The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 4: Acadia and Quebec, 1616-1629
History
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 4: Acadia and Quebec, 1616-1629
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France); Indians of North America -- Canada; Jesuits -- Missions; Jesuits -- North America
In July, 1616, the Récollet missionaries held at Quebec a conference
with Champlain and other friends of their work, at which it was
decided that they needed more missionaries, more French colonists,
and a seminary for the education of Indian children. To obtain aid
in these directions, Jamay and Le Caron soon afterwards went with
Champlain to France, where at first they received but little help or
encouragement. Jamay remained to forward the interests of the mission;
while Le Caron, now appointed its superior, returned to Canada in the
spring of 1617, accompanied by Father Paul Huet. A year later, desiring
to work personally among the savages, Le Caron delegated to Father
d'Olbeau his authority as superior, and spent a year at Tadoussac,
with the Montagnais. During 1619-22, he labored at Quebec, then again
wintered with the Montagnais; and in July, 1623, returned to the Huron
mission, accompanied by Viel and Sagard (see _notes_ 25, 48). During
his year's stay there, he did much to aid Champlain in securing the
temporary treaty of peace which, in July, 1624, was concluded between
the Iroquois, on one part, and the French and their savage allies on
the other.
In August, 1625, Le Caron went to France on the affairs of the
mission, and returned the following year with Brother Gervase Mohier
and a reinforcement of Jesuit missionaries. He remained at Quebec, as
superior of his mission, until 1629, when all the priests were sent
back to France by Kirk. As the Récollets expected to resume work on the
Canadian mission, Le Caron was appointed its procurator in France; but
he died on March 29, 1632,--according to Le Clercq--through grief at
the exclusion of his order from Canada.
Upon the invasion of Canada by the English, the Récollet missionaries
had been urged by their savage disciples to take refuge with them in
their towns, where they would be safe from attack, and could minister
to the religious wants of the natives until the French should return.
The fathers wished to accept this proposal; but as it was opposed by
the council of Quebec, Le Caron felt obliged to decline it, for which
he was afterwards blamed by some of his brethren in France.
Full details of his work are given by Le Clercq and Sagard: the
former copies a letter written by La Caron to his provincial at
Paris, Aug. 7, 1618; also fragments of memoirs sent by him to that
officer in 1624.--See Shea's _Le Clercq_, vol. i., pp. 134-137,
and 213-224. He is said to have prepared a dictionary of the Huron
language (_Ibid._, p. 249). Other MSS. of his were burned in March,
1631, as a result of sanitary measures then taken against a contagious
disease in the convent of St. Margaret, near Gisors, Normandy, of
which he was superior.--See "Memorial of the Récollets, 1637," in
Margry's _Découvertes et établissements des Français dans l'Amérique
septentrionale_ (Paris, 1876-86), vol. i., p. 11.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account