The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 2: Acadia, 1612-1614
History
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 2: Acadia, 1612-1614
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France); Indians of North America -- Canada; Jesuits -- Missions; Jesuits -- North America
to never mention by name any deceased person; but to give each,
according to circumstances, an additional appellation, by which
they always designate him whenever they mention him. In conformity
with this custom, they called Henry Membertou, because he had of
late been highly renowned in warlike virtues, by a name agreeing
with his reputation, meaning, in their language, Great Chief.
POTRINCOVRTIVS Biencourtij pater, in Galliam mense Iulio nauigarat,
commeatus summittendi gratia, cuius erant magnæ angustiæ in
Porturegiensi familia, Octobri mense insequente; cibariorum tamen
nihil è Gallia missum erat; idcirco Biencourtius ad Almochiquios,
Choüacoetij fluminis [579] accolas, Indici milij copiis abundantes,
nauigationem, comite Patre Biardo, instituit, Gallicarum mercium
permutatione ad hibernam aliquam annonam frumentaturus. Sed quòd ex
itinere ad Sancti Ioannis flumen, trans Francicum Sinum diuerterat, vt
ex adolescente Pontgrauæo, reliquisque Maclouiensibus quintas exigeret
Canadicæ negotiationis, diutiùs eum morantibus subortis cum ea familia
discordiis, tempore frumentationis pæne exclusus est, ad quam deinde
cùm est reuersus, Barbarorum delusus fraude, qui spem frumentariæ
permutationis fecerant, vacuus in Portum Regium renauigauit. In ea
excursione feliciter obtigit Patri Biardo, vt Pontgrauæo conciliaret
Biencourtium, sicuti nuper Potrincourtium eidem insensum placauerat, &
vt Merueillæo item Maclouiensi, de salute, ob nescio quas suspiciones,
periclitanti grauiter, eadem pacificationis opera, vitam affereret;
quo suo facto vtrumque sibi magnopere deuinxit. Nostro Sacerdoti
demeritos esse beneficiis homines huiusmodi, cum ob cætera multa, tum
ob id in primis opportunè accidebat, quòd eorum opera fideli, ac vtili
esset vsurus in disciplina Canadicæ linguæ, quam Pontgrauæus callebat
egregiè, si dies aliquot vnà viuere, aut certè frequentiùs congredi
liceret. Id certè, vt Pater Biardus nõ expeteret, quod expetebat,
ipsi vltrò ambiebant, delato ei perhumaniter suo contubernio; quibus
in præsentia Pater egit gratias, habuitque, rogatis tamen, vt sibi
hanc benignitatem, in id tempus reseruarent, quo bene vti fas esset;
tunc enim haud [580] decere Biencourtium, in periculosa præsertim
nauigatione, ab se deseri. Biencourtio deinde redeunti ex irrita
illa Quinibequiensi frumentatione, quam modò indicauimus, cùm ad
Pentegoetium amnem, & Sanctæ Crucis insulam ventum esset, suadere
conatus est, immo supplex fuit Pater Biardus, vt se inde, loco ex
propinquo, ad Pontgrauæum dimitteret, Canadici catechismi contexendi
causa, quod inter eos antè conuenerat. Huic postulationi, licet
æquissimæ, is cuius nihil planè intererat, non nisi eis conditionibus
assensus est, quæ & iniquissimæ, & nequaquam in potestate Patris
essent. Quamobrem facultate deiectus idiomatis vernaculi condiscendi,
ad otiosam pæne vitam in arce degendam adactus est, ingenti sua
molestia. Nouembri exeunte, iam ferme exausto penu, nulli nuncij
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