of Rouen, who-full of zeal for the salvation of souls and very anxious to show Madame d'Aiguillon how willing he was to contribute, to the best of his ability, to the good works she had undertaken - could not better oblige her than in obliging the poor Savages, by giving for their aid one of the most precious treasures of his Diocese. For these good women, besides being very strict in discipline and in regular observance, are, beyond a doubt, excellent in the care and treatment of the sick, both in temporal and in spiritual matters. The three Ursulines withdrew to a private house, after having mutually embraced the other nuns. Soon afterwards, we had six savage girls given to Madame de la Pelterie or to the Ursulines; and some French girls began going to them for instruction; so that they [28] already perform the duties of their order. But if ever they have a house with sufficient accommodation, and the means to feed the savage children, they will perhaps have so many of these as to weary them. God grant that the heavy expenses may not thwart their designs; the outlay to be made here is very great, but God is still greater.

8

As for the Hospital, the Nuns were not yet lodged, and their baggage had not yet arrived, when sick people were brought to them. We had to lend our straw beds and mattresses that they might perform this first act of charity. Oh, how often I have wished that Madame the Duchess d'Aiguillon might see, even for three days, what she has commenced to effect in these countries! The nuns whom she has sent us could not contain themselves for gladness. They had sick persons to nurse and had nothing to give them; but the charity of Monsieur our Governor is delightful. Even if it is necessary to refuse some

enuers les pauures malades de fa maison, difons plutoft de la maifon de Dieu. Si les Sauuages font [29] capables d'eftonnement, c'est icy qu'ils le prennent; car parmy eux on ne tient conte des malades, notamment fi on les iuge malades à la mort, on les regarde defia comme des gens de l'autre monde, auec qui on n'a, ny commerce, ny paroles. Or comme ils voyent les careffes & les foins qu'on a de leurs Compatriotes, cela leur fait conceuoir vne grande estime de celuy pour lequel on leur preste ces grands fecours, qui eft IESVS-CHRIST noftre Sauueur.

Mais voyons, s'il vous plaift, les deffeins qu'a eu Madame d'Aiguillon en la fondation de cette maison. Voicy comme elle en parle dans la lettre qu'elle refcriuit à la Mere Superieure des Hofpitalieres qui sõt icy paffées: Ma bonne Mere, ie loue Dieu de la refolution que vous auez prife de paffer en la Nouuelle France, dont ie vous fuis extrememet obligée, & aux deux bonnes foeurs qui vous y accompagnent. I'ay auffi beaucoup de ioye de ce que Noftre Seigneur vous a choifie pour cela, ayant vne tres-particuliere estime de vostre merite, i'efpere que cela reparera tous les mãquements qu'il y a de ma part, & que Dieu par sa bonté aura plus d'égard à vos vertus, [30] qu'à mes defauts. Ie vous veux dire le deffein que i'ay eu faifant cette fondation, c'eft de dedier cet Hospital au Sang du Fils de Dieu, refpandu pour faire misericorde à tous les hommes, & pour luy demander qu'il l'applique fur nos Ames, & fur celles de ce pauure peuple barbare. Ie vous fais part de mes intentios, afin que vous les offriez à noftre Seigneur, & qu'allant faire la fondation, vous luy dediez felon cela, &

poor afflicted Savages, one cannot do everything at the first stroke. We hope that Madame the Duchess, by increasing the aid, will cause increased pity toward the sick people of her house, let us rather say, of the house of God. If the Savages are [29] capable of astonishment, they will experience it here; for among them no heed is paid to the sick, especially if they are considered sick unto death; they are looked upon as beings of another world, with whom is held no intercourse, no conversation. Now, when they witness the tender care and attention that is given to their Countrymen, it causes them to entertain a high esteem for the person for whose sake this great help is given them, who is JESUS CHRIST, our Savior.

But, if it please you, let us consider what designs Madame d'Aiguillon had in founding this institution. Observe how she speaks of it in the letter that she wrote to the Mother Superior of the Hospital Sisters who have come hither: "My good Mother, I give praise to God for the resolution you have taken to go over to New France, for which I am deeply obliged to you and to the two good sisters who accompany you. I also greatly rejoice that Our Lord has chosen you for this, as I have a very special esteem for your merit. I hope that this will compensate for all failings on my part and that God, in his kindness, will be more regardful of your virtues [30] than of my imperfections. I wish to tell you of the object that I have had in founding this institution. It is to dedicate this Hospital to the Blood of the Son of God, that was shed in order that mercy might be granted to all men- and to ask him to apply it to our Souls, and to those of these poor barbarous people. I inform you of my intentions so that you may offer them

que vous faciez mettre fur la porte: Hospital dedié au Sang du Fils de Dieu, répandu pour faire mifericorde à tous les hommes. Si on ne trouue pas à propos que cefte Infcription foit fur la porté, ie defire que toutes les Religieufes fçachent que c'est-là mon intention dans la fondation, & qu'elles s'employent au feruice des pauures auec cefte intention. Ie defire de plus, que le Prestre qui dira tous les iours la Meffe ait pareille intention. I'ay bien du regret de ne vous pouuoir embraffer & vos bonnes Sœurs qui paffent auec vous, & vous prier moy mefme de demander à Noftre Seigneur qu'il me face mifericorde. Ce m'a efté vne grade confolation de voir ces bonnes Vrfulines qui vont auffi à Kebec auec Madame de la Pelterie, on m'a [31] promis que vous ferez toutes en mefme va[i]ffeau. (Et plus bas) Affeurez-vous, ma Mere, que ie vous feruiray en vostre particulier auec beaucoup de paffion, & vostre maison nouuelle, & que ie feray toute ma vie,

Ma bonne Mere,

Voftre tres affectionnée à vous

faire feruice,

DV PONT.

EN MARGE SONT ESCRITES CES PAROLES.

Ma bonne Mere, obligez moy de prendre foin de faire demander aux Sauuages que vous affifterez à la mort, le falut de Monseigneur le Cardinal, celuy de quelques perfonnes à qui i'ay de particulieres obligations, & le mien, & que toutes vos Reli[gi]eufes me facent la mefme charité.

De Paris, ce 10 d'Auril 1639.

to our Lord, and that, in effecting the foundation, you may dedicate it accordingly, and place on its door: Hospital dedicated to the Blood of the Son of God, shed in order that mercy might be granted to all men.' If it be not deemed advisable that this Inscription be placed upon the door, I desire that all the Nuns should know that such is my purpose in the foundation, and that they devote themselves to the service of the poor with that object. I further desire that the Priest who says Mass every day shall have the same intention. I regret exceedingly that I cannot embrace you, and your good Sisters who are going with you, and in person entreat you to pray Our Lord to have mercy on me. It was a great consolation to me to see those good Ursulines who are also going to Kebec with Madame de la Pelterie. I was [31] promised that you would all be in the same ship." (And lower down) " Rest assured, my Mother, that I shall serve you personally, and your new house, with eager affection, and that I shall remain all my life,

My good Mother,

Yours, most delighted to render

you service,

DU PONT."

IN THE MARGIN, THE FOLLOWING WORDS ARE WRITTEN:

My good Mother, oblige me by taking care to ask the Savages whom you shall attend at the hour of death, for the salvation of Monseigneur the Cardinal, for that of some persons towards whom I have special obligations, and for mine; and that all your Nuns do the same act of charity for me.

Paris, the 10th of April, 1639."