers like to the sacrificers of the Idoll Bell. CHAP. VII Of the Language the Indians be all diuided in languages time bringeth an alteration in the toungs the conformity of them the causes of the change of tongues since when the trade of Beuers hath beene the Sauages pronunciation of the ancient Hebrewes Greeks Latines and of the Parisians the Sauages haue particular tongues not vnderstood by New found land men the Sauages maner of reckoning CHAP. VIII Of learning the inuention of letters is admirable the ancient Germains were without letters the letters and Sciences were among the Gaullois before that either the Greeks or Latins had them the Sarronides were in the old times Diuines and Philosophers among the Gaullois the Bardes were Poets thereuerence that was vsed towards them the reuerence of Mars towards the Muses the king his eldest daughter the Basilicke fastned in the temple of Apollo CHAP. IX Of Clothes and of Haires to what end Garments were made the nakednesse of the ancient Picts of the moderne Aethiopians of the Brasilians the Sauages of New France more honest their Cloakes of skins the ancient Hercules his garment of the ancient Germains of the Gothes the Shooing and Hoseing of the Sauages the couering of the head the Haires of the Hebrewes Gaullois Gothes the Ordinance for the Priests to weare Hats Shauen men CHAP. X. Of the shape and dexterity of the Sauages Mans forme is the most perfit the violence done to Nature the Brasilians be short nosed The rest of the Sauages be handsome men halfe dwarfes the Patagons be Gyants The fauour of the Sauages the description of the Westerly flies Why the Americans are not blacke From whence proceedes the heat of Affrica And the coolenesse of America being in the selfesame degree Of the colour of the haires and of the beard When the Romans began to weare beardes ihe Sauages are not hairy Hairy women The ancient Gaullois and Germans had their haires yellow like gold Their lookes voices eies The women shrew The eies of the men of Taprobane of the Sauages and Scythians Of the lips Monstruous bodies The agility of the body What the Naires of Malebaris doe for to be nimble What people haue agility The Indians skilfulnesse in swimming A sharpe sight The Sauages sense of smelling Their hatred against the Spaniards CHAP. XI Of the ornaments of the body Of the painting of the Hebrewes Romans Affricans c. ancient Englishmen Picts Gothes c. West-Indians Of the markes razings and incisions on their flesh Of the markes of the ancient Hebrewe Tyrons and Christians The reproouing of the painting of the face and other paintings of the body CHAP. XII Of the outward ornaments The two Tyrants of our life The superfluity of the ancient Rome The excesse of Ladies of their wiers and periwigges Colouring of haires Eare-rings Bracelets garters buskins and shooes What pearles are Matachiaz Vignols Esurgni Carkanets of iron and of gold CHAP. XIII Of mariage The Iewes custome The widdowes do blacken their faces the prostituting of Maidens the continency of the Souriquois women the maner to make sute to a maid for mariage the prostituting of maidens in Brasill of the Pox the cure thereof the chastitie of the ancient German women reason for the Sauages continency the Floridians doe loue women Ithyphalles Degrees of consanguinity The Gaulloise women fruitfull Poligamy without Iealousie Diuorce What a man ought to doe hauing a bad wife Abstinency of the widowes The Infidels haue whoredome in abomination CHAP. XIIII Of the Sauages Tabagie or banquet The manner of liuing of the Sauages of the hether lands How the Armouchiquois vse and serue themselues with their Corne the ancient Italians did the like the assembly of the Sauages making their Tabagy the women eat by themselues the honour giuen to women amongst the ancient Gaullois and Germans the bad condition of them among the Romans What they haue beene that haue established the Roman Empire the manner of liuing of the ancient Romans Tartarians Moschouites Getulians Germans Aethiopians of Saint Iohn Baptist of Aemilian Traian Adrian and of the Sauages Salt not altogether necessary the Sauages doe sometimes suffer want their superstition Of their gluttony and of Hercules the Brasilians food Anthropophagy Strange prostituting of maidens communalty of life the Sauages Hospitality of the Gaullois and Germans Of drinking the sirst Romans had no vines the Beere of the ancient Gaullois and Aegyptians the ancient Germans did hate wine How wine is necessary Tabacco the drinking one to another the drinke of the Floridians and Brasilians Hidromel CHAP. XV. Of dances and songes The origine of dances in the honour of God dances and songes in the honour of Apollo Neptune Mars of the Sonne of the Salians Praesul Socrates dance The dances turned into bad vse How much dangerous All Sauages doe vse dancing To what end Orpheus his foolish song Why we sing to God The songes of the Souriquois Of holy people Of the Gaullois Bardes Sonnets made by the commandement of Charolus Magnus The song of the Lacedemonians The dances and songes of the Sauages The orations of their Captaines CHAP. XVI Of the disposition of the body Phthisie The sweatinges of the Sauages the Phisitions and Chirurgions of the Floridians Brasilians and Souriquois Cures made by Charmes A maruellous report of the despising of griefe Triall of constancy Suffering of torments for the honour of Diana and of the Sun the long liues of the Sauages the causes thereof and of the shortning of our daies CHAP XVII The mens exercices of Bowes and arrowes Maces
and lodgings as you shall know to be fit profitable and necessarie for the performing of the said enterprise To establish garrisons and souldiers for the keeping of them To aide and serue you for the effects aboue said with the vagrant idle persons and masterlesse as well out of townes as of the countrie and with them that be condemned to perpetuall banishment or for three yeeres at the least out of our Realme Prouided alwaies that it be done by the aduice consent and authoritie of our officers Ouer and besides that which is aboue mentioned and that which is moreouer prescribed commanded and ordained vnto you by the commissions and powers which our most deare cosen the Lord of Ampuille Admirall of France hath giuen vnto you for that which concerneth the affaires and the charge of the Admiraltie in the exploit expedition and executing of the things aboue said to doe generally whatsoeuer may make for the conquest peopling inhabiting and preseruation of the said land of La Cadia and of the coastes territories adioining and of their appurtenances and dependencies vnder our name and authoritie whatsoeuer our selues would might doe if we were there present in person although that the case should require a more speciall order then we prescribe vnto you by these Presents To the contents whereof wee command ordaine and most expreslie doe enioine all our Iusticers officers and subiects to conforme themselues And to obey and giue attention vnto you in all and euery the things abouesaid their circumstances and dependencies Also to giue vnto you in the executing of them all such aid and comfort helpe and assistance as you shall haue need of and whereof they shall be by you required and this vpon paine of disobedience and rebellion And to the end no body may pretend cause of ignorance of this our intention and to busie himselfe in all or in part of the charge dignitie and authoritie which we giue vnto you by these presents Wee haue of our certaine knowledge full power and regall authoritie reuoked suppressed and declared voide and of none effect heereafter and from this present time al other powers and commissions letters and expeditions giuen and deliuered to any person soeuer for to discouer people and inhabite in the foresaid extention of the said lands situated from the said 40 degree to the 46 whatsoeuer they be And furthermore we command and ordaine all our said officers of what qualitie condition soeuer they be that after these Presents or the duplicate of them shall be duely examined by one of our beloued and trusty Counsellers Notaries and Secretaries or other Notarie Royall they doe vpon your request demand and sute or vpon the sute of any our Atturneis cause the same to be read published and recorded in the records of their Iurisdictions powers and precincts seeking as much as shall appertaine vnto them to quiet and appease all troubles and hinderances which may contradict the same For such is our pleasure Giuen at Fountain-Bleau the 8 day of Nouember in the yeere ofour Lord 1603 And of our reigne the 15. Signed HENRY and vnderneath by the King Potier And sealed vpon single labell with yellow waxe CHAP. II. The voyage of Monsieur De Monts into New France what accidents hapned in the said voyage The causes of the Icie banks in New found land The imposing of names to certaine Ports The perplexitie wherein they were by reason of the stay of the other ship MOnsieur De Monts hauing made the Commissions and Prohibitions before said to be proclaimed thorow the Realme of France and especially thorow the Ports and maritime townes thereof caused two ships to be rigged and furnished the one vnder the conduct of captaine Timothy of New-hauen the other of captaine Morell of Honfleur In the first he shipped himselfe with good number of men of account as well Gentlemen as others And forasmuch as Monsieur De Poutrincourt was and had beene of a long time desirous to see those countries of New France and there to finde out and chuse some fit place to retire himselfe into with his familie wife and children not meaning to be the last that should follow and participate in the glory of so faire and generous an enterprise would needs goe thither and shipped himselfe with the said Monsieur De Monts carrying with him some quantitie of armours and munitions of warre and so weighed anckers from New-hauen the seuenth day of March 1604. But being departed somewhat too soone before the Winter had yet left off her frozen weed they found store of Icie banks against the which they were in danger to strike and so to be cast away But God which hitherto hath prospered the nauigation of these voiages preserued them One might wonder and not without cause why in the same parallel there is more Ice in this sea than in that of France Whereunto I answer that the Ices that be found in those seas are not originary frō the same climate but rather come from the Northerly parts driuen without any let thorow the vast of this great sea by the waues stormes and boisterous flouds which the Easterly and Northerly windes doe cause in Winter and Spring time and driue them towards the South and West But the French seas are sheltered by Scotland England and Ireland which is the cause that the Ices cannot fall into it An other reason also might be alleaged and that is the motion of the sea which beareth more towards those parts because of the larger course that it maketh towards America than towards the lands of these our parts The perill of this voyage was not onely in the meeting of the said bankes of Ice but also in the stormes that vexed them One of them they had that brake the galleries of the ship And in these turmoiles a Ioyner was caried away by a sea or flash of water to the next doore of death ouerboord but he held himselfe fast at a tackling which by chance hung out of the said shippe The voyage was long by reason of contrarie windes which seldome hapneth to them that set out in March for the New found lands which are ordinarilie caried with an East or Northren winde fit to goe to those lands And hauing taken their course to the South of the I le of Sand or Sablon or Sand for to shunne the said Ices they almost fell from Caribdis into Scylla going to strike towards the said Ile during the thicke mists that are frequent in that sea In the end the sixt of May they came to a certain Port where they found captaine Rossignol of New-hauen who did trucke for skins with the Sauages contrarie to the Kings inhibitions which was the cause that his ship was confiscated This Port was called Le Port du Rossignol hauing in this his hard fortune this onely good that a good and fit Harborough or Port in those coasts beareth his name From thence coasting and
fogges be not so frequent nor so long in the French seas as in New-found-land because that the Sunne passing from his rising aboue the grounds this sea at the comming thereof receiueth almost but earthly vapours and by a long space retaineth this vertue to dissolue very soone the exhalations it draweth to it selfe But when it commeth to the middest of the Ocean and to the said new found land hauing eleuated and assumed in so long a course a great abundance of vapours from this moist wide Ocean it doth not so easily dissolue them as well because those vapours be colde of themselues and of their nature as because the Element which is neerest vnder them doth simpathize with them and preserueth them the Sunne beames being not holpen in the dissoluing of them as they are vpon the earth Which is euen seene in the land of that countrie which although it hath but small heat by reason of the abundance of woods notwithstanding it helpeth to disperse the mistes and fogges which be ordinarily there in the morning during summer but not as at Sea for about eight aclocke in the morning they begin to vanish away and serue as a dew to the ground I hope the reader will not dislike these small digressions seeing they serue to our purpose The 28. day of Iune we found our selues vpon a little small bancke other then the great Bancke whereof we haue spoken at forty fadams and the day following one of our Sailers fell by night into the sea which had beene lost if he had not met with a cable hanging in the water From that time forward we began to descrie land markes it was New-found-land by hearbes mosses flowers and peeces of wood that we alwaies met abounding the more by so much we drew neere to it The 4. day of Iuly our saylers which were appointed for the last quarter watch descried in the morning very early euery one being yet a-bed the Iles of Saint Peter And the Friday the seuenth of the said Moneth we discouered on the Lar-boord a Coast of land high raised vp appearing vnto vs as long as ones sight could stretch out which gaue vs greater cause of Ioy then yet we had had wherein God did greatly shew his mercifull fauour vnto vs making this discouery in faire calme weather Being yet farre from it the bouldest of the company went vp to the maine top to the end to see it better so much were all of vs desirous to see this land true and most delightfull habitation of Man Monsieur De Poutrincourt went vp thither and my selfe also which we had not yet done Euen our dogges did thrust their noses out of the ship better to draw and smell the sweet aire of the land not being able to containe themselues from witnessing by their gestures the ioy they had of it We drew within a league neere vnto it and the sailes being let downe we fell a fishing of Codde the fishing of the Bancke beginning to faile They which had before vs made voyages in those parts did iudge vs to be at Cap-Breton The night drawing on we stood off to the sea-ward the next day following being the eight of the said moneth of Iulj as we drew neere to the Bay of Campseau came about the euening mists which did continue eight whole daies during the which we kept vs at sea hulling still not being able to goe forward being resisted by West and South-West windes During these eight daies which were from one Saturday to another God who hath alwaies guided these voyages in the which not one man hath beene lost by sea shewed vs his speciall fauour in sending vnto vs among the thicke fogs a clearing of the Sunne which continued but halfe an houre And then had we sight of the firme land and knew that we were ready to be cast away vpon the rockes if we had not speedily stood off to sea-ward A man doth sometimes seeke the land as one doth his beloued which sometimes repulseth her sweet heart very rudely Finally vpon Saturday the 15. of Iulj about two aclocke in the after noone the sky began to salute vs as it were with Cannon shots shedding teares as being sory to haue kept vs so long in paine So that faire weather being come again we saw comming straight to vs we being fower leagues off from the land two Shaloupes with open sailes in a sea yet wrathed This thing gave vs much content But whilst we followed on our course there came from the land odors vncomparable for sweetnesse brought with a warm wind so abundantly that all the Orient parts could not procure greater abundance We did stretch out our hands at it were to take them so palpable were they which I haue admired a thousand times since Then the two shaloups did approach the one manned with Sauages who had a Stagge painted at their sailes the other with Frenchmen of Saint Maloes which made their fishing at the Port of Camseau but the Sauages were more diligent for they ariued first Hauing neuer seene any before I did admire at the first sight their faire shape and forme of visage One of them did excuse himselfe for that he had not brought his faire beuer gowne because the weather had beene foule He had but one red peece of frize vpon his backe and Matachiaz about his necke at his wristes aboue the elbow and at his girdle We made them to eat and drinke During that time they tolde vs all that had passed a yeere before at Port Royall whither we were bound In the meane while them of Saint Maloe came and tolde vs as much as the Sauages had Adding that the wensday when that we did shunne the rockes they had seene vs and would haue corne to vs with the said Sauages but that they left off by reason we put to the sea and moreouer that it had beene alwaies faire weather on the land which made vs much to maruell but the cause thereof hath beene shewed before Of this discommodity may be drawne heereafter a great good that these mists will serue as a rampier to the country and one shall know with speed what is passed at sea They tolde vs also that they had beene aduertised some daies before by other Sauages that a ship was seene at Cap Breton These French men of S. Maloe were men that did deale for the associates of Monsieur De Monts and did complaine that the Baskes or men of Saint Iohn De Lus against the King his Inhibitions had trucked with the Sauages and caried away aboue six thousand Beauers skinnes They gaue vs sundrie sorts of their fishes as Bars Marlus and great Fletans As for the Sauages before to depart they asked bread of vs to carry to their wiues which was granted and giuen them for they deserued it well being come so willingly to shew vs in what part wee were For since that time
we are to giue much praises to the said Monsieur De Monts and his associates Monsieur Macquin and Monsieur Georges of Rochel in prouiding so abundantly for vs. For truely I finde that this Septembrall liquor I meane wine is among other things a soueraigne preseruatiue against the sicknesse of that country And the spiceries to correct the vice that might be in the aire of that region which neuertheles I haue alwaies found very cleere and pure notwithstanding the reasons that I may haue alleaged for the same speaking heeretofore of the same sicknesse For our allowance we had Pease Beanes Rice Prunes Raisons dry Codde and salt flesh besides Oyle and Butter But whensoeuer the Sauages dwelling neere vs had taken any quantity of Sturgions Salmons or small fishes Item any Beuers Ellans Câ—â—…abous or fallow Deere or other beasts mentioned in my farwell to New France they brought vnto vs halfe of it and that which remained they exposed it sometimes to sale publikely and they that would haue any thereof did trucke bread for it This was partly our maner of life in those parts But although euery one of our workemen had his particular trade or occupation yet for all that it was necessary to imploy himselfe to all vses as many did Some Masons and Stone-caruers applied themselues to baking which made vs as good bread as is made in Paris Also one of our Sawyers diuers times made vs Coales in great quantitie Wherein is to be noted a thing that now I remember It is that being necessary to cut turffes to couer the piles of wood heaped to make the said coales there was found in the medowes three foot deepe of earth not earth but grasse or hearbes mingled with mudde which haue heaped themselues yeerely one vpon another from the beginning of the world not hauing beene mooued Neuerthelesse the greene thereof serueth for pasture to the Ellans which we haue many times seene in our medowes of those parts in heards of three or foure great and small suffering themselues sometimes to bee approched then they ran to the woods But I may say moreouer that I haue seene in crossing two leagues of our said medowes the same to be al troden with trackes of Ellans for I know not there any other clouen footed beasts There was killed one of those beasts not farre off from our fort at a place where Monsieur De Monts hauing caused the grasse to be mowed two yeares before it was growen againe the fairest of the world Some might maruell how those medowes are made seeing that all the ground in those places is couered with woods For satisfaction whereof let the curious reader know that in high spring tides specially in March and September the floud couereth those shores which hindereth the trees there to take root But euery where where the water ouerfloweth not if there be any ground there are woods CHAP. XIIII Their departing fromthe I le of S. Croix the baye of Marchin Choüakoet vines and grapes the liberality of the Sauages the land and people of the Armouchiquois the cure of an Armouchiquois wounded the simplicitie and ignorance of the people vices of the Armouchiquois suspicion people not caring for clothes cornesowed andvines planted in the country of the Armouchiquois quantitie of grapes abundance of people dangerous Sea LEt vs returne to Monsieur de Poutrincourt whom we haue left in the I le Saint Croix Hauing made there a reuiew and cherished the Sauages that were there he went in the space of foure daies to Pemtegoet which is that place so famous vnder the name of Norombega There needeth not so long a time in comming thither but he taried on the way to mend his barke for to that end he had brought with him a Smith and a Carpenter and quantity of boordes He crossed the Iles which be at the mouth of the riuer and came to Kinibeki where his barke was in danger by reason of the great streames that the nature of the place procureth there This was the cause why he made there no stay but passed further to the Baie of Marchin which is the name of a Captaine of the Sauages who at the arriuall of the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt began to crie out aloud Hé Hé whereunto the like answer was made vnto him He replied asking in his language What are ye They answered him Friends And thereupon Monsieur De Poutrincourt approching treated amity with him and presented him with kniues hatchets and Matachiaz that is to say scarfes karkenets and bracelets made of beades or quils made of white and blew glasse whereof he was very glad as also for the confederacy that the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt made with him knowing very well that the same would be a great aide and support vnto him He distributed to some men that were about him among a great number of people the presents that the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt gaue him to whom he brought store of Orignac or Ellans flesh for the Baskes doe call a Stagge or Ellan Orignac to refresh the company with victuals That done they set sailes towards Choüakoet where the riuer of Captaine Olmechin is and where the yeare following was made the war of the Souriquois and Etechemius vnder the conduct of the Sagamos Membertou which I haue described in verses which verses I haue inserted among the Muses of New-France At the entry of the Bay of the said place of Choüakoet there is a great Iland about halfe a league compasse wherein our men did first discouer any vines for although there be some in the lands neerer to Port Royall notwithstanding there was yet no knowledge had of them which they found in great quantity hauing the truncke three and foure foot high and as bigge as ones fist in the lower part the grapes faire and great and some as bigge as plummes other lesser but as blacke that they left a staine where their liquor was spilled Those grapes I say lying ouer bushes and brambles that grow in the same Iland where the trees are not so thicke as in other where but are six or seuen rods distant a sunder which causeth the grapes to be ripe the sooner hauing besides a ground very fit for the same grauelly and sandy They taried there but two houres but they noted that there were no vines on the North-side euen as in the I le Saint Croix are no Cedar-trees but on the Westside From this Iland they went to the riuer of Olmechin a Port of Chauakoet where Marchin and the said Olmechin brought to Monsieur De Poutrincourt a prisoner of the Souriqouis and therefore their enemy which they gaue vnto him freely Two houres after there arriued two Sauages the one an Eteshemin named Chkoudun Captaine of the riuer Saint Iohn called by the Sauages Oigoudi The other a Souriquois named Messamoet Captaine or Sagamos of the riuer of the
nor any wise swadled in cloutes The Cimbres did put their new borne children into the snow to harden them And the Frenchmen did plunge theirs into the riuer Rhine to know if they were legitinate for if they did sinke vnto the bottome they were esteemed bastards and if they did swimme on the water they were legitimate meaning as it were that French-men ought naturally to swim vpon the waters As for our Sauages of New France when that I was there thinking nothing lesse than on this History I tooke not heed of many things which I might haue obserued But yet I remember that as a woman was deliuered of her child they came into our Fort to demand very instantly for some grease or oyle to make the child to swallow it downe before they giue him the dugge or any food they can render no reason for this but that it is a custome of long continuance Whereupon I coniecture that the diuell who hath alwaies borrowed ceremonies from the Church as well in the ancient as in the new law would that his people so doe I call them that beleeue not in God and are out of the Communion of Saints should be anointed like to Gods people which vnction he hath made to be inward because the spirituall vnction of the Christians is so CHAP. II. Of the imposition of names AS for imposition of names they giue them by tradition that is to say they haue great quantity of names which they chuse and impose on their children But the eldest sonne commonly beareth his fathers name adding at the end some diminutiue as the eldest of Membertou shall be called Membertouchis as it were the lesser or the yonger Membertou As for the yonger Son he beareth not the Fathers name but they giue him such name as they list And hee that is borne after him shall beare his name adding a syllable to it as the yonger of Membertou is called Actaudin he that commeth after is called Actaudinech So Memembourré had a sonne named Semcoud and his yonger was called Semcoudech It is not for all that a generall rule to adde this termination ech For Panoniacs yonger Sonne of whom mention is made in Membertous warre against the Armouchiquois which I haue described in the Muses of New France was called Panouiagués so that this termination is done according as the former name requireth it But they haue a custome that when this elder brother or father is dead they change name for to auoid the sorrow that the remembrance of the deceassed might bring vnto them This is the cause why after the decease of Memembourré Semcoud that died this last Winter Semcoudech hath left his brothers name and hath not taken that of his father but rather hath made himselfe to be called Paris because he dwelt in Paris And after Panoniacs death Panoniagues forsooke his name and was by one of our men called Roland which I finde euill and vndiscreetly done so to prophane Christians names and to impose them vpon Infidels as I remember of another that was called Martin Alexander the Great though he was an Heathen would not that any should beare his name vnlesse he should render himselfe woorthy thereof by vertue And as one day a souldier bearing the name of Alexander was accused before him to be voluptuous and lecherous he commanded him either to forsake that name or to change his life The Brasiliens as Iohn De Leri saith whom I had rather follow in that which he hath seene than a Spaniard impose names to their children of the first thing that commeth before them as if a bow and string come to their imagination they will call their child Ourapacen which signifieth a bow and a string and so consequently In regard of our Sauages they haue at this day names without signification which peraduenture in the first imposing of them did signifie some thing but as the tongues do change the knowledge thereof is lost Of all the names of them that I haue knowen I haue learned none sauing that Chkoudun signifieth a Trowt and Oigoudi the name of the riuer of the said Chkoudun which signifieth to see It is very certaine that names haue not beene imposed to what thing soeuer without reason For Adam gaue the name to euery liuing creature according to the property and nature thereof and consequently names haue beene giuen to men signifying something As Adam signifieth Man or that which is made of earth Euah signifieth the Mother of all liuing Abel weeping Cain possession Iesus a Sauiour Diuell a Slanderer Satan an aduersarie c. Among the Romans some were called Lucius because they were born at the breake of day Others Caesar for that the Mothers belly was cut at the birth of him that first did beare this name In like maner Lentulus Piso Fabius Cicero c. all nick-names giuen by reason of some accident like our Sauages names but with some more iudgement CHAP. III. Of the feeding of their Children ALmighty God shewing a true Mothers duty saith by the Prophet Esay Can a woman forget her child and not haue compassion on the Sonne of her wombe This pity which God requireth in Mothers is to giue the brest to their children and not to change the food which they haue giuen vnto them before their birth But at this day the most part make their brests to serue for alurements to whoredome and being willing to set themselues at ease free from the childrens noise do send them into the Country where peraduenture they be changed or giuen to bad nurses whose corruption and bad nature they sucke with their milke And from thence come the changelings weake and degenerate from the right stocke whose names they beare The Sauage women beare a greater loue than that towards their yong ones for none but themselues doe nourish them And that is generall thorowout all the West Indies likewise their brests are no baites of loue as in these our parts but rather loue in those lands is made by the flame that nature kindleth in euery one without annexing any arts to it either by painting amorous poisons or otherwise And for this maner of nursing their children are the ancient German women praised by Tacitus because that euery one did nurse their Children with her owne brests and would not haue suffered that another besides themselues should giue sucke to their children Now our Sauage women do giue vnto them with the dugge meats which they vse hauing first well chawed them and so by little and little bring them vp As for the swadling of them they that dwell in hot Countries and neere the Tropicks haue no care of it but leaue them free vnbound But drawing towards the North the mothers haue an euen smooth boord like the couering of a drawer or cupborod vpon which they lay the child wrapped in a Beauer fur vnles it be too hot and tied thereupon with some swadling band whom they carry on their
which I haue said a little before in these words which are not heere laied downe in the former Booke This said people saith he hath not any beleefe of God that may be esteemed for they beleeue in one whom they call Cudoüagni and say that he often speaketh to them and telleth them what weather shall fall out They say that when he is angry with them hee casteth dust in their eies They beleeue also that when they die they goe vp into the starres and afterwards they goe into faire greenefields full of faire trees flowers and rare fruits After they had made vs to vnderstand these things wee shewed them their error and that their Cudoüagni is an euill Spirit that deceiueth them and that there is but one God which is in Heauen who doth giue vnto vs all and is Creator of all things and that in him we must onely beleeue and that they must be baptised or goe into hell And many other things of our faith were shewed them which they easily beleeued and called their Cudoüagni Agoiuda So that many times they requested our Captaine to cause them to be baptized and the said Lord that is to say Donnacona Taiguragni Domagaia with all the people of their towne came thither for that purpose but because we knew not their intent and desire and that there was no body to instruct them in the faith wee excused our selues to them for that time and bad Taiguragni and Domagaia to make them vnderstand that we would returne another voyage and would bring Priests with vs and Chréme telling them for an excuse that one cannot be baptized without the said Chréme which they did beleeue And they were very glad of the promise which the Captaine made them to returne and thanked them for it Monsieur Champlein hauing of late made the same voyage which the Captaine Iames Quartier had made did discourse with Sauages that be yet liuing and reporteth the speeches that were betweene him and certaine of their Sagamos concerning their beleefe in spirituall and heauenly things which I haue thought good being incident to this matter to insert heere his words are these The most part of them be people without law according as I could see and informe my selfe by the said great Sagamos who told mee that they verily beleeue there is one God who hath created all things And then I asked him seeing that they beleeue in one onely God by what meanes did hee place them in this world and from whence they were come He answered mee that after God had made all things he tooke a number of arrowes and did sticke them into the ground from whence men and women sprung vp which haue multiplied in the world vntill now and that mankinde grew by that meanes I answered him that what he said was false But that indeed there was one onely God who had created all things both in Heauen and Earth Seeing all these things so perfect and being no body that did gouerne in this world he tooke slime out of the Earth and created thereof our first father Adam And while he did sleepe God tooke one of his ribes and formed Euah thereof whom hee gaue to him for company and that this was the truth that both they and we were made by this meanes and not of arrowes as they did beleeue He said nothing more to me but that he allowed better of my speech than of his owne I asked him also if he beleeued not that there were any other but one onely God He said vnto me that their beleefe was There was one onely God one Sonne one Mother and the Sunne which were foure Notwithstanding that God was ouer and aboue all but that the Sonne was good and the Sunne by reason of the good which they receiued of them As for the Mother shee was naught and did eat them and that the Father was not very good I shewed him his error according to our faith whereunto he gaue some credit I demanded of him if they neuer saw nor heard their ancestors say that God was come into the world He told me hee had not seene him but that anciently there were fiue men who trauelling towards the setting of the Sunne met with God who demanded of them Whither go yee They answered We goe to seeke for our liuing God answered them You shall finde it heere But they passed further not making any account of that which God had said vnto them who tooke a stone and therewith touched two of them who were turned into stones And he said againe to the three others Whither goe yee and they answered as at the first time and God said vnto them a gaine Passe no further you shall finde it heere and seeing that they found no food they passed further And God tooke two staues and touched therewith the two formost who were transformed into staues But the fift man staied and would passe no further And God asked him againe Whither goest thou Who made answer I go to seeke for my liuing and God told him Tarry and thou shalt finde it and he staied without passing any further And God gaue him meat and he did eat of it and after he had made good cheare he returned among the other Sauages and told them all that you haue heard He also told me that at another time there was a man who had store of Tabacco which is an hearbe the smoke whereof they take and that God came to this man and asked him where his pipe was The man tooke his Tabacco pipe and gaue it to God who dranke very much Tabacco After he had taken well of it God brake the said Tabacco-pipe into many peeces and the man asked him Why hast thou broken my Tabacco-pipe and thou seest well that I haue none other And God tooke one which he had and gaue it him saying vnto him Lo heere is one which I giue to thee carry it to thy great Sagamo let him keepe it and if he keepe it wel he shall not want any thing nor any of his companions The said man tooke the Tabacco-pipe which he gaue to his great Sagamo who whilest he had it the Sauages wanted for nothing in the world But that since the said Sagamo had lost this Tabacco-pipe which is the cause of the great famine which sometimes they haue among them I demanded of him whether he did beleeue all that he told me yes that it was true Now I beleeue that that is the cause why they say that God is not very good But I replied and said vnto him that God was all good and that without doubt it was the Diuell that had shewed himselfe to those men and that if they did beleeue in God as we doe they should want nothing that should be needfull for them That the Sunne which they saw the Moone and the Starres were created by the same great God who hath made both Heauen and Earth
and that they haue no power but that which God hath giuen them That we beleeue in that great God who by his goodnesse did send vnto vs his dearely beloued Son who being conceiued by the Holy Ghost tooke humane flesh within the virgin wombe of the Virgin Mary hauing been 33. yeeres on earth working infinit miracles raising vp the dead healing the sicke driuing out Diuels giuing sight to the blinde shewing vnto men the wil of God his Father for to serue honour and worship him hath spilled his bloud and suffered death and passion for vs and for our sinnes and redeemed mankind being buried and risen againe went downe into hell and ascended vp into Heauen where he sitteth at the right hand of God his father That this was the beleefe of all Christians which doe beleeue in the Father in the Sonne and in the holy Ghost which be not for all that three Gods but are one selfesame and one onely God and one Trinity wherein there is nothing before nor after nothing greater nor lesser That the Virgin Mary Mother to the Sonne of God and all men and women that haue liued in this world doing Gods commandements and suffered Martyrdome for his name and who by the permission of God haue wrought miracles and are Saints in Heauen in his Paradise pray all for vs vnto this great diuine Maiestie to pardon vs our faults and sinnes which we do against his law and commandements And so by the Saints praiers in Heauen and by our owne that we make to his diuine Maiestie he giueth vs what we haue need of and the Diuell hath no power ouer vs and can doe vs no hurt That if they had this beleefe they should be eue as we are That the Diuell should not be able to doe them any more harme and they should not want what should be needfull for them Then the said Sagamo said vnto mee that he granted all that I said I demanded of him what ceremony they vsed in praying to their God he told me that they vsed no other ceremony but that euery one did pray in his heart as he would This is the cause why I beleeue there is no law among them neither doe they know what it is to worship or pray to God and liue the most part as brute beasts And I beleeue that in short time they might be brought to be good Christians if one would inhabit their land which most of them doe desire They haue among them some Sauages whom they call Pilotoua who speake visibly to the Diuell and he telleth them what they must doe as well for warres as for other things And if he should command them to goe and put any enterprise in execution or to kill a French man or any other of their nation they will immediately obey to his command They beleeue also that all their dreames are true and indeed there be many of them which doe say that they haue seene and dreamed things that doe happen or shall come to passe but to speake thereof in truth they be visions of the Diuell who doth deceiue and seduce them So farre Monsieur Champleins report As for our Souriquois and other their neighbours I can say nothing else but that they are destitute of all knowledge of God haue no Adoration neither doe they make any diuine seruice liuing in a pitifull ignorance which ought to touch the hearts both of Christian Princes and Prelates who very often doe employ vpon friuolous things that which would be more than sufficient to establish there many Colonies which would beare their names about whom these poore people would flocke and assemble themselues I do not say they should goe thither in Person for their presence is heere more necessary and besides euery one is not fit for the Sea but there are so many persons well disposed that would imploy themselues on that if they had the meanes They then that may doe it are altogether vnexcusable Our present age is fallen as one might say into an Astorgie wanting both loue and Christian charity and retaine almost nothing of that fire which kindled our Fathers either in the time of our first Kings or in the time of the Croisades for the holy land yea contrariwise if any venture his life and that little meanes he hath vpon this generous Christian worke the most part doe mocke him for it like to the Salamandre which doth not liue in the middest of flames as some doe imagine but is of so cold a nature that shee killeth them by her coldnesse Euery one would runne after treasures and would carry them away without paines taking and afterward to liue frolike but they come too late for it and they should haue enough if they did beleeue as is meet to doe in him that hath said Seeke first the kingdome of God and all these things shall be giuen vnto you ouer and aboue Let vs returne to our Sauages for whose conuersion it resteth vnto vs to pray to God that it will please him to open the meanes to make a plentifull haruest to the further manifestation of the Gospell for ours and generally all those people euen as farre as Florida inclusiuely are very easie to be brought to the Christian religion according as I may coniecture of them which I haue not seene by the discourse of Histories But I finde that there shall be more facility in them of the neerer lands as from Cap-Breton to Malebarre because they haue not any shew of religion for I call not religion vnlesse there be some Latria and diuine seruice nor tillage of ground at least as farre as Chouakoet which is the chiefest thing that may draw men to beleeue as one would by reason-that out from the Earth commeth all that which is necessarie for the life after the generall vse we haue of the other Elements Our life hath chiefely need of meat drinke and clothing These people as one may say haue nothing of all that for it is not to be called couered to be alwaies wandring and lodged vnder foure stakes and to haue a skinne vpon their backe neither doe I call eating and liuing to eat all at once and starue the next day not prouiding for the next day Whosoeuer then shall giue bread and clothing to this people the same shall be as it were their God they will beleeue all that he shall say to them Euen as the Patriarch Iacob did promise to serue God if he would giue him bread to eat and garments to couer him God hath no name for all that wee can say cannot comprehend him But we call him God because hee giueth And man in giuing may by resemblance be called God Cause saith S. Gregorie Nazianzene that thou beest a God towards the needie in imitating Gods mercifulnesse For man hath nothing so diuine in him as benefits The heathen haue knowen this and amongst others Pliny when he saith that it is a great
lawe of Moses touching purification For they shut vp themselues a parte and know not their husbands for thirty yea fourty daies during which time they doe not leaue for all that from going here and there where they haue businesse carrying their children with them and taking care for them I haue said in the chapter of the Tabagie that among the Sauages the women are not in as good a condition as they were anciently among the Gaullois and Germans For by the report of Iames Quartier himselfe they labour more then the men saith he whether it be in fishing be it in tilling or in any thing else And notwithstanding they are neither forced nor tormented but they are neither in their Tabagies nor in their counsels and doe the seruile businesses for want of seruants If there be any venison killed they goe to flay it and to fetch it yea were it three leagues off and they must finde it out by the onely circumstance that shall be described to them by words They that haue prisoners doe also employ them to that and to other labours as to goe fetch wood with wiues which is folly in them to goe fetch drie and rotten wood very farre off for to warme them although they be in the middest of a forrest True it is that the smoake is very irkesome to them which it may be is the cause thereof Touching their smaller exercises when the winter doth approch they prepare that which is necessary to oppose themselues against this rigorous aduersary and make mattes of rushes wherewith they garnish their Cabins and others to fit vpon and all very artificially yea also colouring their rushes they make partitions in their workes like to them that our gardeners doe make in their garden knots with such measure and proportion as nothing is found amisse therein And because that the body must also be clothed they curry and supple the skinnes of Beuers Stagges and others as well as can be done heere If they be little they few many together and make cloakes sleeues stockens and shooes vpon all which things they make workes which haue a very good grace Item they make Panniers of rushes and rootes for to put their necessities in as corne beanes peason flesh fish and other things They make also purses of leather vpon which they make workes woorthy of admiration with the haires of Porckepines coloured with red black white and blew which be the colours that they make so liuely that oures seeme in nothing to be comparable to them They also exercise themselues in making dishes of barke to drinke and put their meates in which are very faire according to the stuffe Item skarfes necklaces and bracelets which they and the men doe weare which they call Matachia are of their making When the barkes of trees must be taken off in the Spring-time or in Summer therewith to couer their howses it is they which doe that worke As likewise they labour in the making of Canowes and small boates when they are to be made And as for the tilling of the ground in the countries where they vse it they take therin more paines then the men who doe play the gentlemen and haue no care but in hunting or of warres And notwithstanding all their labours yet commonly they loue their husbands more then the women of these our parts For none of them are seene to marry againe vpon their graues that is to say presently after their decease but rather doe tarry a long time And if he hath beene killed they will eat no flesh nor will condescend to second marriage vntill they haue seene the reuenge thereof made A testimony both of true loue which is scarse found among vs and also of chastity Also it happeneth very seldome that they haue any diuorcements but such as are voluntary And if they were Christians they would be families with whom God would dwell and be well pleased as it is meet it should be so for to haue perfect contentment for otherwise marriage is but torment and tribulation Which the Hebrewes great speculators and searchers into holy things by a suttle animaduersion haue very well noted for Aben Hezra saith that in the name of the man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of God Iah is contained And if the two letters which doe make this name of God be taken away there shall remaine these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which do signifie fire and fire that is to say that God being taken away it is but anguish tribulation bitternesse and griefe CHAP. XIX Of their Ciuility ONe must not hope to finde in our Sauages that ciuility which the Scribes and Pharisees did require in the Disciples of our Lord. For which their ouer great curiosity he made them such answer as they deserued For they had brought in ceremonies and customes which were repugnant to Gods commandement which they would haue straightly to be obserued teaching vngodlinesse vnder the name of Piety For if a wicked child did giue and put into the common box of the temple that which appertained to his father or to his mother they for to draw this profit did iustifie this wicked Sonne against the commandement of God who hath aboue all things commended commanded the childrens obedience and reuerence towards them that haue brought them into the world which are the image of God who hath no need of our goodes and doth not accept the oblation that is made vnto him of the goods of another The same Scribes and Pharisees did also bring in a ciuility to wash hands which our Lord doth not blame but in as much as they made the not obseruing of it to be a great sinne I haue no cause to praise our Sauages in those kind of ciuilities for they wash not themselues at meales vnlesse they be monstrously fowle and not hauing any vse of linnen when their hands be greasie they are constrained to wipe them on their haires or vpon their dogges haires They make no curiosity of belching being at meales which the Germans and others in these parts do as well as they Not hauing the art of ioyners worke they dine vpon the broad table of the world spreading a skinne where they eat their meat and sit on the ground The Turkes also doe the same Our ancient Gaullois were no better then they who Diodorus saith did vse the same spreading on the ground dogges skinnes or woolues skinnes vpon which they did dine and suppe making themselues to be serued by yongue boies The Germans were more rude For they had not learning Phylosophy nor so much delicatenesse as our Nation which Caesar saith to haue had the vse of a thousand things by the meanes of their Nauigations on the seas whereby they helped the bordering people of Germany who vsed some small ciuilitie and more humanity then the others
winde and weather aâ—omming Seasons Galen Com. 35. lib. 1. de nat hum Bad foode and discommodities of the Sea Disposition of bodie Sagamos is a Sauage word which Signifieth a Lord a ruler or a Captaine The author his exercise in New France The labour of the minde The pietie of the Author of this Historie Amos. 5. verse 10. Of Children Of aged folkes Aduice for the sicknesses of New France Good Wine Hearbs in the spring time Stooues Stooues in gardens The countrie of the Armouchiquois 100. leagues distant from Port Royall The Sweatings of the Sauages Ecclesi 3. verse 12. and 22. Meanes of mirth Necessitie of hauing women into the country Tree of life Sasafras Monsieur Champlein is now this present yeare 1609. in Canada Monsieur De Monts his voiage for the discouery of new Lands Kinibeki 60. legues from Saint Croix Plin lib. 3. cap. 1. Fabulous tales of the riuer Norombega Pemtegoet Oiection Answer An other Fabulous report of the Riuer of Norombega Note this well The great Bancke of Newfoundland Banquereau banc Iacquet Kinibeks The bay of Marchin 1607. Chouakoet The ground manured Vines Malebarre The Armouchiquois traitours and theefes Shoulds stretching farre into the sea Violent death of a Frenchman of Saint Mallos The swiftnes of the Armouchiquois 1606. Monsieur DeMonts difficultie in his enterprise The mortalitie of the English in Virginia like that of the Frensh in New France Virginia is in 36. 37. 38. degrees of latitude Praise of the temper of Virginia Bad fare the chiefe cause of the sicknes Things needfull The second voyage made by Monsieur Du Pont-Grauè The arriuall of Monsieur Du Pont. 1605. Transmigration from S. Croix to Port Royal. New buildings The returne of Monsieur de Monts into France Traffike with the Sauages Beuers Otters and Stagges Tabaguia is a Sauage tearme signifying banket Hand Mils Exod. 11. ver 4. 5. The number of the dead Fault in their buildings The furniture of Monsieur Du Pont to go to the discouery of new lands The wracke of their Bark Causes of delay in establishing the dwelling place of the French men The comparing of these later voiages The blame of them who at this day despise the manuring of the ground Gods punishments The third voiage made by Monsieur de Poutrincourt Monsieur De Poutrincourt accepteth the voiage of New France The causes of the Authors voiage Psal 5. 4. The parting from Paris The praises of Rochell Croquans Signifying hookes why so called Negligence in the keeping of the Ionas Hyred workmen negligent The courage of Monsieur De Monts and his associates The frontiers ought to be furnished with good Souldiers The Ministers doe pray for the conuersion of the Sauages Math. 18. vers 12. 132. Custome of the ancient Christians carying the Eucharist in their voyages Saint Ambrose in his funerall oration for his brother Hardnesse to come foorth from a Port. Bad suspition of Captaine Foulques The diligence and care of Monss-De Poutrincourts * A place so called neere Rochell 13. of May. 1606. Meetings of ships Meeting of a Pirate or outlawed Neptunes sheepe Why is the sea stormie about the Açores Westerly windes ordinary in the Westerne Sea from whence the windes doe come Psal 135. Porpeses doe prognosticate storms The way to take them The description of the Porpese The Porpeses hot bloud doth comfort the sinewes A Beauers taile is dainty meate Stormes and their effects Calmes wearisome Whirlewinde what it is how it is made the effects thereof Plin. lib. 2. cap. 48. The maruellous assurance of the good Mariners in their sea-labours The boldnes of a Switzer at Laon. The 18. of Iune A ship An other ship The vailing of Marchands ships to a ship Royall Computatiof the voyage Sea water milke warme then colde Great cold The reason of this Antiperistase and the cause of the Ices of New-found-lande In the 16. chapter Second experience Warnings neere the great Bancke Birds called by Frenchmen Godes Fouquets Happefoies What the sound is and how it is cast The arriuall to the fish Bancke Of the word Bancke and description of the fishing Bancke The fishing of Cod. Happe-foyes Why so called Sea-dogges skinnes Excellent sawsiges made with the inwards of Codd Men saued vpon a banck of Ice The weather in those seas contrary then in ours The causes of mists on the West sea A small bancke A Mariner fallen by night in the sea Land markes The discouery of S. Peters Ilands Plain discovery of the Land Cap. Breton The Bay of Campseau Eight daies Gods fauour in danger Calme weather Maruellous odours cumming from the land The boording of two shalopes The Sauages goodly men Matachiaz be carkanets necklaces bracelets and wrought girdles During the mists at sea it is faire wether on land A discommoditie brings a commodity The care of the sauages for their wiues The departing of some of our company going aland The Sauages doe trauell much way in small time Mistes Calmes The perill of many Mariners Drunkennesse causeth diuers perils Port du Rossignoll Port au Mouton What growes in the land at Port au Monton Le Cap de Sable Long Iland The Bay S. Mary The arriuing to Port Royall Difficulties in comming in The beauty of the Port. Sagamos signifieth Captain Praises of the two Frenchmen left alone in the fort of Port-Royall The tilling of the ground The meeting with Monsieur Du Pont. Ioseph Acosta lib. 4. ca. 30. Land like to that which God promised to his people Deut 8. vers 7. 8. Deuter. 11. vers 10. Heereupon the 3. chap. A bundance of brookes Iron stones Mountaines of Brasse Lakes and brooks vpon the mountaines The forme of a Raine bow vnder a caue They trauell three leagues in the woods Country well watered Coniecture vpon the spring of the great Riuer of Canada Which is the first mine Sowing of corne 20 Of August Cause of the voyage made into the country of the Armou thiquois A whale in Port Royall Parting from Port Royall Faire Rie found at S. Croix Their meaning is to plant beyond Malebarre to the Southward A ditch profitably made What store of workemen and labourers in New France Their exercise and maner of life Mussels Lapsters Crabs Good prouision of wilde-fowle What quantity of bread and wine Preseruatiue against the sicknesse of New France A cleare and pure aire Allowance * A kinde of stagge or red Deere The liberall naâ—ure of the Sauages Châ—rcoale made in New France What earth is in the medowes Ellans in the Medowes Pemptegoet Kinibeki The bay of Marchin Confederacy The riuer of Olmechin Port De Choüakoet An Iland of vines The riuer of Olmechin The galantnesse of the Sauages Port de la Heve The Sauages doe paint their faces The Oration of Messamoet Messamoets affection to the French men The largesse and liberality of Messamoets The Sauages be liberall A Corne country beanes pumpions and grapes Bessabes Englishmen Asticou A very good Port. The agility of the Armouchiquois Happy people if