finde out the ship at Campseau which is a Port being betweene seuen or eight Ilands where ships may be sheltered from windes and there is a Bay of aboue 15. leagues depth and 6. or 7. leagues broad The said place being distant from Port Royall aboue 150. leagues We had a great Barke two small ones and a shaloup In one of the small Barkes some men were shipped that were sent before And the 30. of Iuly the other two went away I was in the great one conducted by Monsieur De Champ-dorè But Monsieur De Poutrincourt desirous to see an end of our sowed corne tarried till it was ripe and remained there eleuen daies yet after vs. In the meane time our first iourny hauing beene the passage of Port Royall the next day mistes came and spread themselues vpon the sea which continued with vs eight whole daies during which all we could doe was to get to Cap De Sable which we saw not In these Cimmerian darknesses hauing one day cast anker in the sea by reason of the night our anker driued in such sort that in the morning the tide had carried vs among Ilands and I maruell that we were not cast away striking against some rocks But for victuals we wanted for no fish for in halfe an houres fishing we might take Codde enough for to feed vs a fortnight and of the fairest and fattest that euer I saw being of the colour of Carpes which I haue neuer knowen nor noted but in this part of the said Cap De Sable which after we had passed the tide which is swift in this place brought vs in short time as farre as to the Port De La Heue thinking that we were no further than the Port Du Mouton There we taried two daies and in the very same Port we saw the Coddes bite at the hooke We found there store of red Gooseberies and a Marcassite of Copper Mine we also made there some trucking with the Sauages for skinnes From thence forward we had winde at will and during that time it happened once that being vpō the hatches I cried out to our Pilote Monsieur De Champdore that we were ready to strike thinking I had seene the bottome of the sea but I was deceiued by the Raine-bow which did appeare with all his colours in the water procured by the shadow that our boarespright saile did make ouer the same being opposite to the Sunne which asembling his beames within the hollownesse of the same saile as it doth within the clouds those beames were forced to make a reuerberation in the water and to shew foorth this wonder In the end we arriued within foure leagues of Campseau at a Port where a good old man of Saint Iohn De Lus called Captaine Saualet receiued vs with all the kindnesse in the world And for as much as this Port which is little but very faire hath no name I haue qualified it in my Geographicall Map with the name of Saualet This good honest man told vs that the same voyage was the 42. voyage that he had made into those parts and neuerthelesse the New-found-land-men do make but one in a yeare He was maruellously pleased with his fishing and told vs moreouer that he tooke euery day fifty Crownes worth of fish and that his voyage would be woorth 1000. pounds He paied wages to 16 men and his vessell was of 80. tunnes which could carry 100000. dry fishes He was sometimes vexed with the Sauages that did cabine there who too boldly and impudently went into his ship and carried away from him what they listed And for to auoid their troublesome behauiour he threatned them that we would come thither and that we would put them all to the edge of the sword if they did him wrong This did feare them they did him not so much harme as otherwise they would haue done Notwithstanding whensoeuer the Fishermen came with their shaloups full of fish they did chuse what seemed good vnto them and they did not care for Codde but rather tooke Merlus or Whitings Barses or fletans a kind of very great Turbots which might be worth heere in Paris aboue foure crownes apeece and paraduenture six or more for it is a maruellous good meat specially when they be great and of the thicknesse of six fingers as are those that be taken there And it would haue beene very hard to bridle their insolency because that for to doe it one should be forced to haue alwaies weapons in hand and so the worke should be left vndone The good nature and honesty of this man was extended not onely to vs but also to all our people that passed by his Port for it was the passage to goe and come from Port Royall But there were some of them that came to fetch vs home who did worse than the Sauages vsing him as the Souldier doth the poore peasan or country Farmer heere a thing which was very grieuous for me to heare We were 4. daies there by reason of the contrary wind Then came we to Campseau where we taried for the other Barke which came two daies after vs. And as for Monsieur De Poutrincourt as soone as he saw that the corne might be reaped he pulled vp some Rie root and all for to shew heare the beauty goodnesse and vnmeasurable height of the same He also made gleanes of the other sorts of seedes as Wheat Barly Oates Hemp and others for the same purpose which was not done by them that haue heeretofore beene in Brasill and in Florida Wherein I haue cause to reioyce because I was of the company and of the first tillers of that land And heerein I pleased my selfe the more when I did set before mine eies our ancient father Noah a great King great Priest and great Prophet whose occupation was to husband the ground both in sowing of Corne and planting the Vine And the ancient Romane Captaine Seranus who was found sowing of his field when that he was sent for to conduct the Romane Armie And Quintus Cincinatus who all dusty did plough foure akers of lands bare headed and open stomackt when the Senats Harold brought letters of the Dictatorship vnto him in sort that this messenger was forced to pray him to couer himselfe before he declared his Embassage vnto him Delighting my selfe in this exercise God hath blessed my poore labour and I haue had in my garden as faire wheat as any can be in France whereof the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt gaue vnto mee a gleane when he came to the said Port De Campseau He was ready to depart from Port Royall when Membertou and his company arriued victorious ouer the Armouchiquois And because I haue made a description of this war in French Verses I will not heere trouble my paper with it being desirous rather to be briefe than to seeke out new matter At the instant of the said
said Mill from the time that it is sowed vntill it be ready to be reaped is not aboue three monthes in the ground The six other monthes they suffer the ground to rest They also gather faire Pompians and very good beanes They doe not dung their land onely when they will sow they set the weeds on fire which are growen during the six monthes and burne them all They till their land with an Instrument of wood which is made like to a broad pickaxe wherewith they digg their vines in France They put two graines of mill together When the lands are to be sowed the king commandeth one of his men to call his subiects together euery day to come to labour during the which the king causeth great store of that drinke whereof we haue spoken to bee made In the season that the Corne is gathered it is all carried into the common store-house where it is distributed to euery one according to his qualitie They sowe but so much as they thinke will serue them for six moneths and that very hardly for during the winter they retire themselues three or foure moneths of the yeere into the woods where they make little houses of Palme leaues to lodge themselues in and there doe liue of acornes of fish which they take of oysters of Stagges Turkie hennes and other beasts that they take And seeing they haue townes and houses or Cibanes I may yet well put this among their exercises As for the Towns they be multitudes of Cabins made somwhat Piramide wise others in forme of a cottage others like garden bowres compast as it were with high pales of trees ioined one neere the other euen as I haue set out the town of Hochelaga in my mappe of the great riuer of Canada Furthermore one must not maruel of this shape of a town which might seeme simple seeing that the fairest townes of Moscouie haue no better inclosure The ancient Lacedemonians would haue no other walles then their courage and valour Before the generall sloud Cain did builde a town which he named Henoch I beleeue it was no otherwise made then those of our Sauages but he did feele the wrath of God which pursued him and had lost all assurance Men had but Cabins and Pauillions and as it is written of Iabal the sonne of Hada that he was the father of the dwellers in Tabernacles and of Shepheards After the floud they builded the tower of Babel but this was folly Tacitus writing of the maners of the Germans saith that in his time they had not any vse neither of lime nor stones The English Britons much lesse Our Gaullois were then from many ages before come to ciuility But yet were they along time in the beginning without any other habitations than Cabins and the first Gaullois king that built townes and houses was Magus who succeded his father the wise Samothes three hundred yeeres after the floud eight yeeres after the natiuitie of Abraham and the one and fiftie yeere of the raigne of Ninus as Berosius the Chaldean doth say And although they had buildings they lay notwithstanding on the ground vpon skinnes like to our Sauages And as in the ancient times the names were giuen which contained the qualities and acts of persons Magus was so called because hee was the first builder For in the Scythian and Armenian language from whence our Gaullois came shortly after the floud and in the ancient Gaullois toong Magus signifieth a builder saith the same Author and so hath Iohn Annius of Viterbe very well marked from whence came our names of the Townes of Rothomagus Neomagus Nouiomagus So likewise Samothes signifieth wise and the old Gaullois Philosophers were before the Druides called Samotheans as Diogenes Laertius reporteth who confesseth that Philosophie did begin from them whom the Greeke vanitie did call Barbarous I will adde heere for an exercise of our Sauages their play at hazard whereunto they are so addicted that sometimes they play out all that they haue And Iames Quartier writeth the same of them of Canada in the time that hee was there I haue seene a kind of game that they haue but not thinking then to write this treatie I tooke no heede to it They put some number of beanes coloured and painted of the one side in a platter and hauing stretched out a skinne on the ground they play there vpon striking with the dish vpon this skinne and by that meanes the beanes doe skippe in the aire and doe not all fall on that parte that they be coloured and in that consisteth the chance and hazard and according to their chance they haue a certaine number of quils made of rushes which they distribute to him that winneth for to keepe the reckoning CHAP. XVIII Of the Womens exercises THe woman was giuen in the beginning vnto Man not onely for to aide and assist him but also to be the store house of generation Their first exercise then that I will attribute vnto her after that she is married is to bring foorth goodly children and to assist her husband in this worke for this is the end of marriage And therfore is she very wel and fitly called in hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say pierced because it is meete that she be pierced if shee will imitate our common mother the Earth which in the Spring time desirous to bring forth openeth her bosome for to receaue the raine and dewes which the heauen powreth vpon her Now I find that this exercise shal be requisite for them that will inhabite New France to bring foorth there store of creatures which shall sing the praises of God There is land enough to nourish them so that they be willing to worke and their condition shall not be so miserable as it is with many in these partes which doe seeke to emploie themselues and doe not find wherein and albeit they find it yet very often is their labour vnrewarded and vnfruitfull But in that countrie he that will take pleasure and as it were sport himselfe with sweete labour he shall be assured to liue out of bondage and that his children shall yet be in better state then himselfe was The first exercise then of the woman is to worke in generation which is a labour so faire and so meritorious that the great Apostle S. Paul to consolate them in the paines they take in that labour hath said that the woman shall be saued through bearing of children if they remaine in faith and loue and holinesse with modesty That is to say If she instruct them in such sort that the godlinesse of the mother may be knowen by the good institution of the children This first and chiefest article being mentioned let vs come to the others Our Sauage women after they haue brought foorth the fruite of this exercise by I know not what practise doe obserue without law that which was commanded in the
NOVA FRANCIA Or the DESCRIPTION OF THAT PART OF NEVV FRANCE which is one continent with VIRGINIA Described in the three late Voyages and Plantation made by Monsieur de Monts Monsieur du Pont-Graué and Monsieur de Poutrincourt into the countries called by the French men La Cadie lying to the Southwest of Cape Breton Together with an excellent seuerall Treatie of all the commodities of the said countries and maners of the naturall inhabitants of the same Translated out of French into English by P. E LONDINI Impensis GEORGII BISHOP 1609. TO THE BRIGHT STARRE OF THE NORTH HENRY Prince of Great BRITAINE MOst excellent Prince my Author knowing that there are someworks so naturally great of themselues that they challenge the gratious protection of Princes hath offered this his Historie to the Royall patronage of the most Christian King two Queenes and the Dauphin to the end it might stirre them the more to prosecute the populating of the lands heerein described to bring the Naturals thereof Sauage and miserable people to ciuilitie and right knowledge of God and so to the saluation of their soules Assuming the like presumption I haue hoped notwithstanding the defects which necessarily attend a stranger who can neuer attaine the naturall Idiome of this eloquent language that it might not be an iniury to your Highnesse but an addition of Honor and safetie of tbis worke if I should dare to inscribe your Princely name on the forehead thereof Which bouldnesse the noble vndertaking of the English Nation hath nourished who haue so lately begun by the permission and vnder the protection of his excellent Maiestie your most Royall Father to plant Christianitie in Virginia being one continent next adioining land to these For who may better support and manage magnanimous actions such as be the peopling of lands planting of Colories erecting of ciuill Gouernementes and propagating of the Gospell of Christ which are Royall and Princely foundations then those whom the King of Kings hath established as Atlasses of kingdoms Christian common weales God hath necessitated in his Prophecie Kings and Queenes to be nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers of his Church so that he hath not onely committed the gouernment of a ripe and strong body able to subsist but hath imposed the care of the tendernesse and infancie thereof vpon them Alexander being yet young would haue runne in the Olympian games if kings had runne there now Kings doe run now Princes doe worke in the Lords haruest to spread that name which must gather the elect from the vtmost endes of the world if not in their persons yet with their authoritie and meanes I know your Highnesse would not be inferiour but rather excell in so noble an action such an emulation is pleasing to God your birth leadeth vnto it Christian charitie inuiteth you to be chiefe worker in the sauing of millions of soules The necessitie of your Countrie of Great BRITAINE ouer populous doth require it And lastly your poore Virginians doe seeme to implore your Princely aide to helpe them to shake off the yoke of the diuel who hath hitherto made them liue worse then beasts that hencefoorth they may be brought into the fould of Christ and in time to liue vnder your Christian gouernmēt So then hauing thus runne you shall obtaine an euerlasting Crowne of glory being as well planter as defender of the Faith Your Highnesse humblest seruant P. ERONDELLE To the Reader GEntle Reader The whole volume of the Nauigations of the French nation into the West Indies comprised in three bookes was brought to mee to be translated by M. Richard Hackluyt a man who for his worthy and profitable labours is well knowen to most men of worth not onely of this kingdome but also of forrain parts and by him this part was selected and chosen from the whole worke for the particular vse of this Nation to the end that comparing the goodnesse of the lands of the Northerly parts heerein mentioned with that of Virginia which though in one and the selfe same continent and both lands adioyning must be far better by reason it stands more Southerly neerer to the Sunne greater encouragement may be giuen to prosecute that generous and godly action in planting and peopling that Country to the better propagation of the Gospel of Christ the saluation of innumerable soules and generall benefit of this land too much pestred with ouer many people Which translation as I haue said is but a part of a greater volume If therefore you finde that some references of things mentioned in the former part of the said volume are not to be found in this translation do not thinke it strange in asmuch as they could not wel be brought in except the whole volume should be translated which of purpose was left vndone as well to auoid your farther charges as because it was thought needlesse to translate more then concerneth that which adioyneth to Virginia What good the English Nation may reape of this worke by the onely description that is found therein of Nations Ilands Harbours Bayes Coasts Riuers Rockes Shoulds Sands Bankes and other dangers which the Saylers into those parts may now the more easily finde and auoid by the knowledge that this translation giueth them of it let the Nauigators iudge therof who for want of such knowledge haue found themselues in euident perill of death and many altogether cast away If a man that sheweth foorth effectually the zealous care he hath to the well-fare and common good of his country deserueth praises of the same I refer to the iudgement of them that abhor the vice of ingratitude hatefull aboue all to God goodmen whether the said M. Hackluyt as well for the first procuring of this translation as for many workes of his set out by him for the good and euerlasting fame of the English Nation deserueth not to reape thankes As for this my labour if it be censured fauorably and my good affection in vndertaking the translating of this worke for the benefit of this land taken in good part it will encourage me to endeauour my selfe to doe better heereafter The Table of the contents of the Chapters The first Booke WHerein are described the three late Voiages Nauigations and Plantation of New France otherwise called La Cadia by Monsieur de Monts Monsieur du Pont-grauè and Monsieur de Poutrincourt CHAP. I. The Patent and Commission of the French king to Monsieur de Monts for the inhabiting of the Countries of La Cadia Canada and other places in New France from the 40. degree to the 46. CHAP. II. The voiage of Monsieur de Monts into New France accidents hapned in the said voiage the causes of the Isie bankes in new found lands the imposing of names to certaine Ports the perplexitie wherein they were by reason of the staeie of their other shippe CHAP. III. The leauing of Port du Mouton the accidents of a man lost in the woods the space of 16.
for the roaring of the Sea stronger than all that did expell backe the sound of the said Canons and trumpets Two three and foure daies passe he appeareth not In the meane while the time hastens to depart so hauing taried so long that hee was then held for dead they weighed ankers to goe further and to see the depth of a Baye that hath some 40 leagues length and 14 yea 18 of bredth which was named La Baye Francoise or the French Baye In this Bay is the passage to come into a Port whereinto our men entred made some abode during the which they had the pleasure to hunt an Ellan or Stagge that crossed a great lake of the Sea which maketh this Port and did swimme but easily This Port is enuironed with mountaines on the North side Towards the South be small hils which with the said mountaines doe powre out a thousand brookes which make that place pleasanter than any other place in the world there are very faire falls of waters fit to make Mils of all sorts At the East is a riuer betweene the said mountaines and hils in the which Ships may saile fifteene Leagues and more and in all this distance is nothing of both sides the Riuer but faire medowes which riuer was named L' Equille because that the first fish taken therein was an Equille But the said Port for the beauty thereof was called Port Royall Monsieur De Poutrincourt hauing found this place to be to his liking demanded it with the Lands thereunto adioyning of Monsieur De Monts to whom the King had by commission before inserted granted the distribution of the lands of New France from the 40. degree to the 46. Which place was granted to the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt who since hath had letters of confirmation for the same of his Maiestie intending to retire himselfe thither with his familie and there to establish the Christian and French name asmuch as his power shall stretch and God grant him the meanes to accomplish it The said Porte containeth eight leagues of circuit besides the riuer of L' Equille There is within it two Iles very faire and pleasant the one at the mouth of the said riuer which I deeme to be of the greatnesse of the Citie of Beauuais The other at the side of the mouth of an other riuer as broad as the riuer of Oise or Marne entring within the said Porte The said Ile being almost of the greatnesse of the other and they both are wooddy In this Porte and right ouer against the former I le we dwelt three yeares after this voyage We will speake thereof more at large heereafter From Port Royall they sailed to the Copper mine wherof we haue spoken before else where It is a high rocke betweene two Bayes of the Sea wherein the Copper is conioyned with the stone very faâ—re and very pure such as is that which is called Rozette Copper Many Goldsmithes haue seene of it in France which doe say that vnder the Copper Mine there might be a golden Mine whch is very probable For if those excrements that nature expelleth foorth be so pure namely small peeces that are found vpon the grauell at the foote of the Rocke when it is low water there is no doubt that the mettall which is in the bowels of the earth is much more perfect but this is a worke that requireth time The first mining and working is to haue bread wine and cattell as we haue said else where Our felicitie consisteth not in Mines specially of gold siluer the which serue for nothing in the tillage of the ground nor to handicrafts vse Contrariwise the abundance of them is but a charge and burthen that keepeth man in perpetuall vnquiet and the more he hath thereof the lesse rest enioyeth he and his life lesser assured vnto him Before the voyages of Peron great riches might haue beene set vp in a smal place in stead that in this our age by the abundance of gold and siluer the same is come at no value nor esteem One hath need of huge chests and coffers to put in that which a small budget might haue coÌ„tained One might haue trauelled with a purse in ones sleeue now a Cloake-bag and a horse must expresly be had for that purpose We may iustly curse the houre that greedie auarice did carry the Spaniard into the West for the wofull euents that haue ensued thereof For when I consider that by his greedinesse he hath kindled maintained the warre thorow all Christendome and his onely studie hath beene how to destroy his neighbors and not the Turke I cannot thinke that any other but the diuell hath beene the author of their voyages And let not the pretence of religion be alleaged vnto mee for as we haue said elsewhere they haue killed all the ofspring of the Countrie with the most inhumaine torments that the diuell hath beene able to excogitate And by their cruelties haue rendred the name of God odious a name of offence to those poore people and haue continually and daily blasphemed him in the midst of the Gentils as the Prophet reprocheth to the people of Israel Witnesse him that had rather be damned then to goe to the Paradise of the Spaniardes The Romaines whose couetousnesse hath beene vnsatiable haue made cruell wars to the nations of the Earth but the Spanish cruelties are not to be found out in their histories They haue contented themselues to ransacke the nations which they haue ouercommed and not to depriue them of their liues An ancient heathenish author making triall of his poeticall humor findeth no greater crime in them but that if they found out or discouered some people that had gold they tooke them for their enemies The verses of this Authour haue so good a grace that I must needs insert them heere though I intend not to alledge much Latine Orbem iam totum Romanus victor habebat Quà mare quà terra quà sidus currit vtrumque Nec satiatus erat grauidis freta pulsa carinis I am peragrabantur siquis sinus abditus vltra Si quaforet tellus quae fulvum mitteret aurum Hostis erat fatisque in tristia bella paratis Quaerebantur opes But the doctrine of the wise Sonne of Sirach teacheth vs a contrary thing For knowing that the riches which are digged vp euen from as deepe as Plutoes dennes are that which some one hath said irritament a malorum hee declared That man to be happy that hath not runne after gold and hath not put his hope in siluer and treasures adding that he ought to be esteemed to haue done wonderfull things among all his people and to be the example of glory which hath beene tempted by gold and remained perfect And so by a contrary sense the same to be vnhappy that doth otherwise Now to returne to our Mines Among these Copper rockes there is found sometimes small
the tast of wine which they tooke with a pipe The same hath preserued many of them from death The yong buds of hearbs in the Spring time be also very soueraigne And besides that reason requireth to beleeue it I haue tried it being my selfe gone many times to gather some for our sicke people before that those of our garden might be vsed which restored them to their taste againe and comforted their weake stomacks And as for that which concerneth the exterior parts of the body we haue found great good in wearing woodden pantaphles or patins with our shooes for to avoide the moistnesse The houses neede no opening nor windowes on the Northwest side being a winde very dangerous but rather on the East side or the South It is very good to haue good bedding it was good for me to haue caried things necessary to this purpose and aboue all to keepe himselfe neat I would like well the vse of Stooues such as they haue in Germany by meanes whereof they feele no Winter being at home but as much as they please Yea they haue of them in many places in their gardens which doe so temper the coldnesse of winter that in this rough and sharpe season there one may see Orenge-trees Limon-trees Figge-trees Pomgranet-trees and all such sorts of trees bring foorth fruit as good as in Prouence Which is so much the more easie to doe in this new land for that it is all couered ouer with woods except when one comes in the Armonchiquois countrie a hundred leagues further of then Port Royall And in making of winter a sommer one shall discouer the land Which not hauing any more those great obstacles that hinder the Sunne to court her and from warming it with his heat without doubt it will become very temperate and yeeld a most milde aire and well agreeing with our humour not hauing there euen at this time neither colde nor heat that is excessiue The Sauages that know not Germany nor the customes thereof doe teach vs the same lesson which being subiect to those sicknesse as we haue seene in the voiage of Iames Quartier vse sweatings often as it were euery moneth and by this meanes they preserue themselues driuing out by sweate all the colde and euell humors they might haue gathered But one singular preseruatiue against this perfidious sicknesse which commeth so stealingly and which hauing once lodged it selfe within vs will not be put out is to follow the counsell of him that is wise amonst the wise who hauing considered all the afflictions that man giue to himselfe during his life hath found nothing better then to reioice himselfe and doe good and to take pleasure in his owne workes They that haue done so in our company haue found themselues well by it contrawise some alwaies grudging repining neuer content idle haue beene found out by the same disease True it is that for to inioy mirth it is good to haue the sweetnesse of fresh meates fleshes fishes milke butter oyles fruits and such like which we had not at will I meane the common sort for alwaies some one or other of the company did furnish Monsieur De Poutrincourt his table with wilde foule venison or fresh fish And if we had had halfe a dosen kyne I beleeue that no body had died there It resteth a preseruatiue necessarie for the accomplishment of mirth and to the end one may take pleasure on the worke of his hands is euery one to haue the honest company of his lawfull wife for without that the cheare is neuer perfect ones minde is alwaies vpon that which one loues and desireth there is still some sorrow the bodie becomes full of ill humours and so the sicknesse doth breede And for the last and soueraigne remedie I send backe the patient to the tree of life for so one may well qualifie it which Iames Quartier doth call Anneda yet vnknowen in the coast of Port Royall vnlesse it bee peraduenture the Sasafras whereof there is quantitie in certaine places And it is an assured thing that the said tree is very excellent But Monsieur Champlain who is now in the great riuer of Canada passing his winter in the same part where the said Quartier did winter hath charge to finde it out and to make prouision thereof CHAP. VII The discouery of new Lands by Monsieur De Monts fabulous tales and reports of the riuer and fained towne of Norombega The refuting of the authors that haue written thereof Fish bankes in New found land Kinibeki Chouacoet Mallebarre Armouchiquois The death of a French man killed Mortality of Englishmen in Virginia THe rough season being passed Monsieur De Monts wearied with his badde dwelling at Saint Croix determined to seeke out another Port in a warrner countrie and more to the South And to that end made a Pinnesse to be armed and furnished with victuals to follow the coast and discouering new countries to seeke out some happier Port in a more temperate aire And because that in seeking one cannot set forward so much as when in full sailes one goeth in open sea and that finding out baies and gulfes lying betweene two lands one must put in because that there one may assoone finde that which is sought for as else where he made in this voyage but about six score leagues as wee will tell you now From Saint Croix to 60. leagues forward the coast lieth East and West at the end of which 60. leagues is the riuer called by the Sauages Kinibeki From which place to Malebarre it lieth North and South and there is yet from one to the other 60. leagues in right line not following the baies So farre stretcheth Monsieur De Monts his voyage wherein he had for Pilot in his vessell Monsieur De Champdore In all this coast so farre as Kinibeki there is many places where shippes may be harbored amongst the Ilands but the people there is not so frequent as is beyond that And there is no remarkable thing at least that may be seene in the outside of the lands but a riuer whereof many haue written fables one after another like to those that they who grounding themselues vpon Hannos his Commentaries a Carthaginian captain haue fained of Townes built by him in great number vpon the coasts of Africa which is watered with the Ocean sea for that hee plaied an heroycall part in sailing so farre as the Iles of Cap Vert where long time since no body hath beene the Nauigation not being so secure then vpon that great sea as it is at this day by the benefit of the Compasse Therefore without alleaging that which the first writers Spaniards and Portingals haue said I will recite that which is in the last booke intituled The vniuersall Historie of the West Indies Printed at Douay the last yeere 1607. in the place where he speaketh of Norombega For in reporting this
I shall haue also said that which the first haue written from whom they haue had it Moreouer towards the North saith the Author after he had spoken of Virginia is Norombega which is known well enough by reason of a faire towne and a great riuer though it is not found from whence it hath his name for the Barbarians doe call it Agguncia At the mouth of this riuer there is an Iland very fit for fishing The region that goeth along the sea doth abound in fish and towards New France there is great number of wilde beasts and is verie commodious for hunting the Inhabitants doe liue in the same maner as they of New France If this beautifull Towne hath euer beene in nature I would faine know who hath pulled it downe For there is but Cabanes here and there made with pearkes and couered with barkes of trees or with skinnes and both the riuer and the place inhabited is called Pemtegoet and not Agguncia The riuer sauing the tide is scarce as the riuer of Oyse And there can be no great riuer on that coast because there are not lands sufficient to produce them by reason of the great riuer of Canada which runneth like this coast and is not foure-score leagues distant from that place in crossing the lands which from else-where receiued manie riuers falling from those parts which are towards Norombega At the entrie whereof it is so farre from hauing but one Iland that rather the number thereof is almost infinite for as much as this riuer enlarging it selfe like the Greeke Lambda Λ the mouth whereof is all full of Iles whereof there is one of them lying very farre off and the formost in the sea which is high and markable aboue the others But some will say that I aequiuocate in the situation of Norombega and that it is not placed where I take it To this I answer that the author whose words I haue a little before alleaged is in this my sufficient warrant who in his Geographicall Mappe hath placed in the mouth of this riuer in the 44. degree and his supposed towne in the 45. wherein we differ but in one degree which is a smal matter For the riuer that I meane is in the 45. degree and as for any towne there is none Now of necessitie it must be this riuer because that the same being passed and that of Kinibeki which is in the same height there is no other riuer forward whereof account should be made tell one come to Virginia I say furthermore that seeing the Barbarians of Norombega doe liue as they of New France and haue abundance of hunting it must be that their prouince be seated in our New France For fiftie leagues farther to the Southwest there is no great game because the woods are thinner there and the inhabitants setled and in greater number then in Norombega True it is that a sea Captaine named Iohn Alfonse of Xaintonge in the relation of his aduenturous voiages hath written that hauing passed Saint Iohns Iland which I take for the same that I haue called heeretofore the I le of Bacaillos the coast turneth to the West and West Southwest as far as the riuer of Norombergue newly discouered saith he by the Portugais and Spaniards which is in 30. degrees adding that this riuer hath at the entire thereof many Iles bankes and rockes and that fifteene or twenty leagues within it is built a great towne where the people be small and blackish like them of the Indies and are clothed with skinnes whereof they haue abundance of all sorts Item that the bank of New found land endeth there and that that riuer being passed the coast turneth to the West and West Northwest aboue 250. leagues towards a countrie where there is both townes and castels But I see very little or no truth at all in all the discourses of this man and well may he call his voiages aduenturous not for him who was neuer in the hundreth part of the places he describeth at least it is easie so to thinke but for those that will follow the waies which he willeth mariners to follow For if the said riuer of Norombega be in thirtie degrees it must needs be in Florida which is the contrarie to all them that euer haue written of it and to the verie truth it selfe Concerning that which hee saith of the banke of New-found land it endeth by the report of mariners about the I le of Sablon or Sande about Cap Breton True it is that there is some other bankes that be called Le banquereau and Le banc Iacquet but they are but fiue or six or ten leagues and are diuided from the great banke of New found land And touching the men in the land of Norombega they are of faire and high stature And to say that this riuer being passed the coast lieth West and West Northwest that hath no likelihood For from Cap Breton so farre as the point of Florida that lieth ouer against the Ile De Cuba there is not any coast standing West Northwest onely there is in the parts ioyning vpon the true riuer called Norombega some fiftie leagues coast that standeth East and West Finally of all that which the said Iohn Alfonse doth report I receaue but that which he saith that this riuer whereof wee speake hath at the comming in many Ilands banks and rocks The riuer of Norombega being passed Monsieur De Monts went still coasting vntill hee came to Kinibeki where a riuer is that may shorten the way to goe to the great riuer of Canada There is a number of Sauages Cabaned there and the land beginneth there to be better peopled From Kinibeki going farther one findeth the baie of Marchin named by the Captaine his name that commandeth therein This Marchin was killed the yeere that we parted from New France 1607. Farther is an other baie called Chouakoet where in regard of the former countries is a great number of people For there they till the ground and the region beginneth to be more temperate and for proofe of this there is in this land store of Vines Yea euen there be Ilands full of it which be more subiect to the iniuries of the winde cold as we shall saie heereafter There is betweene Chouakoet and Malebarre many baies and Iles and the coast is sandie with shallow ground drawing neere to the said Malebarre so that scarce one may land there with barkes The people that befrom Saint Iohns riuer to Kinibeki wherein are comprised the riuers of Saint Croix and Norombega are called Etechemins And from Kinibeki as far as Malebarre and farther they are called Armouchiquois They be traitours and theefes and one had neede to take heed of them Monsieur De Monts hauing made some stay at Malebarre victuals began to be scarse with him and it was needfull to thinke vpon the returne specially seeing all the coast so troublesome
dainty thing besides that which was of our ordinary allowance So well that at breakfast we neuer wanted some modicum or other of fish or flesh and at the repast of dinners and suppers yet lesse for it was the great banquet where the Gouernour of the feast or Steward whom the Sauages doe call Atoctegi hauing made the Cooke to make all things ready did march with his napkin on his shoulder and his staffe of office in his hand with the colar of the order about his necke which was worth aboue foure crownes and all them of the order following of him bearing euery one a dish The like also was at the bringing in of the fruit but not with so great a traine And at night after grace was said he resigned the Colar of the order with a cup of wine to his successor in that charge and they dranke one to another I haue heeretofore said that we had abundance of fowle as Mallards Outards Geese gray and whit Partriges and other birds Item of Ellans or stagge flesh of Caribous or Deere Beuers Otters Beares Rabbets Wilde-cats or Leopards Nibachès and such like which the Sauages did take wherwith we made as good dishes of meat as in the Cookes shops that be in La rue aux Ours Beare street and greater store for of all meates none is so tender as Ellans flesh whereof we made good pasties nor so delicate as the Beuerstaile Yea we haue had sometimes halfe a dosen Sturgions at one clap which the Sauages did bring to vs part whereof we did take paying for it and the rest was permitted them to sell publikely and to truck it for bread whereof our people had abundantly And as for the ordinarie meat brought out of France that was distributed equally as much to the least as to the biggest And the like with wine as we haue said In such actions we had alwaies 20. or 30. Sauages men women girles and boies who beheld vs doing our offices Bread was giuen them gratis as we doe heere to the poore But as for the Sagamos Membertou and other Sagamos when any came to vs they sat at table eating and drinking as we did and we tooke pleasure in seeing them as contrariwise their absence was irkesome vnto vs as it came to passe three or foure times that all went away to the places where they knew that game and Venison was and brought one of our men with them who liued some six weekes as they did without salt without bread and without wine lying on the ground vpon skinnes and that in snowy weather Moreouer they had greater care of him as also of others that haue often gone with them than of themselues saying that if they should chance to die it would be laid to their charges to haue killed them And heereby it may be knowen that we were not as it were pent vp in an Iland as Monsieur De Villegagnon was in Brafill For this people loue Frenchmen and would all at a neede arme themselues for to maintaine them But to vse no digression such gouernment as we haue spoken of did serue vs for preseruatiues against the country disease And yet foure of ours died in February and March of them who were of a fretful conditiō or sluggish And I remember I obserued that all had their lodgings on the West side and looking towards the wide open Port which is almost foure leagues long shaped ouale-wise besides they had all of them ill bedding For the former sicknesses and the going away of Monsieur Du Pont in that maner as we haue said caused the quilt beds to be cast away for they were rotten And they that went with the said Monsieur Du Pont carried away the sheetes and blankets challenging them as theirs So that some of our people had sore mouthes and swollen legges like to the Phthisiques which is the sicknesse that God sent to his people in the desert in punishment for that they would fill themselues with flesh not contenting themselues with that whereof the desert furnished them by the diuine prouidence We had faire weather almost during all the Winter For neither raines nor fogges are so frequent there as heere whether it be at sea or on the land The reason is because the Sunne beames by the long distance haue not the force to raise vp vapours from the ground heere chiefely in a country all woody But in Summer it doth both from the sea and the land when as their force is augmented and those vapours are dissolued suddenly or slowly according as one approcheth to the Equinoctial line For we see that betweene the two Tropiques it raineth in more abundance both at sea and on the land specially in Peru and Mexico than in Africa because the Sunne by so long space of sea hauing drawen vp much moistnes from the maine Ocean hee dissolueth them in a moment by the great force of his heat where contrariwise towards the New found lands they maintaine themselues along time in the aire before they be turned into raine or be dispersed which is done in Summer as we haue said and not in winter and at sea more than on the land For on the land the morning mists serue for a dew and fall about eight a clocke and at sea they dure two three and eight daies as oftentimes wee haue tried Seeing then wee are speaking of Winter wee say that raines being in those parts rare in that season the Sunne likewise shineth there very faire after the fall of snowes which we haue had seuen or eight times but it is easily melted in open places and the longest abiding haue beene in February How so euer it be the snow is very profitable for the fruits of the earth to preserue them against the frost and to serue them as a fur-gowne Which is done by the admirable prouidence of God for the preseruation of men and as the Psalme saith He giueth Snow like wooll hore frost Like ashes he doth spread Like morsels casts his Ice And as the skie is seldome couered with clouds towards New found landes in Winter time so are there morning frostes which doe increase in the end of Ianuary Februarie and in the beginning of March for vntill the very time of Ianuarie we kept vs still in our dublets And I remember that on a Sunday the 14. day of that Moneth in the afternoone we sported our selues singing in musike vpon the riuer L' Equille and in the same moneth we went to see the Corne two leagues off from our fort and did dine merily in the Sunn-shine I would not for all that say that all other yeares were like vnto this For as that winter was as milde in these parts these last Winters of the yeares 1607. 1608. haue beene the hardest that euer was seene it hath also been a like in those countries in such sort that many Sauages died through
Sunne did but begin to cheere the earth and to behold his Mistres with an amorous aspect when the Sagamos Membertou after our praiers solemnely made to God and the break-fast distributed to the people according to the custom came to giue vs aduertisment that he had seene a saile vpon the lake which came towards our Fort. At this ioyfull newes euery one went out to see but yet none was found that had so good a sight as he though he be aboue 100. yeeres old neuerthelesse we spied very soone what it was Monsieur De Poutrincourt caused in all diligence the small Barke to be made ready for to goe to view further Monsieur De Champ-dorè and Daniel Hay went in her and by the signe that had beene told them being certaine that they were friends they made presently to be charged foure Canons 12. fawkonnets to salute them that came so far to see vs. They on their part did not faile in beginning the ioy to discharge their peeces to whom they rendered the like with vsury It was onely a small barke vnder the charge of a yong man of Saint Maloes named Cheualier who being arriued at the Fort deliuered his letters to Monsieur De Poutrincourt which were read publikely They did write vnto him that for to helpe to saue the charges of the voyage the ship being yet the Ionas should stay at Campseau Port there to fish for Coddes by reason that the Merchants associate with Monsieur De Monts knew not that there was any fishing farther than that place Notwithstanding if it were necessary he should cause the ship to come to Port Royall Moreouer that the society was broken because that contrary to the King his Edict the Hollanders conducted by a traiterous Frenchman called La Ieunesse had the yeare before taken vp the Beuers and other Furres of the great riuer of Canada a thing which did turne to the great dammage of the Societie which for that cause could no longer furnish the charges of the vnhabiting in these parts as it had done in times past And therefore did send no body for to remaine there after vs. As we receaued ioy to see our assured succour we felt also great griefe to see so faire and so holy an enterprise broken That so many labours and perils past should serue to no effect and that the hope of planting the name of God and the Catholike faith should vanish away Notwithstanding after that Monsieur De Poutrincourt had a long while mused heereupon he said that although he should haue no body to come with him but onely his family he would not forsake the enterprise It was great griefe vnto vs to abandon without hope of returne a land that had produced vnto vs so faire Corne and so many faire adorned gardens All that could be done vntill that time was to finde out a place fit to make a setled dwelling and a land of good fertility And that being done it was great want of courage to giue ouer the enterprise for another yeare being passed the necessity of maintaining an habitation there should be taken away for the land was sufficient to yeeld things necessary for life This was the cause of that griefe which pierced the hearts of them which were desirous to see the Christian Religion established in that country But on the contrary Monsieur De Monts and his associates reaping no benefit but losse and hauing no helpe from the King it was a thing which they could not doe but with much difficulty to maintaine an habitation in those parts Now this enuy for the trade of Beuers with the Sauages found not onely place in the Hollanders hearts but also in French Merchants in such sort that the priuiledge which had beene giuen to the said Monsieur De Monts for ten yeares was reuoked The vnsatiable auarice of men is a strange thing which haue no regard to that which is honest so that they may rifle and catch by what meanes soeuer And thereupon I will say moreouer that there haue beene some of them that came to that country to fetch vs home that wickedly haue presumed so much as to strip the dead and steale away the Beuers which those poore people doe put for their last benefit vpon them whom they bury as we will declare more at large in the booke following A thing that maketh the French name to be odious worthy disdain among them which haue no such sordide quality at all but rather hauing a heart truly noble and generous hauing nothing in priuate to themselues but rather all things common and which ordinarily doe present gifts and that very liberally according to their ability to them whom they loue and honor And besides this mischiefe it came to passe that the Sauages when that we were at Campseau killed him that had shewed them the Sepulchers of their dead I need not to alleage heere what Herodote reciteth of the vile basenesse of King Darius who thinking to haue caught the old one in the nest as saith the prouerbe that is to say great treasures in the Tombe of Semiramis Queene of the Babylonians went away altogether confounded as wise as he came thither hauing found in it a writing altogether contrary to the first hee had read which rebuked him very sharply for his auarice and wickednesse Let vs returne to our sorowfull newes and to the griefe thereof Monsieur De Poutrincourt hauing propounded to some of our company whether they would tarry there for a yeare eight good fellows offered themselues who were promised that euery one of them should haue a hogshead of wine and corne sufficiently for one yeare but they demanded so great wages that they could not agree So resolution was taken for the returne Towards the euening wee made bonfires for the natiuity of my Lord the Duke of Orleans and began afresh to make our Canons and falconets to thunder out accompanied with store of Musket shots hauing before sung for that purpose Te Deum Laudamus The said Cheualier bringer of the newes had borne the office of Captaine in the Ship that remained at Campseau in this condition there was giuen to him for to bring vnto vs six Weathers 24. Hens a pound of Peper 20. pounds of Rice as many of Raisens and of Prunes a thousand of Almonds a pound of Nutmegs a quarter of Cinamon two pounds of Maces halfe a pound of Cloues two pounds of Citron rindes two dozen of Citrons as many Orenges a Westphalia gamon of Bacon and six other gamons a hogshead of Gascoine wine and as much of Sacke a hogshead of poudred Beefe foure pottles and a halfe of oile of Oliue a Iar of Oliues a barrell of Vinegar and two Sugar-loaues but all that was lost through Gutter-lane and we saw none of all these things to make account of Neuerthelesse I haue thought good to name heere these wares
seeing that the nature of the soile and of the woods is all one In September after that this vermine is gone away there grow other flies like vnto ours but they are not troublesome and become very bigge Now our Sauages to saue themselues from the stinging of these creatures rubbe themselues with certaine greases and oiles as I haue said which make them foule and of a tawnish colour Besides that alwaies they lie on the ground or be exposed to the heat and the wind But there is cause of wondering wherefore the Brasilians and other inhabitants of America betweene the two Tropikes are not borne blacke as they of Africa seeing that it seemeth it is the selfesame case being vnder one and the selfesame parallell and like eleuation of the Sunne If the Poets fables were sufficient reasons for to take away this scruple one might say that Phaeton hauing done the foolish deed in conducting the Charet of the Sunne onely Africa was burned and the horses set againe in their right course before they came to the New world But I had rather say that the heat of Lybia being the cause of this blacknesse of men is ingendred from the great lands ouer which the Sunne passeth before it come thither from whence the heat is still carried more abundantly by the swift motion of this great Heauenly torch Whereunto the great sands of that Prouince doe also helpe which are very capable of those heates specially not being watered with store of riuers as America is which aboundeth in riuers and brookes as much as any Prouince in the World which doe giue perpetuall refreshing vnto it and makes the region much more temperate the ground being also there more fat and retaining better the dewes of Heauen which are there abundantly and raines also for the reasons abuesaid For the Sunne finding in the meeting of these lands those great moistnesses he doth not faile to draw a good quantitie of them and that so much the more plentifully that his force is there great and maruellous which makes there continuall raines especially to them that haue him for their zenith I adde one great reason that the Sunne leauing the lands of Africa giueth his beames vpon a moist element by so long a course that he hath good meanes to sucke vp vapors and to draw together with him great quantitie thereof into those parts which maketh that the cause is much differing of the colour of these two people and of the temperature of their lands Let vs come to other circumstances and seeing that we are about colours I will say that all they which I haue seene haue blacke haires some excepted which haue abram colour haires but of flaxen colour I haue seene none and lesse of red and one must not thinke that they which are more Southerly be otherwise for the Floridians and Brasilians are yet blacker than the Sauages of New found land The beard of the chinne which our Sauages call migidoni is with them as blacke as their haires They all take away the producing cause thereof except the Sagamos who for the most part haue but a little Membertou hath more than all the others and notwithstanding it is not thicke as it is commonly with Frenchmen If these people weare no beards on their chinne at the least the most part there is no cause of maruelling For the ancient Romans themselues esteeming that that was a hinderance vnto them did weare none vntill the time of Adrian the Emperour who first began to weare a beard Which they tooke for such an honour that a man accused of any crime had not that priuiledge to shaue his haires as may be gathered by the testimonie of Aulus Gellius speaking of Scipio the sonne of Paul As for the inferiour parts our Sauages doe not hinder the growing or increasing of haires there It is said that the women haue some there also And according as they be curious some of our men haue made them beleeue that the French women haue beards on their chinnes and haue left them in that good opinion so that they were very desirious to see some of them their maner of clothing By these particularities one may vnderstand that all these people haue generally lesser haires than we for along the body they haue none at all so farre is it then that they be hairie as some thinke This belongeth to the inhabitants of the Iles Gorgades from whence Hanno the Carthaginien captaine brought two womens skinnes which he did set vp in the temple of Iuno for great singularitie But heere is to bee noted what we haue said that our sauage people haue almost all their haires blacke for the Frenchmen in one and the selfesame degree are not commonly so The ancient authors Polybius Caesar Strabo Diadore the Cicilian and particularly Ammian Marcellin doe say that the ancient Gaullois had almost all their haires as yellow as gold were of high stature and fearefull for their gastly lookes besides quarelsome and readie to strike a fearefull voice neuer speaking but in threatning At this time those qualities are well changed For there are not now so many yellow haires nor so many men of high stature but that other nations haue as tall As for the fearefull lookes the delicacies of this time haue moderated that and as for the threatning voice I haue scarse seene in all the Gaules but the Gascons and them of Languedoc which haue their maner of speech some what rude which they retaine of the Gotish and of the Spaniard by their neighbourhood But as for the haires it is very farre from being so commonly blacke The same author Ammian saith also that the women of the Gaules whom he noted to be good shrewes and to bee too hard for their husbands when they are in choler haue blue eies and consequently the men and notwithstanding in that respect wee are much mingled which maketh that one knoweth not what rarenesse to chuse for the beautie of eies For many doe loue the blue eies and others loue them greene which were also in ancient time most praised For among the Sonnets of Monsieur de Couci who was in old time so great a clerke in loue matters that songs were made of it greene eies are praised The Germans haue kept better than we the qualities which Tacitus giueth them likewise that which Ammian reciteth of the Gaullois In so great a number of men saith Tacitus there is but one fashion of garments They haue blue eies and fearefull their haires shining as gold and are very corpulent Pliny giueth the same bodily qualities to the people of the Taprobane saying that they haue redde haires their eies blue and the voice horrible and fearefull Wherein I know not if I ought to beleeue him considering the climate which is in the 8 9. and 10. degrees onely and that in the kingdome of Calecute farther off than the Aequinoctial line the men are blacke But as for
to that end Commissioners ordained for to cleanse them Likewise the bottome and Channell of the Riuer Tybre as certaine ancient inscriptions which I haue sometimes read doe record The land of the Armouchiquois doth beare yeerely such corne as that which wee call Sarrazen wheate Turkie wheate and Indian wheate which is the Irio or Erysimon fruges of Pliny and Columella But the Virginians Floridians and Brasilians more southerly make two haruests a yeere All these people doe till their land with a woodden picke-axe weed out the weeds and burne them fatten their fieldes with shell-fish hauing neither tame Cattell nor dung then they heape their ground in small heapes two foote distant one from another and the month of Maie being come they set their Corne in those heapes of earth as wee doe plant beanes fixing a stick and putting foure graines of corne seuerally one after another by certaine superstition in the hole and betweene the plants of the said corne which groweth like a small tree and is ripe at three months end they also set beanes spotted with all colours which are very delicate which by reason they be not so high doe grow very well among these plantes of corne Wee haue sowed of the said corne this last yeere in Paris in good ground but with small profit hauing yeelded euery plant but one eare or two and yet very thinne Where in that country one graine will yeld foure fiue and six eares and euery eare one with another aboue 200 graines which is a maruellous increase Which sheweth the prouerbe reported by Theophrastus to be very true that it is the yeere that produced the fruit and not the field That is to say that the temperature of the aire and condition of the weather is that which maketh the plants to budde and fructifie more then the nature of the earth Wherein is to be wondred that our Corne groweth better there then their corne heere A certaine testimonie that God hath blessed that country since that his name hath beene called vpon there Also that in these parts since some yeeres God beateth vs as I haue said elsewhere with rods of iron and in that country he hath spred his blessing aboundantly vpon our labour and that in one parallele and eleuation of the Sunne This Corne growing high as we haue said the stalke of it is as bigge as Canes yea bigger The stalke Corne taken greene haue a sugar taste which is the cause why the Mowles and field Rattes doe so couet it for they spoiled me a plot of it in New France The great beasts as Stagges and other beasts as also birds doe spoile it And the Indians are constrained to keepe them as wee doe the vines heere The Haruest being done this people laieth vp their Corne in the ground in pits which they make in some discent of a hill for the running downe of waters furnishing those pits with mattes and this they doe because they haue no houses with loftes nor chests to lay it vp otherwise then the corne conserued after this maner is out of the way of Rats and Mise Sundry nations of those parts haue had the same inuention to keepe corne in pits For Suidas maketh mention of it vpō the word Seiroi And Procopius in the second book of the Gothicke warre saith that the Gothes besieging Rome fell within the pits where the inhabitants were woont to lay their Corne. Tacitus reporteth also that the Germans had such pits And without particularising any farther in many places of France that keepe at this day their corne after that maner We haue declared heeretofore in what fashion they stampe their Corne and make bread with it and how by the testimonie of Pliny the ancient Italians had no better industrie then they They of Canada and Hochelaga in the time of Iames Quartier did also till after the same maner and the land did affoord them Corne Beanes Peason Milions Pompions Cucumbers but since that their furres haue been in request and that for the same they haue had bread and other victuals without any other paines they are become sluggish as the Souriquois also who did addict themselues to tillage in the same time But both the one and the other nation haue yet at this time excellent Hempe which the ground produceth of it selfe It is higher finer whiter and stronger then ours in these our parts But that of the Armouchiquois beareth at the top of the stalke thereof a cod filled with a kinde of cotten like vnto silke in which lieth the seed Of this cotton or whatsoeuer it be good beddes may be made more excellent a thousand times then of feathers and softer than common cotten We haue sowed of the said seed or graine in diuers places of Paris but it did not prooue We haue seene by our Historie how along the great riuer beyond Tadoussac Vines are found innumerable and grapes at the season I haue seene none in Port Royall but the land and the hils are very proper for it France had none in ancient time vnlesse peraduenture along the coast of the Mediterranean sea And the Gaullois hauing done some notable seruice to the Emperour Probus they demanded of him for recompence permission to plant Vines which he granted vnto them But they were first denied by the Emperor Nero. But why doe I aleadge the Gaullois seeing that in Brasill being a hot countrie there was none vntill that the Frenchmen and Portugeses had planted some there So there is no doubt but that the Vine will grow plentifully in the said Port Royall seeing likewise that at the riuer Saint Iohn which is twentie leagues more Northward than the said Port there be many of them yet for all that not so faire as in the countrie of the Armouchiquois where it seemeth that Nature did delight herselfe in planting of them there And for as much as we haue handled this subiect speaking of the voiage that Monsieur De Poutrincourt made thether we will passe further to declare vnto you that the most part of the woods of this land be Oakes and Walnut-trees bearing small-nuts with fower or fiue sides so sweet and delicate as any thing may be And likewise Plumb-trees which bring foorth very good Plumbes As also Sassafras a tree hauing leaues like to Oake-leaues but lesse iagged whose wood is of very good sent and most excellent for the curing of many diseases as the pox and the sicknesse of Canada which I call Phthisie whereof we haue discoursed at large heeretofore They also plant great store of Tabacco a thing most precious with them and vniversally amongst all those nations It is a plante of the bignesse of Consolida maior the smoake whereof they sucke vp with a pipe in that manner that I will declare vnto you for the contentment of them that know not the vse of it After that they haue gathered this hearbe they
daies Baie Françoise or the French Baie Port Royall the Riuer of l'Equille a Copper Myne the mischiefe of golden Mines of Diamonds Turkie stones CHAP. IIII. The description of the riuer Saint Iohn and of the Isle Saint Croix the man lost in the woods found out 16. daies after examples of some strange abstinencies the discords of the Sauages deferred to the iudgement of Monsieur de Monts the fatherly authoritie among the said Sauages what husband they chuse to their daughters CHAP. V. A farther description of the Iland Saint Croix the enterprise of Monsieur de Monts difficult and generous yet prosecuted through enuie thereturne of Monsieur de Poutrincourt into France the perils of the voiage CHAP. VI. The buildings of the I le Saint Croix the Frenchmens discommodities in the said place vnknowen sicknesses of their causes of the people that be subiect to it of Diets badde Waters Aires Windes Lakes corruption of Woods seasons disposition of bodies of young of old the Authors aduise touching the gouernment of health and cure of the said diseases CHAP. VII The discouery of new lands by Monsieur de Monts fabulous tales and reports of the riuer and fained towne of Norombega the refuting of the Authors that haue written therof fish bankes in New found land Kinibeki Chouäcoet Malebarre Armouchiquois the death of a French man killed mortalitie of Englishmen in Virginia CHAP. VIII The arriuall of Monsieur du Pont to Saint Croix the habitation transferred into Port Royall returne of Monsieur de Monts into France the difficultie of hand Milles the furniture of the said Monsieur du Pont for the discouery of new lands beyond Malebarre Shipwracke Forecast for the returne into France Comparison of these voiages with them of Florida the blame of those that dispraise the tillage of the land CHAP. IX The first motiue and acceptation of the voiage by Monsieur de Poutrincourt together with the Author into New France their departure from Paris to goe into Rochell CHAP. X. The name of our shippe called the Ionas the shallow water of Rochell is the cause of the hard going out Rochell a reformed towne the common people is insolent Croquans the accident of the shipwracke of the Ionas new preparation weake Souldiers are not to be placed vpon frontiers the Ministers of Rochell doe pray for the couersion of the Sauages the smal zeale of ours the Eucharist carried in voiages by the ancient Christians the diligence of Monsieur de Poutrincourt at the very point of shipping CHAP. XI Their departure from Rochel Sundry meetings of ships and Pirates stormy sea about the Açores and whence it proceedes Why the West-windes are frequent in the West-sea From whence the windes doe come Porpeses doe prognosticate stormes Meanes to take them The describing of them Of stormes Their effects Of calmes What is a Gust of winde How it is made The effects thereof The bouldnesse of Mariners how reuerence is giuen to the Kings ship The supputation of the voyage Hot sea then coold The reason of it And of the Banckes of Ise in New-found-land CHAP. XII Of the great Bancke of Morues or Coddes Of the sound Our comming to the said Bancke The description thereof The fishing of New-land-fish And of birdes The greedinesse of the birdes called by French-men Happe-foyes Diuers perils Gods fauours The causes of frequent and long mistes in the Westerne-sea Land markes The sight of it Maruellous odours The boording of two Shaloupes The landing at the Port Du Mouton The comming to Port Royall Of two French-men remaining there alone among the Sauages CHAP. XIII The happy meeting of Monsieur du Pont His returne to Port Royall Reioycing Description of the confines of the said Port Coniectures touching the head and spring of the great riuer of Canada Sowing of corne Monsieur du Ponts return into France Monsieur de Poutrincourts voyage vnto the country of the Armouchiquois Faire Rie sprung foorth without tillage The exercises and maner of liuing in Port Royall The Medowes of the riuer de l'Equille CHAP. XIIII Their departing from the I le Saint Croix The bay 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 simplicity and ignorance of that people Vices of the Armouchiquois Suspition People not caring for clothes Cornesowed and Vines planted in the Armouchiquois countrie Quantity of grapes Abundance of people dangerous sea CHAP. XV. Dangers vnknowen language The making of aforge and of an ouen Crosses set vp Plenty A conspiracy Disobedience Murther The flight of three hundred against ten The agility of the Armouchiquois Bad company dangerous The accident of a musket that did burst The Sauages insolency Their timorosity impiety and flight The fortunate Port A bad sea reuenge The counsell and resolution for the returne New perils Gods fauours Monsieur de Poutrincourts arriuall at Port Royall How he was receiued CHAP. XVI The Condition of the corne which they sowed The institution of the order of bon-temps The Sauages behauiour among the French-men The state of Winter Why raines and fogges be rare in this season Why raine is frequent betweene the Tropiques Snow profitable to the ground the state of Ianuarie Conformity of weather in the ancient and New France Why the spring is slow The tilling of gardens Their crop A water mill A Manna of Herrings Preparation for the returne Monsieur de Poutrincourts inuention The Sauages admiration Newes from France CHAP. XVII The arriuall of the French Monsieur de Monts his society is broken and why The Couetousnesse of them that rob the dead Bonfires for the Natiuity of the Duke of Orleans The departing of the Sauages to goe to wars Sagamos Membertou Voyages vpon the Coast of the French Bay Base traficke The towne of Ouïgoudi How the Sauages doe make great voyages Their bad intention A steele Mine Sea woules or seales voyces The state of the I le Saint Croix The Sauages loue towards their children the returne into Port Royall CHAP. XVIII The Port de Campseau our departure from Port Royall Fogges of eight daies continuance A Raine-bow appearing in the water The Port of Saualet Tillage an honourable exercise The griefe of the Sauages at Monsieur De Poutrincourt his going away Returne into France Voyage into Mount S. Michell The fruites of New France presented to the King A voyage into New France after the returne of the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt into France The second Booke COntaining the customes and maners of life of the West Indians of New France compared to them of the ancient people of these parts and specially to them that bee in one and the selfe same parallele and degree CHAP. I. Of the Natiuitie custome of the Hebrewes Cimbres Frenchmen and Sauages CHAP. II. Of the imposing of names the abuses of them that giue the names of Christians to Infidels Names haue not beene giuen without occasion CHAP. III. Of 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
Bucklers fishing lines Rackets the Sauages Canowes or boates and their fashion Canowes made of willowes of paper of leather of hollowed trees the originall of the fables of the Syrens or Mermaidens long trauels through the woods pottery of Earth the tillage of the ground the ancient Germans had no lands proper or peculiar to them the Sauages are not laborious how they manure the land double sowing and double Haruest How they liue in Winter the Sauages townes of the originall of townes the first builders in the Gaulles of the word Magus Philosophy hath beene first found out by the Barbarians the plaies and games of the Sauages CHAP. XVIII The womens exercices the woman is called pierced or hollowed the women are saued in bringing foorth of Children of purification the hard condition of the women among the Sauages ges of mattes currying and dressing of leather their making of Baskets Purses Dies Dishes Matachiaz Canowes the loue of the Sauage women towards their husbands their chastity A faire obseruation vpon the Hebrew names of the man and of the woman CHAP. XIX Of Ciuilitie the first Ciuilitie is the obedience to God and to the parents the Sauages be Slouenly at their Banquets for want of linnen the repast of the ancient Gaullois and Germains of the arriuing of the Sauages into any place their Greetings likewise of the Greekes Romans and Hebrewes of the saluting in Sneezing Item in the beginning of Letters of the Farewell the Sauages reuerence to their Fathers and Mothers Curse to him which honoreth not his Father and his mother CHAP. XX. Of the Vertues and Vices of the Sauages the Principles of Vertue are invs euen from our birth of force and greatnesse of courage the ancient Gaullois were without feare the Sauages are reuengefull wherin temperance consisteth whether the Sauages are indued therewith wherein Liberalitie consisteth the Sauages Liberality they disdaine the couetous pelting Merchants their Magnificence Hospitality Piety towards their Fathers and Mothers of their Iustice the execution of Iustice the incredible euasion of two Sauages prisoners wherein the Sauages be diligent and slothfull CHAP. XXI Of Hunting the originall thereof to whom it belongeth to what end Kings are chosen hunting the image of War the first end thereof the interpretation of one verse of the 32. Psalme all Sauages doe hunt when and how the discription of the hunting of the Ellan or Stagge the Sauages hounds the Sauages haue Rackets at theirfeet when they hunt their continuance in hunting faire inuention of them for the Kitching their womens duty after the hunting the fishing or hunting of the Beuer the discription of the same her admirable building how she is taken from whence anciently the Beuers did come Of Beares Leopards the discription of the beast called Nibachés Wolues Conies c. the Cattell of France do profit well in New France Maruellous multiplicatin of Beasts of the beasts of Florida and of Brasill the Sauages are truely noble CHAP. XXII Of Hauking the Muses doe delight in hunting hawking is a noble exercise How the Sauages take their fowle Ilands swarming with birds the foules of Port Royall Of a bird called Niridau of glistering flies Turky or Indian Cocks the foules of Florida and of Brasill CHAP. XXIII Of Fishing a comparison betweene Hunting Hauking and Fishing an Emperour delighting himselfe in Fishing Plato his absurdity Fishing permitted to Churchmen the feeding vpon fish is the best and wholesomest food euery Fish dreads the Winter and withdraweth himselfe they returne in the Spring time a manna of Smelts Heerings Pilchers Sturgeons and Salmons the maner of taking of them by the Sauages the abuse superstition of Pythagoras the Sanctorum of New found land fishermen of the shell Fish of Port Royall the fishing of the Codde whether Cods doe sleepe the cause why fishes sleepe not fishes hauing stones in their heads as the Codde doe feare Winter Oile or traine of fish the fishing of the Whale wherein the hardinesse and bouldnesse of the Sauages is to be admired Hippopotames the infinite multitude of Mackerels the Idlenesse of the people of this day CHAP. XXIIII Of the Land which is the good ground Terra Sigillata is in New France the fructifying of Monsieur de Poutrincourts Sowings which is the good Dung of Turkie or Indian Wheat called Mahis how the Sauages doe mend their grounds how they Sowe the temperature of the Aire doth serue to production Barnes vnder ground the cause of the slothfuluesse of the Sauages of the hither lands neere vnto vs Hempe of Vines when they were first planted in Galia of Trees Tabacco and the maner and vse of it the foolish greedinesse after Tabacco the Vertues thereof the error of Belle-forest of the rootes called Afrodiles or ground Nuts a consideration vpon the miserie of many people the tilling of the ground is a most innocent exercise Gloria adorea of the Fruit trees and others of Port Royall of Florida and of Brasill the despising of Mines Fruits to be hoped in new France CHAP. XXV Of the war to what end the Sauages doe make war The Orations of the Sauages Captaines their surprises the maner to foretell the euent of the war the succession of Captaines the Sauages armes of excellent Archers from whence comes the word Militia the cause of the Sauages feare their maner of marching in War a warlike dance how the Sauages doe vse the victory of the Victime sacrifice Punishment the Sauages will not fall into their enemies hands the trophies of their enemies heads of the ancient Gaullois of the moderne Hungarians CHAP. XXVI Of Funerals the lamenting for the dead the burying of them is a worke of humanity the custome of the Sauages in this respect of the preseruing of the dead bodies of the mourning of the Persians Aegyptians Romans Gascons Brasilians Floridians Souriquois Hebrewes Queenes of France Thracians Locrians ancient Christians the burning of the moueable goods of the deceassed a faire lesson to the Couetous the customes of the Phrigians Latins Hebrewes Gaullois Germains and Sauages for this respect the burying of the dead What people doe bury them who burne them and who preserue them Of the funerall gifts shut vp in the sepulchers of the dead the same reprooued the couetousnesse of the Infringers of Sepulchers Noua Francia The three late voyages and plan tation of Monsieur De MONTS of Monsieur Du Pont grauè and of Monsieur De Poutrincourt into the Countries called by the Frenchmen La Cadia lying to the Southwest of Cap Breton together with an excellent seuerall Treatie of all the commodities of the said Countries and maners of the naturall inhabitants of the same CHAP. I. The Patent of the French King to Monsieur DE MONTS for the inhabiting of the Countries of La Cadia Canada and other places in new France HENRY by the grace of God King of France and Naturre To our deare and welbeloued the Lord of Monts one of the ordinarie Gentlemen of our Chamber greeting
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
said Monsieur De Monts setled himselfe therein doing there some seruice And yet did make loue to a Maide by way of marriage the which not being able to haue with the good liking and consent of her father he rauished her and tooke her to wife Thereupon a great quarrell ensueth And in the end the Maid was taken away from him and returned to her fathers A very great debate was like to follow were it not that Bituani complaining to the said Monsieur De Monts for this iniury the others came to defend their cause saying to wit the father assisted with his friends that he would not giue his daughter to a man vnlesse he had some meanes by his industrie to nourish and maintaine both her and the children that should proceed of the mariage As for him he saw not any thing that he could doe That he loitered about the kitchin of the said Monsieur de Monts not exercising himselfe ahunting Finallie that he should not haue the maide and ought to content himselfe with that which was passed The said Monsieur De Monts hauing heard both parties told them that he detained him not and that the said Bituani was a diligent fellow and should goe ahunting to make proofe of what he could do But yet for all that they did not restore the maide vnto him vntill he had shewed effectually that which the said Monsieur De Monts had promised of him Finally he goeth afishing taketh great store of Salmons the maide is redeliuered him and the next day following he came clothed with a faire new gowne of Beuers well set on with Matachias to the fort which was then a building for the Frenchmen bringing his wife with him as triumphing for the victory hauing gotten her as it were by dint of sword whom he hath euer since loued dearely contrarie to the custome of the other Sauages giuing vs to vnderstand that the thing which is gotten with paine ought to be much cherished By this action we see the two most considerable points in matter of mariage to bee obserued among these people guided onely by the law of nature That is to say the fatherly authority and the husbands industrie A thing which I haue much admired seeing that in our Christian Church by I know not what abuse men haue liued many ages during which the fatherly authority hath beene dispised and set at naught vntill that the Ecclesiasticall conuentions haue opened their eies and knowen that the same was euen against nature it selfe And that our Kings by lawes and Edicts haue reestablished in his force this fatherlie authority which notwithstanding in spirituall mariages and vowes of religion hath not yet recouered his ancient glorie And hath in this respect his proppe but vpon the Courts of Parlaments orders the which oftentimeâ— haue constrained the detainers of Children to restore them to their parents CHAP. V. The description of the Iland of Saint Croix The enterprise of Monsieur De Monts difficult and generous yet persecuted through enuie The returne of Monsieur De Poutrincourt into France the perils of the voiage BEfore we speake of the Ships returne into France it is meete to tell you how hard the I le of Saint Croix is to be found out to them that were neuer there For there are so many Iles and great Baies to goe by before one be at it that I wonder how euer one might pierce so far for to finde it There are three or foure mountains imminent aboue the others on the sides But on the North side from whence the riuer runneth downe there is but a sharpe pointed one aboue two leagues distant The woods of the maine land are faire and admirable high and well growen as in like maner is the grasse There is right ouer against the Iland fresh water brookes very pleasant and agreeable where diuers of Monsieur De Monts his men did their businesse and builded there certaine Cabanes As for the nature of the ground it is most excellent and most abundantly fruitfull For the said Monsieur De Monts hauing caused there some peece of ground to be tilled and the same sowed with Rie for I haue seene there no wheat heâ— was not able to tarry for the maturitie thereof to reape it and notwithstanding the graine fallen hath growen and increased so wonderfully that two yeeres after wee reaped and did gather of it as faire bigge and waightie as any in France which the soile had brought foorth without any tillage and yet at this present it doth continue still to mulltiply every yeere The said Iland containeth some halfe a league of circuit and at the end of it on the sea side there is a Mount or small hill which is as it were a little Ile severed from the other where Monsieur de Monts his Canon was placed There is also a little Chapell built after the sauage fashion At the foot of which Chapell there is such store of mussels as is wonderfull which may be gathered at low water but they are small I beleeue that Monsieur De Monts people did not forget to chuse and take the biggest and left there but the small ones to grow and increase As for the exercise and occupation of our Frenchmen during the time of their abode there we will mention it briefely hauing first conducted backe our ships into France The Sea and maritime charges in such enterprises as that of Monsieur De Monts be so great that he who hath not a good stocke and foundation shall easilie sinke vnder such a burthen and for to supplie in some sort those expences one is forced to suffer and beare infinite discommodities and put himselfe in danger to bee discredited among vnknowen people and which is worse in a land which is vnmanured and all ouer growen with forests Wherein this action is the more generous by so much as the perill is more euidently dangerous and notwithstanding all this fortune is not left vnattempted and to treade downe so many thornes that stop the way Monsieur De Monts his shipes returning into France he remaineth in a desolate place with one barke and one boate onely And though he is promised to be sent for home at the end of the yeere who may assure himselfe of Aeolus and Neptunes fidelitie two euill furious vnconstant and vnmercifull Masters Behold the estate whereunto the said Monsieur De Monts reduced himselfe hauing had no helpe of the King as haue had al those voiages that haue beene heeretofore described except the late Lord Marquis de la Roche and yet it is he that hath done more than all the rest not hauing yet lost his hold But in the end I feare he shall be constrained to giue ouer and forsake all to the great shame and reproch of the French name which by this meanes is made ridiculous and a by word to other nations For as though one would of set purpose oppose himselfe to the
conuersion of these poore Westerly people and to the setting forward of the glorie of God and the Kings there be men start vp full of Auarice and Enuie men which would not giue a stroke or draw their swords for the Kings seruice as Monsieur De Poutrincourt shewed one daie to his Maiesty men which would not indure the least labour in the world for the honour of God which doe hinder that any profit be drawen from the very prouince it selfe to furnish to that which is necessarie to the establishment of such a worke hauing rather that Englishmen and Hollanders reape the profit thereof than Frenchmen and seeking to make the name of God vnknowen in those parts of the world And such men which haue no feare of God for if they had any they would be zealous of his name are heard are beleeued and carry things away at their pleasure Now let vs prepare and hoise vp sailes Monsieur De Poutrincourt made the voyage into these parts with some men of good sort not to winter there but as it were to seeke out his seat and finde out a land that might like him Which he hauing done had no neede to soiorne there any longer So then the Ships being readie for the returne he shipped himselfe and those of his company in one of them The meane while the fame was from all sides in these parts of the wonders made in Ostend then besieged by their Highnesse of Flanders alreadie three yeares passed The voyage was not without stormes and great perils for amongst others I will recite two or three which might be placed among miracles were it not that the Sea-accidents are frequent enough not that I will for all that darken the speciall fauour that God hath alwaies shewed in these voyages The first is of a gust of winde which in the middest of their nauigation came by night instantlie to strike in the sailes with such a violent boistrousnesse that it ouerturned the ship in such maner that of the one part the keele was on the face of the water and the saile swimming vpon it without any meanes or time to right it or to loose the tackles On the sudden the sea is all afire and the Mariners themselues all wet did seeme to bee all compassed with flames so furious was the Sea the Sailers call this fire Saint Goudrans fire and by ill fortune in this sudden surprise there was not a knife to be found for to cut the cables or the saile The poore ship during this casualtie remained ouerturned caried continually one while vpon Mountaines of waters then another while suncken downe euen to hell Briefely euery one did prepare to drinke more than his belly full to all his friends when a new blast of winde came which rent the saile in a thousand peeces euer after vnprofitable to any vse Happy saile hauing by his ruine saued all this people for if it had beene a new one they had beene cast away and neuer newes had beene heard of them But God doth often trie his people and bringeth them euen to deaths doore to the end they may know his powerfull might and feare him So the ship began to stur and rise againe by little and little And well was it for them that she was deepe keeled for if it had beene a fliboate with a flat bottome and broade belly it had beene quite ouerturned vp side downe but the ballast which remained beneath did helpe to stirre her vpright The second was at Casquet an I le or rocke in the forme of a Caske betweene France and England on which there is no dwelling being come within three leagues of the same there was some iealousie betweene the Masters of the ship an euill which oftentimes destroieth both men and faire enterprises the one saying that they might double well enough the said Casket an other that they could not and that it behooued to cast a little from the right course for to passe vnder the Iland In this case the worst was that one knew not the houre of the day because it was darke by reason of mistes and by consequent they knew not if it did ebbe or flow For if it had beene floud they had easily doubled it but it chanced that it was turning water and by that meanes the ebbe did hinder it So that approching the said rocke they saw no hope to saue themselues and that necessarily they must go strike against it Then euery one began to pray to God to craue pardon one of another and for their last comfort to bewaile one another Heereupon Captaine Rossignol whose Ship was taken in New France as we haue said before drew out a great knife to kill therewith Captaine Timothie Gouernor of this present voyage saying to him Doest thou not content thy selfe to haue vndone me but wilt thou needs yet cast me heere away but he was held and kept from doing of that he was about to doe And in very truth it was in him great folly yea rather madnesse to goe about to kill a man that was going to die and he that went to giue the blow in the same perill In the end as they went to strike vpon the rocke Monsieur De Poutrincort who had alreadie yeelded his soule and recommended his family to God asked of him that was at the top if there were any hope who told him there was none Then he bad some to helpe him to change the sailes which two or three onely did and already was there no more water but to turne the Ship when the mercy and fauor of God came to helpe them turned the ship from the perils wherein they saw themselues Some had put off their doublets for to seeke to saue themselues by climbing vpon the rocke but the feare was all the harme they had for that time sauing that some few houres after being arriued neere to a rocke called Le nid a L'aigle the Eagles nest they thought to goe bord it thinking in the darknesse of the mist it had been a Ship from whence being againe escaped they arriued at New hauen the place from whence they first set out The said Monsieur De Poutrincourt hauing left his armours and prouisions of war in the I le of Saint Croix in the keeping of the said Monsieur De Monts as a gage and token of the good will he had to returne thither But I may yet well set downe heere a maruellous danger from which the same vessell was preserued a little after the departing from Saint Croix and this by a bad accident which God turned to good For a certaine tipling fellow being by night stealingly come downe to the bottome of the ship for to drinke his belly full and to fill his bottle with wine hee found that there was but too much to drinke and that the said ship was alreadie halfe full of water in such sort that the perill was imminent and they had
that one could passe no further without perill for sholds that stretch farre into the sea in such wise that the farther one goeth from the land lesser depth there is But before departing a Carpenter of Saint Mallos died casually who going to fetch water with some kettles an Armouchiquois seeing fit opportunity to steale one of those kettles when that the Frenchman tooke no heede tooke it and ran away speedily with his bootie The Malouin running after was killed by this wicked people And although the same had not happened it was in vaine to pursue after this theefe for all these Armouchiquois are as swift in running as Gray-houndes as we will yet further say in speaking of the voiage that Monsieur De Poutrincourt made in the same Country in the yeere 1606. It greeued sore Monsieur De Monts to see such a thing and his men were earnest for reuenge which they might doe for the other Barbarians were not so far from the Frenchmen but that a musket shot might haue skared them which they had already on rest to leuell euery one at his man but the said Monsieur De Monts vpon some considerations which many other of his place and dignitie might haue missed to consider made euery one to put downe their musket cockes and left them alone not hauing hitherto found a fit place to make a setled dwelling And so the said Monsieur De Monts caused all things to be in a readinesse for the returne to Saint Croix where he had left a good number of his men yet weake by the winter sicknesse of whose health he was carefull Many that know not what belongeth to the sea doe thinke that the setting of an habitation in an vnknowen land is easie but by the discourse of this voiage and others that follow they shall find that it is far easier to say than to doe and that Monsieur de Monts hath exploited many things this first yeare in viewing all the coast of this land euen to Malebarre which is 400. leagues following the same coast and searching to the bottome of the Baies besides the labour hee was forced to in causing houses to be made at Saint Croix the care he had of those which he had brought thither and of their returne into France if any perill or ship-wracke should come to those that had promised him to fetch him at the end of the yeere But one may runne and take paine to seeke Ports and Hauens where fortune fauoureth yet she is alwaies like to herself It is good for one to lodge himself in a sweet milde Climat when one may chuse notwithstanding death follows vs euery where I haue heard of a Pilot of New Hauen that was with the Englishmen in Virginia 24. yeares agoe that being come thither there died 36. of them in three moneths Neuertheles Virginia is taken to be in the 36. 37. and 38. degrees of latitude which is a good temperate country Which considering I yet beleeue as I haue already said before that such mortality commeth by the bad fare And it is altogether needfull to haue in such a countrie at the very beginning houshold and tame cattell of all sorts and to cary store of fruit trees and grafts for to haue there quickly recreation necessarie to the health of them that desire to people the land That if the Sauages themselues be subiect to the sicknesse wherof we haue spoken I attribute that to the same cause of euill fare For they haue nothing that may correct the vise of the meates which they take and are alwaies naked amongst the moistures of the ground which is the very meanes to gather quantitie of corrupted humours which cause those sicknesses vnto them as well as to the strangers that goe thither although they be borne to that kinde of life CHAP. VIII The arriuall of Monsieur Du Pont to Saint Croix The habitation transferred in Port Royall returne of Monsieur De Monts into France the difficultie of hand Milles The furniture of the said Monsieur Du Pont for the discouery of new lands beyond Malebarre shippe-wracke forecast for the returne into France Comparison of these voyages with them of Florida the blame of those that dispraise the tillage of the lande THe Spring time season being passed in the voyage of the Armouchiquois Monsieur De Monts did temporise at Saint Croix for the time that he had agreed vpon in the which if he had no newes from France hee might depart and come to seeke some shippe of them that come to New found land for the drying of fish to the end to repasse in France within the same he and his companie if it were possible This time was alreadie expired and they were readie to set sailes not expecting more any succour nor refreshing When Monsieur Du Point surnamed Grauè dwelling at Honfleur did arriue with a company of some fortie men for to ease the said Monsieur De Monts and his troupe which was to the great ioy of all as one may well imagine and canon shots were free and plentiful at the comming according to custome and the sound of trumpets The said Monsieur Du Pont not knowing yet the state of our French men did thinke to finde there an assured dwelling and his lodgings readie but considering the accidents of the strange sicknesse whereof we haue spoken he tooke aduice to change place Monsieur De Monts was very desirous that the new habitation had beene about 40. degrees that is to say 4. degrees farther then Saint Croix but hauing viewed the coast as farre as Malebarre and with much paine not finding what hee desired it was deliberated to goe and make their dwelling in Port Royal vntill meanes were had to make an ampler discouery So euery one began to packe vp his things That which was built with infinite labour was pulled downe except the Store-house which was too great and painefull to be transported and in executing of this many voyages are made All being come to Port Royal they found out new labours the abiding place is chosen right ouer against the Iland that is at the comming in of the riuer L' Equille in a place where all is couered ouer and full of woods as thicke as possible may be The Moneth of September did already begin to come and care was to be taken for the vnlading of Monsieur Du Pont his ship to make roome for them that should returne backe into France Finally there is worke enough for all When the ship was in a readinesse to put to sailes Monsieur De Monts hauing seene the beginning of the new habitation shipped himselfe for his returne with them that would follow him Notwithstanding many of good courage forgetting the griefes and labours passed did tary behinde amongst whom were Monsieur Champlain and Monsieur Champdorè the one for Geographie and the other for the conducting and guiding of the voyages that should be necessary to be
made by sea Then the said Monsieur De Monts hoised vp sailes and leaueth the said Monsieur Du Pont as his Lieutenant and deputie in these parts who wanting no diligence according to his nature in making perfect that which was needfull for to lodge both himselfe and his people which was all that might be done for that yeare in that country For to goe farre from home in the Winter and after so long a toile there was no reason And as for the tillage of the ground I beleeue they had no fit time to doe it For the said Monsieur Du Pont was not a man to be long in rest nor to leaue his men idle if there had beene any meanes for it The Winter being come the Sauages of the country did assemble themselues from farre to Port Royal for to truck with the Frenchmen for such things they had some bringing Beauers skinnes and Otters which are those whereof most account may be made in that place and also Ellans or Stagges whereof good buffe may be made Others bringing flesh newly killed wherewith they made many good Tabagies or feasts liuing merily as long as they had wherewithall They neuer wanted any bread but wine did not continue with them till the season was ended For when we came thither the yeare following they had been aboue three Moneths without any wine and were very glad of our comming for that made them to take againe the taste of it The greatest paine they had was to grinde the corne to haue bread which is very painfull with hand-mils whereall the strength of the bodie is requisite And therefore it is not without cause that in old time bad people were threatned to be sent to the Mill as to the painefullest thing that is to which occupation poore slaues were set to before the vse of water and winde-mils was found out as the Prophane histories make mention and the same of the comming of the people of Israel out of the land of Aegypt where for the last scourge that God will send to Pharao he declareth by the mouth of Moises that about midnight he will passe thorow Aegypt and euery first borne shall die there from the first borne of Pharao that should sit vpon his throne to the first borne of the maide Seruant which grindeth at the Mill. And this labor is so great that the Sauages although they be very poore cannot beare it and had rather to be without bread then to take so much pains as it hath beene tried offering them halfe of the grinding they should doe but they chused rather to haue no corne And I might well beleeue that the same with other things hath beene great meanes to breed the sicknesse spoken of in some of Monsieur Du Pont his men for there died some halfe a dosen of them that winter True it is that I finde a defect in the buildings of our Frenchmen which is they had no ditches about them whereby the waters of the ground next to them did runne vnder their lower-most roomes which was a great hindrance to their health I adde besides the bad waters which they vsed that did not runne from a quicke spring but from the neerest brooke The winter being passed the sea nauigable Monsieur Du Pont would needes atchieue the enterprise begun the yeere before by Monsieur De Monts and to goe seeke out a Port more Southerly where the aire might be more temperate according as he had in charge of the said Monsieur De Monts He furnished then the barke which remained with him to that effect But being set out of the port and full readie hoisted vp failes for Malebarre he was forced by contrarie winde twice to put backe againe and at the third time the said Barke strake against the rockes at the entire of the said Port. In this disgrace of Neptune the men were saued with the better part of prouision and merchandise but as for the Barke it was rent in peeces And by this mishap the voyage was broken and that which was so desired intermitted For the habitation of Port Royall was not iudged good And notwithstanding it is on the North and North-west sides well sheltered with mountaines distant some one league some halfe a league from the Port and the riuer L'Equille So we see how that enterprises take not effect according to the desires of men and are accompanied with many perils So that one must not woonder if the time be long in establishing of Colonies specially in lands so remote whose nature and temperature of aire is not knowen and where one must fell and cut downe forrests and be constrained to take heed not from the people that we call Sauages but from them that terme themselues Christians and yet haue but the name of it cursed and abhominable people woorse then woolues enemies to God and humane nature This attempt then being broken Monsieur Du Pont knew not what to doe but to attend the succour and supplie that Monsieur De Monts promised parting from Port Royall at his returne into France to send him the yeere following Yet for all euents he built an other Barke and a Shaloup for to seeke French shippes in the places where they vse to dry fish such as Campseau Port English Port Misamichis Port the Baie of Chaleur or heat the Baie of Morues or Coddes and others in great number according as Monsieur De Monts had done the former yeere to the end to ship himselfe in them and to returne into France in case that no shippe should come to succour him Wherein he did wisely for he was in danger to heare no newes from vs that were appointed to succeed him as it shall appeare by the discourse following But in the meane while wee must consider that they which in these voyages haue transported themselues in these parts haue had an aduantage ouer those that would plant in Florida which is in hauing that refuge beforesaid of French shippes that frequent the New found lands for fishing not being forced to build great shippes nor to abide extreme famines as they haue done in Florida whose voyages haue beene lamentable for that respect and these by reason of the sicknesses that haue persecuted them but they of Florida haue had a blessing for that they were in a milde and fertill countrey and more friendly to mans health then New France spoken of else where If they haue suffered famines there was great fault in them for not hauing tilled the ground which they found plaine and champion Which before all other thing is to be done of them that will lodge themselues so farre from ordinarie succour But the Frenchmen and almost all nations at this day I meane of those that be not borne and brought vp to the manuring of the ground haue this badde nature that they thinke to derogate much from their dignitie in addicting themselues to the
tillage of the ground which notwithstanding is almost the onely vocation where innocencie remaineth And thereby commeth that euerie one shunning this noble labour our first Parents and ancient Kings exercise as also of the greatest Captaines of the World seeking to make himselfe a Gentleman at others costes or else willing onely to learne the trade to deceaue men or to claw himselfe in the Sunne God taketh away his blessing from vs and beateth vs at this day and hath done a long time with an iron rodde so that in all parts the people languisheth miserably and we see the Realme of France swarming with beggers and vagabonds of all kindes besides an infinite number groaning in their poore cottages not daring or ashamed to shewfoorth their pouertie and miserie CHAP. IX The first motiue and acceptation of the voyage by Monsieur De Poutrincourt together with the Author into New France their departure from Paris to goe into Rochel ABout the time of the before mentioned shipwracke Monsieur De Monts being in France did thinke carefully vpon the meanes how to prepare a new supplie for new France Which seemed hard and difficult to him as well for the great charges that that action required as because that Prouince had beene so discredited at his returne that the continuing of these voyages any longer did seeme vaine and vnfruitfull Besides there was some reason to beleeue that no bodie would aduenture himselfe thither Notwithstanding knowing Monsieur De Poutrincourt his desire to whom before he had giuen part of the land according to the power which the King had giuen him which was to inhabite in those parts and there to settle his family and his fortune together with the name of God he wrote vnto him and sent a man of purpose to giue him notice of the voyage that was in hand Which the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt accepted of leauing all other affaires to attend on this action though he had sutes in law of great weight to the prosecuting and defence whereof his presence was very requisite And that at his first voyage he had tried the malice of some which during his absence prosecuted against him with rigour and at his returne gaue ouer and became dombe He was no sooner come to Paris but that he was forced to depart not hauing scarse time to prouide for things necessarie And I hauing had that good happe to be acquainted with him some yeeres before asked mee if I would take part in that businesse whereunto I demanded a daies respit to answer him Hauing well consulted with my selfe not so much desirous to see the countrie for I knew well that there was woods lakes and riuers and that one must goe ouer seas which I had before done in the Straights as to bee able to giue an eie iudgement of the land whereto my minde was before inclined and to auoid a corrupted world I engaged my word vnto him being induced thereto specially for the vniustice done to me a little before by some Presidiall Iudges in fauour of a Parsonage of eminent qualitie whom I haue alwaies honored and reuerenced Which sentence at my returne hath beene recalled by order and sentence of the Court of Parliament for which I am particularly obliged to Monsieur Seruin the King his Aduocate Generall to whom doth belong properly this Eloge attributed according to the letter to the most wise and most magnificent of all Kings Thou hast loued Iustice and hated iniquitie So it is that God awakeneth vs sometimes to stirre vs vp to generous actions such as be these voiages which as the world doth varie some will blame other some will approoue But without answering any body in this respect I care not what discourses idle men or those that cannot or will not helpe mee may make enioying contentment in my selfe and being readie to render all seruice to God and to the King in those remote lands that beare the name of France if either my fortune or condition call me thither for there to liue in quiet and rest by an acceptable pleasing labour and to shun the hard and miserable life whereto I see reduced the most part of men in this part of the World To returne then to Monsieur De Poutrincourt as he had dispatched some businesses he inquired in some Churches if some learned Priest might be found out that would goe with him to relieue and ease him whom Monsieur De Monts had left there at his voiage whom we thought to be yet liuing But because it was the Holy weeke in which time they are imployed and waite on confessions and shriuings there was none to bee found some excusing themselues vpon the troubles and discommodities of the sea and the length of the voyage other deferring it till after Easter Which was cause that none could be had out of Paris by reason the season hasted on time and tyde tarry for no man so then we were forced to depart There rested to finde out fit and necessary workemen for the voyage of New France whereunto was speedilie prouided price agreed vpon for their wages and mony giuen before hand in part thereof to beare their charges to Rochell where the rendes vous was at the dwelling houses of Master Macquin and Master Georges worshipfull Marchants of the said Towne the associates of Monsieur De Monts which did prouide our furniture and prouision Our meaner people being gone three or fower daies after we tooke our way to Orleans vpon Good Friday for there to solemnise and passe our Easter where euery one accomplished the dutie vsuall to all good Christians in taking the spiritual food that is to say the holy Communion seeing we did vndertake and were going on a voyage From thence we came downe the riuer Loyre to Saumur with our cariage and from Sawmur we went by Touars and Maran to Rochell by hackney horses CHAP. X. The name of our Ship called the Ionas The shallow water at Rochell is the cause of the hard going out Rochell a reformed Towne the common people is insolent Croquans the accident of ship-wracke of the Ionas new preparation weake souldiers are not to be placed vpon the frontiers The Ministers of Rochell doe pray for the conuersion of the Sauages the smalzeale of ours the Eucharist caried in voiages by the ancient Christian the diligence of Monsieur De Poutrincourt at the very point of Shipping BEing come to Rochell we found there Monsieur De Monts and Monsieur De Poutrincourt that were come in Post and our ship called the Ionas of the burthen of 150. tonnes readie to passe out of the chaines of the Towne to tary for winde and tyde The tyde I say because that a great ship laden cannot come to sea from Rochell but in spring tydes vpon the new and full moone by reason that in the towne roade there is no sufficient depth In the meane while we made good cheare yea so good that we did long
at the biggest end which is flat one putteth some grease to it mingled with butter then all the sailes are stricken downe and the sound cast and when that the bottome is felt and the lead draweth no more line they leaue off leting downe of it So our sound being drawen vp brought with it some small stones with a white one and a peece of shell hauing moreouer a pit in the grease whereby they iudged that the bottome was a rocke I cannot expresse the Ioy that we had seeing vs there where we had so much desired to be There was not any one of vs more sicke euery one did leape for Ioy and did seeme vnto vs to be in our owne country though we were come but to the halse of our voyage at least for the time that passed before we came to Port Royall whther we were bound Heere I will before I proceed any further decipher vnto you what meaneth this word Bancke which paraduenture putteth some in paine to know what it is They somtimes call Banckes a sandy bottome which is very shallow or which is a drie at low water Such places be mortall for ships that meete with them But the Bancke whereof we speake are mountaines grounded in the depth of the waters which are raised vp to 30. 36. and 40. fadams neere to the vpper face of the sea This Bancke is holden to be of 200. leagues in lenght and 18. 20. and 24. leagues broad which being passed there is no more bottome found out then in these parts vntill one come to the land The ships being there arriued the sailes are rowled vp and there fishing is made of the greene fish as I haue said whereof we shall speake in the booke following For the satisfying of my reader I haue drawen it in my Geography call Map of New-found-land with prickes which is all may be done to represent it There is farther off other banckes as I haue marked in the said Map vpon the which good fishing may be made and many goe thither that know the places When that we parted from Rochel there was as it were a forrest of ships lying at Chef de Bois whereof that place hath taken his name which went all in a company to that country preuenting vs in their going but onely of two daies Hauing seene and noted the Bancke wee hoisted vp sailes and bare all night keeping still our course to the West But the dawne of day being come which was Saint Iohn Baptists Eue in Gods name we pulled downe sailes passing that day a fishing of Cod-fish with a thousand mirthes and contentments by reason of fresh meates whereof we had asmuch as we would hauing long before wished for them Monsieur De Poutrincourt and a yong man of Retel named Le Feure who by reason of the sea-sicknesse were not come out from their beds nor cabanes from the beginning of the Nauigation came vpon the hatches that day and had the pleasure not onely of fishing of Cod but also of those birds that bee called by French mariners Happe-foyes that is to say Liuer-catchers because of their greedinesse to deuour the liuers of the Cod-fishes that are cast into the sea after their bellies bee opened whereof they are so couetous that though they see a great powle ouer their heads ready to strike them downe yet they aduenture themselues to come neere to the ship to catch some of them at what price soeuer And they which were not occupied in fishing did passe their time in that sport And so did they by their diligence that wee tooke some thirty of them But in this action one of our shipwrights fell downe in the sea And it was good for him that the ship went but slow which gaue him meanes to saue himselfe by taking hold of the rudder from which he was pulled in a boord but for his paines was well beaten by Captaine Foulques In this fishing we sometimes did take sea-dogges whose skinnes our Ioyners did keepe carefully to smooth their worke withall Item fishes called by Frenchmen Merlus which be better then Cod and sometimes another kinde of fish called Bars which diuersity did augment our delight They which were not busie in taking neither fishes nor birdes did passe their time in gathering the hearts guts and other inward parts most delicate of the Cod-fish which they did mince with lard and spices and with those things did make as good Bolonia sausiges as any can be made in Paris and we did eat of them with a very good stomacke On the euening we made ready to continue our course hauing first made our Canons to roare as well because of Saint Iohn his holy day as for Monsieur De Poutrincourts sake which beareth the name of that Saint The next day some of our men tolde vs they had seene a Bancke of Ice And thereupon was recited vnto vs how that the yeare before a ship of Olone was cast away by approaching too neere to it and that two men hauing saued themselues vpon the Ice had this good fortune that another ship passing by the men tooke them in aboord them It is to be noted that from the 18. of Iune vntill wee did arriue at Port Royall we haue found the weather quite otherwise to that we had before For as we haue already said we had colde mistes or fogges before our comming to the Bancke where we came in faire sunshine but the next day we fell to the fogges againe which a far off we might perceiue to come and wrappe vs about holding vs continually prisoners three whole daies for two daies of faire weather that they permitted vs which was alwaies accompanied with colde by reason of the Summers absence Yea euen diuers times wee haue seene our selues a whole sennight continually in thicke fogges twice without any shew of Sunne but very little as I will recite heereafter And I will bring foorth a reason for such effects which seemeth vnto me probable As wee see the fire to draw the moistnesse of a wet cloath opposite vnto it likewise the sunne draweth moistnesse and vapours both from the sea and from the land But for the dissoluing of them there is heere one vertue and beyond those parts another according to the accidents and circumstances that are found In these our countries it raiseth vp vapours onely from the ground and from our riuers which earthly vapours grosse and waighty and participating lesse of the moist ellement doe cause vs a hot aire and the earth discharged of those vapours becomes thereby more hot and parching From thence it commeth that the said vapors hauing the earth of the one part and the Sunne on the other which heateth them they are easily dissolued not remaining long in the aire vnlesse it be in winter when the earth is waxen colde and the Sunne beyond the Equinoctiall line farre off from vs. From the same reason proceedeth the cause why mistes 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 sailed still in assurance and without doubt At the parting some number of ours went aland at the Port of Campseau as well to fetch vs some wood and fresh water whereof we had neede as for to follow the Coast from that place to Port Royal in a shaloup for we did feare lest Monsieur De Pont should be at our comming thither already gone from thence The Sauages made offer to goe to him thorow the woods with promise to be there within six dayes to aduertise him of our comming to the end to cause his stay for as much as word was left with him to depart vnlesse he were succoured within the 16. day of that moneth which he failed not to doe notwithstanding our men desirous to see the land neerer did hinder the same which promised vs to bring vnto vs the next day the said wood and water if we would approch neere the land which we did not but followed on our course The Tuesday 17. of Iuly we were according to our accustomed maner surprised with mistes and contrary wind But the Thursday we had calme weather so that whether it were mist or faire weather we went nothing forward During this calme about the euening a Shipwright washing himselfe in the sea hauing before drunke too much Aqua-vitae found himselfe ouertaken the cold of the sea water striuing against the heat of this spirit of wine Some Mariners seeing their fellow in danger cast themselues into the water to succour him but his wits being troubled he mocked them and they not able to rule him Which caused yet other Mariners to goe to helpe and they so hindred one another that they were all in danger In the end there was one of them which among this confusion heard the voice of Monsieur De Poutrincourt who did say to him Iohn Hay looke towards me and with a rope that was giuen him he was pulled vp and the rest withall were saued But the Author of the trouble fell into a sicknesse that almost killed him After this calme we had two daies of fogges The Sunday 23. of the said moneth we had knowledge of the Port Du Rossignoll and the same day in the afternoone the Sunne shining faire we cast anker at the mouth of Port Du Mouton and we were in danger to fall vpon a shold being come to two fathams and a halfe depth We went aland seuenteene of vs in number to fetch the wood and water whereof we had need There we found the Cabins and lodgings yet whole and vnbroken that Monsieur De Monts made two yeeres before who had soiourned there by the space of one moneth as we haue said in his place We saw there being a sandy land store of Oakes bearing acornes Cypresse-trees Firre-trees Bay-trees Muske-roses Goose-beries Purslen Raspies Fernes Lysimachia a kinde of Sammonee Calamus odoratus Angelica and other simples in the space of two houres that we taried there We brought backe in our ship wilde peaze which we found good We had not the leasure to hunt after rabets that be there in great number not far from the Port but we returned aboord as soone as we had laden our selues with water and wood and so hoised vp sailes Tuesday the 25. day we were about the Cap De Sable in faire weather and made a good iourny for about the euening we came to sight of Long I le and the Bay of Saint Marie but because of the night we put backe to the seaward And the next day we cast anker at the mouth of Port Royall where we could not enter by reason it was ebbing water but we gaue two Cannon shot from our ship to salute the said Port and to aduertise the Frenchmen that we were there Thursday the 27. of Iuly we came in with the floud which was not without much difficultie for that we had the winde contrary and gusts of winde from the mountaines which made vs almost to strike vpon the rockes And in these troubles our ship bare still contrary the Poupe before and sometimes turned round not being able to doe any other thing else Finally being in the Port it was vnto vs a thing maruellous to see the faire distance and largenesse of it and the mountaines and hils that inuironed it I wondered how so faire a place did remaine desert being all filled with woods seeing that so many pine away in the world which might make good of this land if onely they had a chiefe gouernor to conduct them thither By little and little we drew neere to the Iland which is right ouer against the fort where we haue dwelt since An Iland I say the most agreeable thing to be seene in her kinde that is possible to bee desired wishing in our selues to haue brought thither some of those faire buildings that are vnprofitable in these our parts that serue for nothing but to retire wildefowle in and other birds We knew not yet if Monsieur Du Pont was gone or no and therefore we did expect that he should send some men to meet vs but it was in vaine for he was gone from thence 12. daies before And whilest we did hull in the middest of the Port Membertou the greatest Sagamos of the Souriquois so are the people called with whom we were came to the Frenchfort to them that were left there being only two crying as a madde-man saying in his language What! You stand heere a dining for it was about noone and doe not see a great ship that commeth heere and we know not what men they are Suddenly these two men ran vpon the bulwarke and with diligence made ready the Canons which they furnished with pellets touch powder Membertou without delay came in a Conow made of barkes of trees with a daughter of his to view vs And hauing found but friendship and knowing vs to be Frenchmen made no alarme Notwithstanding one of the two Frenchmen left there called La Taille came to the shore of the Port his match on the cocke to know what we were though he knew it well enough for we had the white Banner displaied at the toppe of the mast and on the sudden foure volly of canons were shot off which made innumerable echoes And from our part the fort was saluted with three Canon shots and many musket shots at which time our Trumpeter was not slacke of his dutie Then we landed viewed the house and we passed that day in giuing God thankes in seeing the Sauages cabins and walking thorow the medowes But I cannot but praise the gentle courage of these two men one of them I haue already named the other is called Miquelet which deserue well to bee mentioned heere for hauing so freely exposed their liues in the conseruation of the welfare of New France For Monsieur Du Pont hauing but one barke and a shaloupe to seeke out towards New-found-land for french ships could
not charge himselfe with so much furniture corne meat and marchandises as were there which he had beene forced to cast into the sea and which had been greatly to our preiudice and we did feare it very much if these two men had not aduentured themselues to tary there for the preseruing of those things which they did with a willing and ioyfull minde CHAP. XIII The happy meeting of Monsieur Du Pont his returne vnto Port Royall reioycing description of the confines of the said Port coniecture touching the head and spring of the great Riuer of Canada sowing of Corne the returne of Monsieur Du Pont into France the voyage of Monsieur De Poutrincourt vnto the countrie of the Armouchiquois faire Rie sprung vp without tillage the exercises and maner of liuing in Port Royall the Medowes of the riuer De L'Equille THe Friday next day after our arriuall Monsieur De Poutrincourt affected to this enterprise as for himselfe put part of his people to worke in the tillage and manuring of the ground whilest the others were emploied in making cleane of the chambers and euery one to make ready that which belonged to his trade In the meane time those people of ours that had left vs at Campseau to come along the coast met as it were miraculously with Monsieur Du Pont among Ilands that be in great number in those parts To declare how great was the ioy of each side is a thing not to be expressed The said Monsieur Du Pont at this happy and fortunate meeting returned backe to see vs in Port Royall and to ship himselfe in the Ionas to returne into France As this chance was beneficiall vnto him so was it vnto vs by the meanes of his ships that he left with vs For without that we had been in such extremity that we had not been able to goe nor come any where our ship being once returned into France He arriued there on Mondy the last of Iuly and tarried yet in Port Royall vntill the 28. of August All this moneth we made merry Monsieur De Poutrincourt did set vp and opened a Hogshed of wine one of them that was giuen him for his owne drinking giuing leaue to all commers to drinke as long as it should hold so that some of them drunke vntill their caps turned round At the very beginning we were desirous to see the country vp the riuer where we found medowes almost continually aboue twelue leagues of ground among which brookes doe run without number which come from the hils and mountaines adioyning The woods very thicke on the water shoares and so thicke that sometimes one cannot goe thorow them Yet for all that I would not make them such as Ioseph Acosta reciteth those of Peru to be when he saith One of our brethren a man of credit told vs that being gone astray and lost in the Mountaines not knowing what part nor which way he should goe found himselfe among bushes so thicke that he was constrained to trauell vpon them without putting his feet on the ground a whole fortnights space I refer the beleeuing of that to any one that will but this beleefe cannot reach so farre as to haue place with me Now in the land whereof we speake the woods are thinner farre off from the shoares and watrish places And the felicity thereof is so much the more to be hoped for in that it is like the land which God did promise to his people by the mouth of Moyses saying The Lord thy God doth bring thee into a good land of riuers of waters with fountaines and depthes which doe spring in fields c. A land where thou shalt eat thy bread without scarsitie wherein nothing shall faile thee a land whose stones are of Iron and from whose Mountaines thou shalt digge brasse And further in another place confirming the promises for the goodnesse and state of the land that he would giue them The country saith he wherin you are going for to possesse it is not as the land of Aegypt from whence you are come foorth where thou diddest sow thy seed and wateredst it with the labour of they feet as a garden of hearbes But the country thorow which you are going to passe for to possesse it is a land of mountaines and fields and is watred with waters that raineth from heauen Now according to the description that heeretofore we haue made of Port Royall and the confines thereof in describing the first voiage of Monsieur De Monts and as yet we doe mention it heere brookes doe there abound at will and for this respect this land is no lesse happy than the country of the Gaules now called France to whom King Agrippa making an oration to the Iewes recited by Iosephus in his warre of the Iewes attributed a particular felicity because they had store of domesticall fountaines And also that a part of those countries is called Aquitaine for the same consideration As for the stones which our God promiseth that should be of iron and the mountaines of Brasse that signifieth nothing else but the Mines of Copper of Iron and of steele whereof we haue already heeretofore spoken and will speake yet heereafter And as for the fields wherof we haue not yet spoken there be some on the West side of the said Port Royall And aboue the Mountaines there be some faire ones where I haue seene lakes and brookes euen as in the vallies Yea euen in the passage to come foorth from the same fort for to go to sea there is a brooke which falleth from the high rockes downe and in falling disperseth it self into a small raine which is very delightfull in Summer because that at the foote of the rocke there are caues wherin one is couered whilest that this raine falleth so pleasantly And in the caue wherein the raine of this brooke falleth is made as it were a Raine-bow when the Sunne shineth which hath giuen me great cause of admiration Once we went from our fort as farre as the sea thorow the woods the space of three leagues but in our returne we were pleasantly deceiued for at the end of our iourny thinking to be in a plaine champion country we found our selues on the top of a high Mountaine and were forced to come downe with paine enough by reason of snowes But Mountaines be not perpetual in a country Within 15. leagues of our dwelling the country thorow which the Riuer L' Equille passeth is all plaine and euen I haue seene in those parts many countries where the land is all euen and the fairest of the world But the perfection thereof is that it is well watered And for witnesse whereof not onely in Port Royall but also in all New France the great riuer of Canada is proofe thereof which at the end of 400. leagues is as broade as the greatest riuers of the world replenished with Iles and rockes innumerable taking her
backes their legges hanging downe then being returned into their Cabins they set them in this maner vp straight against a stone or some thing else And as in these our parts one giues small feathers and gilt things to little children so they hang quantity of beades and small square toies diuersly coloured in the vpper part of the said boord or plancke for the decking of theirs CHAP. IIII. Of their loue towards their children THat which we haue said euen now is a part of true loue which doth shame the Christian women But after the Children be weaned and at all times they loue them all obseruing this law that Nature hath grafted in the hearts of all creatures except in leaud slippery women to haue care of them And when it is question to demand of them some of their children I speake of the Sâ—â—riquois in whose land we dwelt for to bring them into France they wil not giue them but if any one of them doth yeeld vnto it presents must be giuen vnto him besides large promises We haue alreadie spoken of this at the end of the 17. chapter So then I finde that they haue wrong to be called Barbarous seeing that the ancient Romans were far more Brabarous than they who oftentimes sold their children for to haue meanes to liue Now that which causeth them to loue their children more than we doe in these parts is that they are the maintenance of their fathers in their old age whether it be to helpe them to liue or to defend them from their enemies And nature conserueth wholly in them her right in this respect By reason whereof that which they wish most is to haue number of children to be thereby so much the mightier as in the first age of the world when virginity was a thing reproouable because of Gods commandement to man and women to increase multiply and replenish the earth but after it was filled this loue waxed maruellous cold and children began to be a burthen to fathers and mothers whom many haue had in disdaine and haue verie often procured their death Now is the way open for France to haue a remedy for the same For if it please God to guide and prosper the voyages of New France whosoeuer in these parts shall finde himselfe oppressed may passe thither and there end his daies in rest and that without feeling any pouerty or if any one findeth himselfe ouerburthened with children he may send halfe of them thither and with a small portion they shall be rich and possesse the land which is the most assured condition of this life For we see at this day labor and paine in all vocations yea in them of the best sort which are often crossed through enuy and wants others will make a hundred cappings and crouchings for to liue and yet they doe but pine away But the ground neuer deceaueth vs if we earnestly cherish her Witnesse the fable of him who by his last will and testament did declare to his children that he had hidden a treasure in his Vineyard and as they had well and deepely digged and turned it they found nothing but the yeere being come about they gathered so great a quantity of grapes that they knew not where to bestow them So thorow all the holy Scripture the promises that God maketh to the Patriarches Abraham Isaac and Iacob and afterwards to the people of Israel by the mouth of Moses is that they shall possesse the land as a certaine heritage that cannot perish and where a man hath wherewith to sustaine his familie to make himselfe strong and to liue in innocency according to the speeches of the ancient Cato who did say that commonly Husbandmen or Farmers Sonnes be valiant and strong and doe thinke on no harme CHAP. 5. Of their Religion MAn being created after the image of God it is good reason that he acknowledge serue worship praise and blesse his Creator and that therein he imploy his whole desire his minde his strength and his courage But the nature of man hauing been corrupted by sinne this faire light that God had first giuen vnto him hath beene so darkned that he is becom therby to lose the knowledge of his beginning And for as much as God sheweth not himself vnto vs by a certaine visible forme as a father or a King might doe man finding himselfe ouercome with pouerty and infirmity not setling himselfe to the contemplation of the wonders of this Almighty workman and to seeke him as he ought to be sought for with a base and brutish spirit miserably hath he forged to himselfe gods according to his owne fancy And there is nothing visible in the world but hath beene deified in some place or other yea euen in that rancke and degree imaginary things hath also beene put as Vertue Hope Honour Fortune and a thousand such like things Item infernall gods and sicknesses and all sorts of plagues euery one worshipping the things that he stood in feare of But notwithstanding though Tuliie hath said speaking of the nature of the gods that there is no nation so sauage or brutish nor so barbarous but is seasoned with some opinion of them yet there haue been found in these later ages nations that haue no feeling thereof at all which is so much the stranger that among them there were and yet are Idolaters as in Mexico and Virginia If we will we may adde heereunto Florida And notwithstanding all being well considered seeing the condition both of the one and of the other is to be lamented I giue more praise to him that worshippeth nothing than to him who worshippeth creatures without either life or sense for at least as bad as he is he blasphemeth not and giueth not the glorie due to God to an other liuing indeed a life not much differing from brutishnesse but the same is yet more brutish that adoreth a dead thing and putteth his confidence in it And besides he which is not stained with any bad opinion is much more capable of true adoration than the other being like to a bare table which is ready to receiue what colour soeuer one will giue to it For when any people hath once receiued a bad impressioÌ„ of doctrine one must roote it out from them before another may be placed in them Which is very difficult as well for the obstinacy of men which doe say our fathers haue liued in this sort as for the hindrance that they giue them which doe teach them such a doctrine and others whose life dependeth thereupon who doe feare that their meanes of gain be taken from them euen as that Demetrius the siluer-smith mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles This is the reason why our Sauages of New France wil be found more easie to receiue the Christian doctrine if once the Prouince be thorowly inhabited For that we may begin with them of Canada Iames Quartier in his second relation reciteth that
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
periwincles or pourcelaine are richer than pearles notwithstanding none will beleeue me heerein so doe they esteeme them more than pearles gold or siluer And this is that which they of the great riuer of Canada in the time of Iam. Quartier did call Esurgin wherof we haue made mention heertofore a word which I haue had much ado to know and which Belleforest the Cosmographer vnderstod not when hee would speake of it At this day they haue not any more of them or else they haue lost the knowledge to make them For they vse Mattachias very much that are brought vnto them out of France Now as with vs so in that country women doe decke themselues with such things and will haue chaines that will goe twelue times about their necks hanging downe vpon their brests and about their hand wrests and aboue the elbow They also hang long strings of them at their eares which come downe as low as their shoulders If the men weare any it will bee onely some yong man that is in loue In the country of Virginia where some pearles be found the women do weare carkenets colars and bracelets of them or else of peeces of copper made round like small bullets which is found in their mountaines where some mines of it are But in Port Royall and in the confines thereof and towards New-found land and at Tadoussac where they haue neither pearles nor vignols the maides and women doe make Mattachias with the quilles or bristles of the Porc-epine which they die with blacke white and red colours as liuely as possibly may be for our skarlets haue no better lustre than their redde die But they more esteeme the Mattachias which come vnto them from the Armouchiquois countrey and they buy them very deare and that because they can get no great quantitie of them by reason of the warres that those nations haue continually one against another There is brought vnto them from France Mattachias made with smal quilles of glasse mingled with tinne or lead which are trucked with them and measured by the fadam for want of an ell and this kind of Merchandise is in that country that which the Latins doe call Mundus muliebris They also make of them small squares of sundry colours sowed together which they tie behinde on the little childrens haires The men doe not much care for them except that the Brasilians doe weare about their neckes halfe moones of bones very white which they call y-aci of the Moones name And our Souriquois doe likewise weare some iollities of like stuffe without excesse And they which haue none of that doe commonly carry a knife before their brests which they doe not for ornament but for want of pocket and because it is an implement which at all times is necessary vnto them Some haue girdles made of Matachias wherewith they serue themselues only when they will set out themselues and make them braue The Autmoins or Sooth-saiers do carry before their breasts some signe of their vocation as we will heereafter say But as for the men of the Armouchiquois they haue a fashion to weare at their hand-wrests and aboue the ancle-bone of the foot about their legs plates of Copper fetterwise and about their wasts girdles fashioned with Copper quils as long as the middle finger filed together the length of a girdle euen iust of that fashion which Herodian reciteth to haue beene in vse among the Picts wherof we haue spoken when he saith that they girded their bodies and their necks with iron esteeming that to be a great ornament vnto them a testimony of their great riches euen as other Barbarians do to haue gold about them And there are yet in Scotland Sauage men which neither ages nor yeeres nor the abundance of men could yet reduce vnto ciuilitie And although that as we haue said the men be not so desirous of Matachias as the women notwithstanding the men of Brasill not caring for clothing take great pleasure to decke and garnish themselues with the feathers of birds and doe vse those wherewith we vse to fill our beds whereon we lie and chop them as smal as pie-meat which they die in red with their Brasill-wood then hauing anointed their bodies with certaine gums which serue them in stead of paste or glue they couer themselues with those feathers and make a garment at one clap after the anticke fashion which hath made saith Iohn de Leri in his Historie of America the first of our men that went thither to beleeue that the men which be called Sauages were hairie ouer all their bodies which is nothing so For as wee haue alreadie said the Sauages in what part soeuer haue lesser haires than we They of Florida doe also vse this kinde of downe but it is onely about their heads to make themselues more vglie Besides this that wee haue said the Brasilians doe make frontlets of feathers which they tie and fit in order of all colours those frontlets being like in fashion to those rackets or periwigges which Ladies vse in these parts the inuention whereof they seeme to haue learned of those Sauages As for them of our New France in the daies that be of solemnitie and reioycing among them and when they goe to the warres they haue about their heads as it were a crowne made with long haires of an Ellan or Stagge painted in redde pasted or otherwise fastned to a fillet of leather of three fingers bredth such as Iames Quartier saith he had seene with the King so doth he call him and Lord of the Sauages which he found in the towne of Hochelaga But they doe not vse so many ornaments of feathers as the Brasilians which make gownes of them cappes bracelets girdles and ornaments for their cheekes and targets vpon their loines of all colours which would bee more tedious than delightfull to specifie since it is an easie matter for euery one to supplie the same and to imagine what it is CHAP. XIII Of Marriage HAuing spoken of the Sauages garments deckings ornaments and paintings it hath seemed good vnto me to marry them to the end the generation of them be not lost and that the countrie remaine not desert For the first ordinance that euer God made was to increase and multiply and euery creature capable of generation to bring foorth fruit according to his kind And to the end to incourage young folkes that doe marrie the Iewes had a custome anciently to fill a trough with earth in the which a little before the wedding they did sowe barley and the same being sprung they brought it to the Bridegroome and the Bride saying Bring foorth fruit and multiply as this barley which brings foorth sooner than all other seeds Now to returne to our Sauages many thinking as I beleeue that they be some logges of wood or imagining a Common-wealth of Plato doe demand if they haue any marriage and if there be any Priests in
as these fresh meats And I find by my reckening that Pythagoras was very ignorant forbidding in his faire goulden sentences the vse of fishes without distinction One may excuse him in that fish being dumbe hath some conformity with his sect wherein dumbnesse or silence was much commended It is also said that he did it because that fish is nourished in an Element enemy to mankinde Item that it is a great sinne to kill and to eat a creature thar doth not hurt vs. Item that it is a delicious luxurious meat not of necessity as indeed in the Hieroglyphiques of Orus Apollo fish is put for a marke of delicacie and voluptuousnesse Item that he the said Pythagoras did eat but meats that might be offered to the gods which is not done with fishes and other such toies recited by Plutarch in his Convivial questions But all those superstions be foolish and I would faine demand of such a man if being in Canada he had rather die for hunger then to eat fish So many anciently to follow their owne fancies and to say these be we haue forbidden their followers the vse of meats that God hath giuen to man and sometimes laied yoakes vpon men that they themselues would not beare Now whatsoeuer the Philosophy of Pythagoras is I am none of his I finde better the rule of our good religious men which please themselues in eating of flesh which I liked well in New France neither am I yet displeased when I meet with such fare If this Philosopher did liue with Ambrosia and of the food of the Gods and not of fishes of which none are sacrificed vnto them Our said good religious as the Cordeliers or Franciscans of Saint Maloes and others of the maritime townes together with the Priests may say that in eating sometimes fish they eate of the meat consecrated to God For when the New found land men doe meet with some woonderfull faire Codde they make of it a Sanctorum so doe they call it and doe vow and consecrate it to Saint Frances Saint Nicholas Saint Leonard and others head and all whereas in their fishing they cast the heads into the sea I should be forced to make a whole booke if I would discourse of all the fishes that are cōmon to the Brasilians Floridians Armouchiquois Canadians Souriquois But I will restrain my selfe to two or three hauing first told that in Port Royall there is great beds of Muscles wherewith we did fill our Shallops when that sometimes wee went into those parts There be also Scallops twise as bigge as Oysters in quantitie Item Cockles which haue neuer failed vs As also there is Chatagnes demer sea Chestnuts the most delicious fish that is possible to bee Item Crabbes and Lobstarts those be the shell fishes But one must take the pleasure to fetch them and are not all in one place Now the said Port being eight leagues compasse there is by the abouesaid Philosophers leaue good sport to row in it for so pleasant a fishing And seeing wee are in the Countrie where the Coddes are taken I will not yet leaue off worke vntill I haue spoken something thereof For so many people and in so great number goe to fetch them out of all the parts of Europe euery yeere that I know not from whence such a swarme may come The Coddes that bee brought into these parts are either drie or wet The fishing of the wee fish is on the banke in the open sea on this side New found land as may be noted by my Geographicall mappe Fifteene or twentie more or lesse mariners haue euery one a lyne it is a corde of fortie or fiftie fathams long at the end whereof is a hooke baited and a lead of three pounds waight to bring it to the bottome with this implement they fish their Coddes which are so greedie that no sooner let downe but as soone caught where good fishing is The fish being drawen a shippe-boord there are boords in forme of narrow tables along the ship where the fish is dressed There is one that cutteth off their heads and casteth them commonly in the sea Another cutteth their bellies and garbelleth them and sendeth backe to his fellow the biggest part of the backe-bone which hee cutteth away That done they are put into the salting tubbe for fower and twentie houres then they are laid vp And in this sort doe they worke continually without respecting the Sunday which is the Lords day for the space of almost three moneths their sailes downe vntill the lading be fully made And because the poore mariners doe endure there some cold among the fogges specially them that be most hastie which begin their voiage in Februarie from thence commeth the saying that it is cold in Canada As for the drie Codde one must goe a land There is in New-found-land and in Bacaillos great number ef Ports where Ships lie at Ancker for three months At the very breake of day the Mariners doe goe two or three leagues off in the sea to take their lading They haue euery one filled their shaloupe by one or two a clock in the afternoone and do returne into the Port where being there is a great Scaffold built one the sea shoare whereon the fish is cast as one cast sheaues of corne through a barne window There is a great table whereon the fish cast is dressed as aboue said After six houres they are turned and so fundry times Then all is gathered and piled together and againe at the end of eight daies put to the aire In the end being dried it is laid vp But there must be no fogges when it is a drying for then it will rot not too much heat for it would become red but a temperate and windy weather They doe not fish by night because then the Cod will not bite I durst beleeue that they be of the fishes which suffer themselues to be taken sleeping although that Oppian is of opinion that fishes warring and deuouring one another as doe the Brasilians and Canibals are alwaies watchfull and sleepe not excepting neuerthelesse the Sargot onely which he saith putteth himselfe in certaine caues to take his sleepe Which I might well beleeue and this fish deserueth not to be warred vpon seeing he maketh warrs vpon none others and liueth of weeds by reason whereof all the Authours doe say that he chaweth his cudde like the Sheepe But as the same Oppian saith that this fish onely in chawing his cudde doth render a moist voice and in that he is deceaued because that my selfe haue heard many times the Seales or Sea woolues in open sea as I haue said elsewhere He might also haue aequiuocated in this The same Cod leaueth biting after the month of September is passed but retireth himselfe to the bottome of the broad sea or else goeth to a hotter country vntill the Spring time Whereupon I will heere aleadge what Pliny
noteth that fishes which haue stones on their heads doe feare winter and retire themselues betimes of whose number is the Cod which hath within her braines two white stones made gundole wise and iagged about which haue not those that be taken towards Scotland as some learned and curious man hath tould me This fish is wonderfully greedy and deuoureth others almost as bigg as himselfe yea euen lobsters which are like bigge Langoustes and I maruell how he may digest those bigge and hard shells Of the liuers of Cods our New-found-land-men doe make oiles casting those liuers into barels set in the Sunne where they melt of themselues There is great trafficke made in Europe of the oile of the fish of New-found-land And for this only cause many go to the fishing of the whale and of the Hippopotames which they call the beast with the great tooth or the Morses of whom some thing we must say The Almighty willing to shew vnto Iob how wonderfull are his works wilt thou draw saith he Leuiathan with a booke and his tongue with a string which thou hast cast in the water By this Leuiathan is the whale meant and all fishes of that reach whose hugenesse and chiefely of the whale is so great that it is a dreadfull thing as wee haue shewed elsewhere speaking of one that was cast on the Coast of Brasill by the tide And Plinie saith that there be some found in the Indies which haue fower acres of ground in length This is the cause why man is to be admired yea rather God who hath giuen him the courage to assaile so fearefull a monster which hath not his equall on the land I leaue the maner of taking of her described by Oppian and S. Basil for to come to our French-men and chiefely the Basques who doe goe euery yeare to the great riuer of Canada for the Whale Commonly the fishing thereof is made in the riuer called Lesquemin towards Tadoussac And for to doe it they goe by skowtes to make watch vpon the tops of rockes to see if they may haue the sight of some one and when they haue discouered any foorth with they goe with fower shaloupes after it and hauing cunningly borded her they strike her with a harping iron to the depth of her lard and to the quicke of the flesh Then this creature feeling herselfe rudely pricked with a dreadfull boisterousnesse casteth herselfe into the depth of the sea The men in the meane while are in their shirts which vere out the cord whereunto the harping iron is tied which the whale carrieth away But at the shaloupe side that hath giuen the blow there is a man redy with a hatchet in hand to cut the said cord least perchance some accident should happen that it were mingled or that the Whales force should be too violent which notwithstanding hauing found the bottome and being able to goe no further she mounteth vp againe leasurely aboue the water and then againe she is set vpon with glaue-staues or pertuifanes very sharp so hotly that the salt-water pierceing within her flesh she looseth her force and remaineth there Then one tieth her to a cable at whose end is an anker which is cast into the sea then at the end of six or eight daies they goe to fetch her when time and opportunity permits it they cut her in peeces and in great kettles doe seeth the fat which melteth it selfe into oile wherewith they may fill 400. Hogs-heads sometimes more and somtimes lesse according to the greatnesse of the beast and of the tongue commonly they draw fiue yea six hogs-heads full of traine If this be admirable in vs that haue industry it is more admirable in the Indian people naked and without artificiall instruments and neuerthelesse they execute the same thing which is recited by Ioseph Acosta saying that for to take those great monsters they put themselues in a Canow or Barke made of the barkes of trees and bording the Whale they leape nimbly on her necke and there doe stand as it were on horse-backe attending the fit meanes to take her and seeing their opportunity the boldest of them putteth a strong and sharpe stafe which he carrieth with him into the gap of the Whales nostrils I call nostrill the condut or hole thorow which they breath foorth with he thrust it in far with another very strong stafe and maketh it to enter in as deepe as he can In the meane while the Whale beateth the sea furiously and raiseth vp mountaines of water diuing downe with great violence then mounteth vp again not knowing what to do through very rage The Indian notwithstanding remaineth still sitting fast and for to pay her home for this trouble fixeth yet another like stalke in the other nostrill making it to enter in in such wise that it stoppeth her winde quite and taketh away her breath and he commeth againe into his Canow which he holdeth tied at the side of the Whale with a cord then retireth himselfe on land hauing first tied his cord to the Whale which he vereth out on her which whilest she findeth much water skippeth heere and there as touched with griefe and in the end draweth to land where foorth with for the huge enormity of her body she remaineth on the shore not being able to mooue or stur herselfe any more And then a great number of Indians doe come to finde out the Conquerer for to reape the fruit of his conquest and for that purpose they make an end of killing of her cutting her and making morsels of her flesh which is bad enough which they drie and stampe to make powder of it which they vse for meat that serueth them a long time As for the Hippopotames or Morses we haue said in the voiages of Iames Quartier that there be great number of them in the Gulfe of Canada and specially in the I le of Brion and in the seuen Iles which is the riuer of Chischedec It is a creature which is more like to a Cow then to a horse But we haue named it Hippopotamus that is to say the horse of the riuer because Pliny doth so call them that be in the riuer Nilus which notwithstanding do not altogether resemble the horse but doth participate also of an oxe or a cow He is of haire like to the seale that is to say daple graie and somewhat towards the redde the skinne very hard a small head like to a Barbarie Cowe hauing two ranks of teeth on ech side betweene which there is two of them of ech part hanging from the vpper iaw downward of the forme of a young Elephants tooth wherewith this creature helpeth her selfe to climbe on the rocks Because of those teeth our Mariners doe call it La beste a La grand ' dent the beast with the great teeth His eares be short and his taile also he loweth as an Oxe and hath wings or finnes at his
lay it to dry in the shade and haue certaine small bagges of leather hanging about their neckes or at their girdles wherein they haue alwaies some and a Tabacco-pipe with all which is a little pan hollowed at the one side and within whose hole there is a long quill or pipe out of which they sucke vp the smoake which is within the said pan after they put fire to it with a cole that they laie vpon it They will sometimes suffer hunger eight daies hauing no other sustenance then that smoake And our Frenchmen who haue frequented them are so bewitched with this drunkennesse of Tabacco that they can no more be without it then without meat or drinke and vpon that doe they spend good store of mony For the good Tabacco which commeth out of Brasil doth sometimes cost a French-crowne a pound Which I deeme foolishnesse in them because that notwithstanding they doe not spare more in their eating and drinking then other men neither doe they take a bit of meat nor a cup of drinke the lesse by it But it is the more excusable in the Sauages by reason they haue no greater deliciousnesse in their Tabagies or bankets and can make cheere to them that come to visit them with no greater thing as in these our parts one presents his friend with some excellent wine In such sort that if one refuseth to take the Tabacco-pipe it is a signe that he is not a friend And they which among them haue some obscure knowledge of God doe say that he taketh Tabacco as well as they and that it is the true nectar described by the Poets This smoake of Tabacco taken by the mouth in sucking as a child that sucketh his dugge they make it to issue thorow the nose passing thorow the conduits of breathing the braines are warmed by it and the humiditie of the same dried vp It doth also in some sort make one giddie and as it were drunke it maketh the belly soluble mitigateth the passions of Venus bringeth to sleepe and the leafe of Tabacco or the ashes that remaine in the pan healeth wounds Yea I will say more that this nectar is vnto them so sweet that the children doe sometimes sup vp the smoake that their fathers cast out of their nostrils to the end that nothing be lost And because that the same hath a tart biting taste Monsieur de Belleforest reciting that which Iames Quartier who knew not what it was saith of it will make the people beleeue that it is some kind of pepper But whatsoeuer sweetenesse is found therein I could neuer vse my selfe to it neither doe I care for the vse and custome to take it in smoake There is yet in the land of the Armouchiquois certaine kinde of Rootes as bigge as a loafe of bread most excellent for to be eaten hauing a taste like the stalkes of Artichocks but much more pleasant which being planted do multiply in such sort that it is woonderfull I beleeue that they be those which be called Afrodilles according to the description that Pliny maketh of them These Roots saith he are made after the fashion of smal turneps there is no plant that hath so many roots as this hath for sometimes one shall find fower score Afrodilles tied together They are good rosted vnder the imbers or eaten raw with pepper or oile and salt Considering all this it seemeth vnto mee that these are men very miserable who being able to liue a countrie life in quiet and rest and take the benefit of the ground which doth pay her creditor with so profitable an vsurie doe passe their age in townes in following of sutes in law in toiling heere and there to seeke out the meanes how to beguile and deceaue some one or other taking such pains as doe euen bring them to their graue for to pay their house rent for to be clothed in silke for to haue some precious moueables briefly for to set out and feed themselues with all vanitie wherein contentment is neuer to be found Poore fooles saith Hesiod which know not how one halfe of these things with quiet is more woorth then all heaped together with freatfullnesse nor how great benefit is in the Malous and the Daffadilles The Gods certainely haue hidden from men the manner of liuing happily For otherwise one daies labour would be sufficient for to nourish a man a whole yeere and the day following he would set his Plough vpon his dunghill and would rest his Oxen his mules and himselfe This is the contentment which is prepared for them that shall inhabite New-France though fooles doe despise this kind of life and the tilling of the ground the most harmeles of all bodily exercises and which I will tearme the most noble as that which sustaineth the life of all men They disdaine I say the tillage of the ground and notwithstanding all the vexations wherewith one tormenteth himselfe the sutes in law that one followes the wars that are made are but for to haue landes Poore mother what hast thou done that thou art so despised The other Elements are very often contrarie vnto vs the fire consumeth vs the aire doth infect vs with plague the water swalloweth vs vp onely the earth is that which comming into the world and dying receaueth vs kindly it is she alone that nourisheth vs which warmeth vs which lodgeth vs which clotheth vs which contrarieth vs in nothing and shee is set at naught and them that doe manure her are laughed at they are placed next to the idle and bloud-suckers of the people All this is done heere among vs But in New-France the goulden age must be brought in againe the ancient Crownes of eares of corne must be renewed and to make that to be the first glory which the ancient Romans did call Gloria adorea a glory of wheate to the end to inuite euery one to till well his field seeing that the land presenteth it selfe liberally to them that haue none Being assured to haue corne and wine there resteth but to furnish the Country with tame cattell for they will breede there very well as we haue said in the chapter of hunting Of fruite-trees there be but few besides nut-trees Plumb-trees and small chery-trees and some hazellnut-trees True it is that all that which is within the land is not yet discouered for in the country of the Iroquois there are Oreng-trees and they make oiles with the fruite of trees But no French-men nor other Christians haue beene there yet That want of fruit-trees is not to be found very strange For the most part of our fruits are come out of other places And very often the fruites beare the name of the country from whence they haue been brought The land of Germanie is good and fruitfull but Tacitus saith that in his time there were no fruit-trees As for the trees of the forests the most common in Port
Babylon containing that he of her successors that had neede of mony should make it to be opened and that he should finde there euen as much as he would haue Whereof Darius willing to make triall found in it nothing else but other letters speaking in this sorte Vnlesse thou wert a wicked man and vnsatiable thou wouldst not haue through couetousnesse so troubled the quiet of the dead and broken downe their Sepulchers I would thinke this custome to haue beene onely among the Heathen were it not that I finde in Iosephus his history that Salomon did put in the Sepulcher of Dauid his father aboue three millions of gould which were rifled thirteene hundred yeeres after This custome to put gould into the Sepulchers being come euen to the Romans was forbidden by the twelue tables also the excessiue expences that many did make in watering the bodies with precious liquors and other mysteries that we haue recited heeretofore And notwithstanding many simple and foolish men and women did ordaine by will and testament that one should bury with their bodies their ornamentes ringes and iewels which the Greekes did call entaphia as there is a forme seene of it reported by the lawyer Scaeuola in the bookes of the Digestes Which was reprooued by Papiniam and Vlpian likewise ciuill lawyers in such sort that for the abuse thereof the Romans were constrained to cause that the Censors of the womens ornamentes did condemne as simple and effeminated them that did such thinges as Pluturch saith in the liues of Solon and Sylla Therefore the best course is to keepe the modesty of the ancient Patriarches and euen of king Cyrus whom we haue mentioned before on whose tombe was this inscription reported by Arrian Thou that passest by whomsoeuer thou beest and from what parte soeuer thou commest for I am sure that thou wilt come I am that Cyrus who got the dominion to the Persians I pray thee enuie not this little parcell of grounde which couereth my poore body So then our Sauages are not excusable in putting all the best ornamentes they haue into the Sepulchers of the dead seeing they might reape commodity by them But one may answer for them that they haue this custome euen from their fathers beginning for we see that almost from the very time of the floud the like hath beene done in this hither world and giuing to their dead their furres Matachias Bowes Arrowes and Quiuers they were thinges that they had no neede of And notwithstanding this doth not cleere the Spaniardes from blame who haue robbed the Sepulchers of the Indians of Perou and cast the bones on the dunghill nor our owne men that haue done the like in taking away the Beuers skinne in our New-France as I haue said heeretofore For as Isodorus saith of Damiette in an Epistle It is the parte of enemies voide of all humanitie to robbe the bodies of the dead which cannot defende themselues Nature it selfe hath giuen this to many that hatred doth ceasse after death and doe reconcile themselues with the deceassed But riches make the couetous to become enemies to the dead against whom they haue nothing to say who torment their bones with reproach and iniury And therefore not without cause haue the ancient Emperors made lawes and ordained rigorous paines against the spoilers and destroiers of Sepulchers All praises be giuen to God The Errata PAge 8. for I le of Sand or Sablon or Sand. read I le of Sablon or Sand. p. 9. for Pourtrincourt r. Poutrincourt p. 14. for Peron r. Perou p. 42. for haue raised r. haue beene raised ib for toones r. tonnes p. 52. for Point r. Pont. Idle and banished men imploied in this businesse The setting foorth out of New-hauen Danger A perillous storme Winde commonly good in March for the New found lands The I le of Sablon or Sand. Port du Rossignol Le Port da Moutton Capitol Milan About 100. Planters Deliberation vpon the returne into France Store of Conies The English Porte Campseau Port. Note heere the good nature and diligence of the Sauages La Baye des Iles. The Ice cōmeth farther to the South than Campseau Monsieur Du Pont goeth to Canada to trade for Furres Cap De Sable or the Sandie Cape Saint Maries Baye Faire place to inhabite Mines of Iron and Siluer An accident of a man lost in the woods the space of 16. daies La Baye Françoise The riuer of L' Equille Port Royal. A Copper Mine In the 28. and 29 chap. of the second booke of the whole volume vntranslated Things first to be prouided in new Plantation Nota. Esaiah 52. vers 5. Patronius Arbiter Ecclesiast 31. ver 8. 9. 10. Diamonds Turky stones Saint Iohns Riuer Dangerous comming in The fall of a Riuer 1608. Vines Great grapes among the Armouchiquois Abundance of fishes The Commoditie of voyaging by the riuer The I le of S. Croix 20. leagues from S Iohns riuer He that will possesse a land ought to place himselfe in the maine or firme land Returne to the Baie of Saint Marie where the lost man was found again The long I le Cheries Plin. lib. 7. Cap. 2. Iohn Wier in the treatie De ieiuniis comment Ibidem Ibidem Euagrius lib. 1. of the Ecclesiasticall historie cap. 3. Baronius vpon the Martyrol Rom. 9. Ian◠The Sauage submit themselues to the censure of Monsieur De Monts in in their variances The fathers authoritie in mariage The cause the of Sauagespleaded before Monsieur De Monts Store of Salmons Beuers Matachias be laces beades bracelets or such trinckets The description of the I le of Saint Croix The fruitfulnesse of the Soile The Iland halfe a league in compasse Store of Mussels Enuy vpon the priuiledge granted to Monsieur De Monts vpon Beuers The returne of Monsieur De Poutrincourt into France The first perill The second danger Necessitie maketh vs seeke to God The diuellishnesse of reuengefull desire The third danger Their return at New hauen The fourth perill The building at the I le of S. Croix Three discōmodities in wintering at S. Croix Wickednesse of manie Christians The riuer of Roan Vnknowen Sicknesses The number of the dead and sicke Dangerous moneths Hippocrates Northerly people subiect to the land disease of New France Olaus magnus Lib. 16. cap. 5◠Euill disposition of the body corrupteth the meates A medicine for the stone It is in the 9. booke ca. 38 This is to be noted Sorbut or Scoruie The opening of a dead bodie Causes of the said disease In the beginning of the book De aere aquu loc What foode causeth the land disease Bad waters Plin. li. 25. 〈…〉 Stomaccacè Scelotyrbè Britannica an herbe Strabo Monsieur d◠Ioinuille The Gouitres of Sauoye What aire is against health Windes What windes be healthfull and vnhealthfull The windes haue not one and the selfe same qualitie in all places Lib. 3 cap. 3. Olam magnus Lib. 1. Cap. 10. Sicke folkes and beasts doe feele the
they had the knowledge of God Fifes A Sauage wounded Their mouthes and mops about him that was hurt The presents of a Sauage woman Hempe very faire Beanes Quantity of grapes The simplicity and ignorance of people The bad nature of the Armouchiquois Note how the Armouchiquois must be dealt withall Suspition for the comming of Olmechin The trouble of garments Corne sowed and vines planted 100. boates of Sauages Malebarre Perill of sholdes Note Great quantity of grapes Heereupon chap. 7. Two fadames tide onely Danger Oigoudi or S. Iohns riuer Sauages of sundry nations vnderstand not one another A forge and an ouen made A cresse set vp Abundance of larkes and fishes Shell-fish Grapes Rush-baskets The triall of French weapons before the Sauages Good instruction See in the next booke Signes of conspiracy Yong men disobedient Monsieur De Poutrincourts care Disobedience Murther done by the Sauages Succour Deutero 11. vers 25. Iudges 7. 8. Armouchiquois be swift The burying of the dead Conspiracy Leaud companie casteth yoong men away Rash oathes take sometimes effect to the costs of the swearers Accident by a Musket burst The insolencie of the Sauages The timorousnesse of the Sauages The impiety of the Sauages The Sauages slight The courage of the Sagamos Schkoudun Port Fortunè The shelles of mother of pearles Stratagem Reuenge L'ile douteuse Resolution for the returne Their returne Perill Menane Perill A very swift current Perill Deut. 32. ver 39. Good considerations Psal 73. vers 23. 24. The arriuall of Monsieur De Poutrincourt The state of Corne. Coales The vse of the compasse in land voiages The institution of the order of Bon temps La Rue aux Ours or Beare street is as Pie-corner or such a Cooke place in London Store of Sturgions Before in chap. 13. The vsage of the Sauages The Sauages haue care of the Frenchmen Mortality Bad winde Phthisies Numbers 11. vers 33. and Psalm 106. vers â—5 The state of Winter weather Why raines and mists be scarse in winter Why it raineth between the Tropiques Snow is profitable Psal 147. vers 16. Frosts when they are The state of Ianuary Conformity of weather in East and West France Wherefore is the season late Dressing of gardens Good crop from the ground Abundance of fishes The care of Monsieur De Poutrincourt in prouiding for them that should come after him The building of a water-Mill Abundance oâ— Herrings Pilchers Preparation for the returne Great ouersight Monsieur De Poutrincourt his inuention Bricke made in New France Why the Sauages call all French men Normands Newes out of France The old Sauages haue good sight Salutations by Canon-shots The coÌ„tents of the letters written to Monsieur De Poutrincourt The Society of Monsieur De Monts broken and why Monsieur De Poutrincourt his resolution The English nation going to Virginia with a zealous intent to plant true religion and so to 〈…〉 se Christs blessed flocke no doubt he will be their leader Monsieur De Monts is enuied Robbing from the dead The Sauages be of a noble minde The faire deceit of Semiramis Bonfires made for the natiuity of the Duke of Orleans Refreshings sent to Monsieur de Poutrincourt A likorish tricke plaied to Monsieur De Poutrincourt Sea prouision The Marquis of Pisani a most sober man in drinking Cheualiers bad speeches told to Monsieur De Poutrincourt The Sauages goe to the warres What man Membertou is Membertou his declaration Bad report against Membertou Membertous obeisance Membertou his liberality A Copper Mine The Sauages praise themselues Voyages vpon the Coast of the French Bay Salmons Assemblie of Sauages a feasting Filthy trading Oüigoudi towne Gachapè is the beginning of the great riuer of Canada How the Sauages doe make great voiages The subtilty of an Autmoiâ— or Sauage Soothsaier A Mine of Steele Menane Good watch Seales voices The arriuall in the I le of Saint Croix The state of the same Turtles The Sauages of better nature than many Christians A number of Iles. The loue of the Sauages towards their children Arriuall into Port Royall The discription of the Port De Campseau The parting from Port Royall Eight daies mist Perill Abundance offaire Cod. Port De la Heue The Rainebow appeaing in the water Port Saualet 42. voyages made in New found land Good fishing Sauages vnportunate 150. Leagues off â—hey feare the Frenchmen inhabited beyond that Saualet his kindnesse Exceeding faire Corne. The tillage of the ground is an honourable exercise Faire Wheat The Sauages returne from the wars The Sauages teares at the going away of the French men Meale left behinde Monsieur De Poutrincourt his going away The departing from New France The sight of the Sorlingues Then of France The voyage vnto S. Michael The eight wonder of the world Monsieur De Poutrincourt his industry Haruest of New France shewed to the King Plin. lib. 18. cap. 2. Outardes or wild Geese presented to the King Priuiledge of Beauers confirmed to Monsieur De Monts Three ships sent 1608. Newes from New France since our comming from thence It is very dangerous to teach the Sauages the vse of gunnes Eagles The Sauages wisdome Monsieur Champlein is now in the riuer of Canada Cattell Fruit trees Vines Hempe Monsieur De Poutrincourt his resolution 1609. Ezech. 16. vers 23. 4. Iulian. imp Sidon Car. 7. Claudian in Ruffin lib. 2. August epist ad Maxim Philos The dignity of eldership or first borne The changing of names Esay 49. vers 15. The cause why the Sauages loue their children more than we doe in these parts Gens 2. vers 28. Meanes to ease the families of France To possesse the land is a rich heritage Plin. lib. 18. cap. 5. Idolaters in Virginia Act. 19. vers 24. The Sauages easie to be conuerted to the Christian religion Iames Cartier The Sauages religion in Canada The state of soules after death People easie to be conuerted Agoiuda signifieth wicked The Sauages beleefe and faith Of the creation of man They beleeue one God one Sonne one Mother and the Sunne Of fiue men whom the Sauages beleeue to haue seene God Men transformed into stones And into staues Of an other Man whom the Sauages beleeue to haue spoken with God Tabacco I doe not thinke that this Theology may be expounded to these people though one could perfectly speak their language What Sauages speake to the Diuell The Sauages do beleeue firmly in dreames A lesson for Christian Princes and Prelates To all sorts and degrees of people Luk. 12. vers 31. The right meanes to bring the Sauages to ones deuotion Gen. 28. 20. Greg. Nazian in the oration of the care for the poore Plin. lib. 2. 7. Lib. 1. chap. 7. A conformity betweene the Armouchiquois and the naturall Virginians The religion of the Virginians Fabulous tales of the resurrection Hist gen of the Indies 4. booke the 124. chap. Luc. 20. vers 27. Act. 17. vers 32. 4. Esdras 7. ver 31. 32. S. Paul to the Heb.