The old régime in Canada

Front matter

Collection of Native North American Indian Books,

Historical Books, Atlases, plus other important authors and family heirloom books.

Earl Ford McNaughton - \\

Preface

viii

The means of knowing the Canada of the past are ample. The pen was always busy in this outpost of the old monarchy. The king and the min* ister demanded to know every thing ; and officials of high and low degree, soldiers and civilians* friends and foes, poured letters, despatches, and memorials, on both sides of every question, into the lap of government. These masses of paper have in the main survived the perils of revolutions and the incendiary torch of the Commune. Add to them the voluminous records of the Superior Council of Quebec, and numerous other documents preserved in the civil and ecclesiastical depositories of Canada.

The governments of New York and of Canada have caused a large part, of the papers in the French archives, relating to their early history, to be copied and brought to America, and valuable contributions of material from the same quarter have been made by the State of Massachusetts and by private Canadian investigators. Nevertheless, a great deal has still remained in France, uncopied and unexplored. In the course of several visits to that country, I have availed myself of these supplementary papers, as well as of those which had before been copied, sparing neither time nor pains to explore every part of the field. With the help of a system of classified notes, I have collated the evidence of the various writers, and set down

PREFACE.

IX without reserve all the results of the examination, whether favorable or unfavorable. Some of them are of a character which I regret, since they cannot be agreeable to persons for whom I have a very cordial regard. The conclusions drawn from the facts may be matter of opinion, but it will be remembered that the facts themselves can be overthrown only by overthrowing the evidence on which they rest, or bringing forward counterevidence of equal or greater strength ; and neither task will be found an easy one.1

I have received most valuable aid in my inquiries from the great knowledge and experience of M. Pierre Margry, Chief of the Archives of the Marine and Colonies at Paris. I beg also warmly to acknowledge the kind offices of Abbe Henri Raymond Casgrain and Grand Yicar Cazeau, of Quebec, together with those of James LeMoine, Esq., M. Eugene Tache, Hon. P. J. 0. Chauveau, and other eminent Canadians, and Henry Harrisse, Esq.

The few extracts from original documents, which are printed in the appendix, may serve as samples of the material out of which the work has been constructed. In some instances their testimony

1 Those who wish to see the subject from a point of view opposite to mine cannot do better than consult the work of the Jesuit Charlevoix, with the excellent annotation of Mr. Shea. (History and General Description of New France, by the Rev. P. F. X. de Charlevoix, S.J., translated with notes by John Gilmary Shea. 6 vols. New York : 1866- 1872.1

PREFACE.

might be multiplied twenty-fold. When the place of deposit of the documents cited in the margin is not otherwise indicated, they will, in nearly all cases, be found in the Archives of the Marine and Colonies.

In the present book we examine the political and social machine ; in the next volume of the series we shall see this machine in action.

Boston, July 1, 1874.

CONTENTS,

I. The Period Of Transition

THE JESUITS AT ONONDAGA.

PAGK

The Iroquois War. — Father Poncet. — His Adventures. — Jesuit Boldness. — Le Moyne’s Mission. — Chaumonot and Dablon. —

— Iroquois Ferocity. — The Mohawk Kidnappers. — Critical Position. — The Colony of Onondaga. — Speech of Chaumonot.

— Omens of Destruction. — ■ Device of the Jesuits. — The Medi-

<uwe Feast. — The Escape 1

THE HOLT WARS OF MONTREAL.

£Huversi&re. — Mance and Bourgeoys. — Miracle. — A Pious Defaulter. — Jesuit and Sulpitian. — Montreal in 1659. — The Hospital Nuns. — The Nuns and the Iroquois. — More Miracles.

— The Murdered Priests. — Brigeac and Closse. — Soldiers of the Holy Family 41

CHAPTER IIL 1660, 1661.

THE HEROES OF THE LONG 8AUT.

Suffering and Terror. — Francis Hertel. — The Captive Wolf.—

The threatened Invasion. — Daulac des Ormeaux. — The Adventurers at the Long Saut. — The Attack. — A Desperate Defence. — A Final Assault. — The Fort taken 63

Xll

Contents

THE DISPUTED BISHOPRIC.

^ Page

Domestic Strife. — Jesuit and Sulpitian. — Abbd Queylus. — Fran- 9018 de Laval. — The Zealots of Caen. — Gallican and Ultramontane. — The Rival Claimants. — Storm at Quebec. — Laval Triumphant 88

II. The Colony And The King

ROYAL INTERVENTION.

Fontainebleau. — - Louis XIV. — Colbert. — The Company of the West. — Evil Omens. — Action of the King. — Tracy, Courcelle, and Talon. — The Regiment of Carignan-Saliferes. — Tracy at Quebec. — Miracles. — A Holy War 169

THE MOHAWKS CHASTISED.

Courcelle’s March. — His Failure and Return. — Courcelle and the Jesuits. — Mohawk Treachery. — Tracy’s Expedition. — Burning of the Mohawk Towns. — French and English. — Dollier de Casson at St. Anne. — Peace. — The Jesuits and the Iroquois • • 186

CHAPTER XIL 1665-1672.

PATERNAL GOVERNMENT.

Talon. — Restriction and Monopoly. — Views of Colbert. — > Political Galvanism. — A Father of the People 207

XIV

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XIEL 1661-1673.

MARRIAGE AND POPULATION.

FAQ*

Shipment of Emigrants. — Soldier Settlers. — Importation of Wives. — Wedlock. — Summary Methods. — The Mothers of Canada. — Bounties on Marriage.— Celibacy Punished. — Bounties on Children. — Results 215

CHAPTER XIV.

1665-1672.

THE NEW HOME.

Military Frontier. — The Canadian Settler. — Seignior and Vassal.

— Example of Talon. — Plan of Settlement. — Aspect of Canada. — Quebec. — The River Settlements. — Montreal. —

The Pioneers 281

CHAPTER XV.

1663-1763.

CANADIAN FEUDALISM.

Transplantation of Feudalism. — Precautions. — Faith and Homage.

— The Seignior. — The Censitaire.— Royal Intervention. — The Gentilhomme. — Canadian Noblesse 248

CHAPTER XVI.

1663-1763.

THE RULERS OF CANADA.

Nature of the Government. — The Governor. — The Council. — Courts and Judges. — The Intendant. — His Grievances. — Strong Government. — Sedition and Blasphemy. — Royal Bounty. — Defects and Abuses 264

Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1874, by

FRANCIS PAEKMAN,

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

University Press:

John Wilson & Son, Cambridge.

FRANCE AND ENGLAND

IK

NORTH AMERICA.

A SERIES OF HISTORICAL NARRATIVES.

BY

FRANCIS PARKMAN,

AUTHOR OF *’ HISTORY OF THE CONSPIRACY OF PONTIAC,” “THE OREGON TRAIT.” ETC.

Part Fourth. Boston

LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 1893.

CONTENTS

XV

CHAPTER XVEL 1663-1763.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY.

PAGH

rrade in Fetters. — The Huguenot Merchants. — Royal Patronage.

— The Fisheries. — Cries for Help. — Agriculture. — Manufactures.— Arts of Ornament. — Finance. — Card Money. — Repudiation.— Imposts. — The Beaver Trade. — The Fair at Montreal.

— Contraband Trade. — A Fatal System. — Trouble and

Change. — The Coureurs de Bois. - The Forest. — Letter of Carheil 283

CHAPTER XVIII.

1663-1702.

THE MISSIONS. THE BRANDY QUESTION.

The Jesuits and the Iroquois. — > • Mission Villages. — Michillimackinac. — Father Carheil. — Temperance. — Brandy and the Indians. — Strong Measures. — Disputes. — License and Prohibition. — Views of the King. — Trade and the Jesuits . . . 816

CHAPTER XIX.

1663-1763.

PRIESTS AND PEOPLE.

Church and State. — The Bishop and the King. — The King ana the Cures. — The New Bishop. — The Canadian Cure. — Ecclesiastical Rule. — Saint-Vallier and Denonville. — Clerical Rigor.

— Jesuit and Sulpitian. — Courcelle and Chatelain. — The Reeollets. — Heresy and Witchcraft. — Canadian Nuns. — Jeanne

Le Ber. — Education. — The Seminary. — Saint Joachim. — Miracles of Saint Anne. — Canadian Schools 83 1

CHAPTER XX.

1640-1763.

Social Influence of the Troops. — A Petty Tyrant. — Brawls. — Violence and Outlawry. — State of the Population. — Views of Denonville. — Brandy. — Beggary. — The Past and the Present. — Inns. — State of Quebec. — Fires. — The Country Parishes.

— Slavery. — Views of La Hontan. — Of Hocquart. — Of Bougainville — Of Kalm. — Of Charlevoix 868

CONTENTS*.

xvi

CHAPTER XXL 1663-1763.

CANADIAN ABSOLUTISM.

Paos

Formation of Canadian Character. — The Rival Colonies. — England and France. — New England. — Characteristics of Race. — Military Qualities. — The Church. — The English Conquest . . 394

Appendix

A. The Hermitage of Caen 403

B. Laval and Argenson 407

C. Peronne Dumesnil 409

D. Laval and Mesy 413

E. Marriage and Population 416

F. Chateau St. Louis 419

G. Trade and Industry 422

H. Letter of Father Carheil 427

I. The Government and the Clergy 432

J. Canadian Cures. Education. Discipline 438

INDEX 441

CANADA

A W AI'JKNT VbVX’VUl K ft

I,

THE PERIOD OF TRANSITION.