France and England in North America, Part IV: The Old Régime In Canada — John Shaqi
France and England in North America, Part IV: The Old Régime In CanadaParkman, Francis
History
France and England in North America, Part IV: The Old Régime In Canada
Parkman, Francis
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France)
began to tell upon her, she toiled patiently at her dreary task, till,
in the winter of 1657, she fell on the ice of the St. Lawrence, broke
her right arm, and dislocated the wrist. Bouchard, the surgeon of
Montreal, set the broken bones, but did not discover the dislocation.
The arm in consequence became totally useless, and her health wasted
away under incessant and violent pain. Maisonneuve, the civil and
military chief of the settlement, advised her to go to France for
assistance in the work to which she was no longer equal; and Marguerite
Bourgeoys, whose pupils, white and red, had greatly multiplied, resolved
to go with her for a similar object. They set out in September, 1658,
landed at Rochelle, and went thence to Paris. Here they repaired to the
seminary of St. Sulpice; for the priests of this community were joined
with them in the work at Montreal, of which they were afterwards to
become the feudal proprietors.
Now ensued a wonderful event, if we may trust the evidence of sundry
devout persons. Olier, the founder of St. Sulpice, had lately died, and
the two pilgrims would fain pay their homage to his heart, which the
priests of his community kept as a precious relic, enclosed in a leaden
box. The box was brought, when the thought inspired Mademoiselle Mance
to try its miraculous efficacy and invoke the intercession of the
departed founder. She did so, touching her disabled arm gently with the
leaden casket. Instantly a grateful warmth pervaded the shrivelled limb,
and from that hour its use was restored. It is true that the Jesuits
ventured to doubt the Sulpitian miracle, and even to ridicule it; but
the Sulpitians will show to this day the attestation of Mademoiselle
Mance herself, written with the fingers once paralyzed and powerless.
* Nevertheless, the cure was not so thorough as to permit her again to
take charge of her patients.
Her next care was to visit Madame de Bullion, a devout lady of great
wealth, who was usually designated at Montreal as “the unknown
benefactress,” because, though her charities were the mainstay of the
feeble colony, and though the source from which they proceeded was well
known, she affected, in the interest of humility, the greatest secrecy,
and required those who profited by her gifts to pretend ignorance whence
they came. Overflowing with zeal for the pious enterprise, she received
her visitor with enthusiasm, lent an open ear to her recital, responded
graciously to her appeal for aid, and paid over to her the sum,
munificent at that day, of twenty-two thousand francs. Thus far
successful, Mademoiselle Mance repaired to the town of La Flèche to
visit Le Royer de la Dauversière.
It was this wretched fanatic who, through visions and revelations,
had first conceived the plan of a hospital in honor of Saint Joseph at
Montreal. ** He had found in Mademoiselle Mance a zealous and efficient
pioneer; but the execution of his scheme required a community of
hospital nuns, and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account