"And among others we have sent there our dear and well beloved
Jacques Cartier, who has discovered the large countries of Canada and
Hochelaga, making an end of Asia, on the western side, which country
he found, as he reported to us, furnished with many good commodities,
and the people thereof well formed in body and limb, and well disposed
in spirit and understanding, of whom he likewise brought us a certain
number, whom we have for a long time supported and instructed in our
holy faith[18] with our said subjects, in consideration of which and
seeing their good intentions, we have considered and decided to send
back the said Cartier to the said country of Canada and Hochelaga,
and as far as the land of Saguenay, if we can reach there with a
good number of ships of our said subjects of good intentions and of
all conditions, arts and industries, in order to enter farther into
the said countries to converse with the said peoples thereof, and
if necessary, live with them in order to accomplish better our said
intention and to do a thing agreeable to God our Creator and Redeemer
and which may be for the promoting of his holy sacred name and of our
mother the Holy Catholic church, of which we are called and named the
first son."
Yet before he signed this commission five years had passed. For up to
this Francis had troubles enough at home, with his kingdom invaded by
Charles V of Spain and his throne threatened, to prevent his giving
thought to Hochelaga in the West. But on June 15, 1538, the truce
between France and Spain gave him more leisure for colonization schemes
and the extension of the empire. Especially did he desire it to turn
to the western hemisphere, for he looked with jealous eyes upon the
activity of the King of Spain in that direction. "I should like to see
the clause in our father Adam's will which bequeathed to him this fine
heritage."
There is no doubt that Cartier's action in seizing Donnacona,
Taignoagny and Dom Agaya and others, and taking them to France, from
which they never returned, was the beginning of the cause of the
hostility of the Indians. At first these had received Cartier kindly,
but they could not be expected to forget this treachery in the loss
of their friends. Mather, alluding to a similar piece of treachery by
an English captain some time before the arrival of the Pilgrim Colony
declares that "it laid the foundation of grievous annoyances to all the
English endeavors of settlements, especially in the northern parts of
the island, for several years ensuing. The Indians would never forget
or forgive this injury."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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