The Life of Father Isaac Jogues, Missionary Priest of the Society Of

FATHeR. ISAAC S-J »^'• Columbia ^nitoem'tp tntl)eCitpoflfttitork THE LIBRARIES Bequest of Frederic Bancroft 1860-1945 FATHER ISAAC JOGUES, S. J. MISSION, POUNDER OF THE IROQUOIS October 18. 1646. Kil,ednearAuriesvi!le,N,Y.. THE LIFE OF FATHER ISAAC JOGUES, Pi.$'^'i0ttavy gvic^t of tU^ Society of S^jsiu^, Slain by the Mo/iatuk IroqiioiSy in the present State of New York, Oct. 1 8, 1646. BY THE Rev. FELIX MARTIN, S. J. WITH Father Jogues' Account of the Captivity and Death of his Companion, RENE GOUPIL, Slain Sept. 29, 1642. Translated from the French by JOHN GILMARY SHEA. With a Map of the Mohawk Country, by Geti. John S. Clark, New Yokx, Cincinnati, .Ai^r St. -Louis : BENZIG^SR BROTHKRS, printers to the holy 'apostolic see. -'^^"^/urir Copyright, 1885, By the President of the College of St. Francis Xavjer, New York. • « • * * • * * • * • f • TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. Filled from my youth with the deepest veneration for Father Isaac Jogues, whose amiable character and heroic death attracted even those who could not appreciate fully his virtues as a Christian and a priest, I had read in manuscript the life written by Father Felix Martin, my guide and constant encourager in my historic studies. To its publication I earnestly looked forward, hoping to be able to translate it into English. In the long delay I contributed what I could to make the illustrious missionary known. When the Life by Father Martin finally appeared, my work on the translation was soon begun ; but a respected friend, the Rev. Joseph M. Finotti, told me that his translation was far advanced, and begged me to yield it to him. To this I consented, but though he completed his task, he found no one ready to publish it, and after his death the manuscript fell into my hands. To encourage the work of Rev. Father Loyzance in erecting the Chapel of Our Lady of Martyrs at Auries- ville, where Father Jogues and Rene Goupil were put to death, I offered this manuscript, which Messrs. Ben- ziger Brothers agreed to publish. On revising it for the press, however, I found that the translation made dur- ing the long illness of Rev. Mr. Finotti had never been carefully compared, and that some parts were missing, so that I could more easily make a new translation than revise the work of my late friend. Hence the present version is mainly my own. 4 Translator s Preface. To General John S. Clark of Auburn, all who feel any devotion to the pioneer priest of New York are indebted for establishing, by his long examination in records, maps, and the successive sites of Indian towns, the exact locality where Father Jogues suffered; and to his per- sonal kindness this volume is indebted for the map. All profit arising from this volume will be devoted to the erection of the Chapel of Our Lady of Martyrs. — 1 CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE Translator's Preface 3 Introduction 7 I. Birth of Isaac Jogues— His Education — First Mass— The Canada Mission 1 II. Canada — The Huron Mission—The Missionaries fall Sick— Their Recovery 25 III. Recovery of the Missionaries—The Huron Language The Epidemics—Celestial Favors 40 IV. New Residences—Saint Mary— Mission among the Tio- nontate Nation —Voyage to Sauk Saint Marie 52 V. The Iroquois— Father Jogues goes down to Quebec His Captivity 61 VI. Sufferings and Resignation of the Missionary—Execu- tion of Three Hurons—A Christian and Generous Death 76 VII. Captivity of Father Jogues—The Dutch Interpose- New Dangers—Murder of Rene Goupil— Consoling Dreams 97 VIII. WinterHunt—Fasts—Father Jogues' Oratory— Celestial Comforts — Return to the Village — His Situation changed—He Studies the Mohawk—He Speaks of God —Fishing—New Dangers—Torture of Prisoners iii IX. Steps taken by the Chevalier de Montmagny to De- liver Father Jogues —The Missionary's Letters— His Resignation—A Journey— Unexpected Meeting—Con- solation • 128 — Contents. CHAPTER PAGE X. Father Jogues sets out for the Fishery—Fury of the Iro- quois—They wish to Burn him—He is Saved by a Dutch Captain—He reaches Manhattan Island- Sails for France 140 XL An Uncomfortable Voyage— Father Jogues in Brittany- Touching Hospitality—College at Rennes—Arrives in Paris—Words of the Sovereign Pontiff— Returns to Canada—At Montreal—Couture's Delivery 156 XII. Great Assembly at Three Rivers—The Treaty of Peace —Father Jogues among the Iroquois—A Toilsome Journey—He Returns to Three Rivers I75 XIII. Third Visit of Father Jogues to the Mohawks— Ill-treat- ment—Division of Opinion in the Tribe— Father Jogues is Put to Death—Punishment of his Murderer 194 XIV. Virtues of Father Jogues— Favors Obtained by his In- tercession 211 Rene Goupil and his Heroic Death, from the Auto- graph of Father Jogues 222 Appendix. Geography of the Huron Country—Stephen Totiri—Teresa Oiouhaton—Joseph Theondechoren Charles Tsondatsaa — Eustace Ahasistari — Novum of Netherland Belgium : Father Jogues' Account New in 1642 230 Map Showing Sites of the Mohawk Villages in 1642, as located by General John S. Clark, Auburn, N. Y., facing 259 Note.— Identification of Mohawk Sites—The Pilgrim Shrine— Recent Petitions for the Introduction of the Cause of Beatification 259 INTRODUCTION. At the first glance it might seem a matter of surprise to see the life of a modest servant of God published more than two centuries after his death. The name of Father Jogues, however, is not unknown in history. Father Charlevoix, the annalist of New France, re- counted his labors, and especially his sufferings, in pages full of deep emotion. He had only to condense and group together the long and numerous details scattered through the precious collection of '' Relations of the Missions of New France," for the years 1646 and 1647.* * The Jesuit Relations, as they are called, comprise 41 small octavo volumes, prepared generally by the Superior of the Mis- sion. One was published each year, and the last appeared in 1672. These Relations are the most important, and often the only, mate- rial for Canadian history at that remote period. Some of these volumes became so rare that they could not be found even in the great libraries in Europe. With a patriotic feeling \forthy of all praise, the Canadian Government in 1848 encouraged their reprint in three large octavo volumes. Protestant writers beyond suspicion (Bancroft, Sparks, Parkman) have paid a noble tribute to the value of this collection. "With regard to the condition and character of the primitive inhabitants of North America, it is impossible to ex- aggerate their value as an authority. I should add, that the closest examination has left me no doubt that these missionaries wrote in perfect good faith, and that the Relations hold a high place as authen- tic and trustworthy historical documents" (Parkman, "The Jesuits in North America," Preface). 8 Introduction. This had already been done in biographical collections,* published in Latin, German, Italian, Spanish; but the size of these works and the languages in which they are written make them acceptable only to a privileged class of readers. Towards the close of the last century, the Abbe J. B. Forest, animated with just patriotism, impelled, too, by a feeling of piety and fraternal love, undertook to be the historian of Father Jogues. Like him a native of Orleans, and a Jesuit till the suppression of the Society, he was better able than any other to seek information at the proper sources. His work fulfilled the desire of the family of the servant of God and the wishes of his native city, by making known one of its glorious sons. This Life was completed just as the French Revolution burst forth in all its fury. The publication of such a work was out of the question. Religion was persecuted, and virtue itself was about to be proscribed. To the shame of humanity, it found in the midst of France less liberty and respect than Father Jogues himself expe- rienced at the hands of the bloodthirsty Iroquois. We have taken up his task by endeavoring to com- plete it. The author had not at his disposal the precious documents still preserved in Canada, or in the archives of the Gesu at Rome. Two of these manu- scripts, drawn up in the lifetime and soon after the death of Father Jogues, deserve particular mention. One is th^ autograph journal of the Superior of the Missionaries in New France, which notes day by day everything that bore on their labors, and sometimes * Alegambe, S.J.,"Mortes lUustres et Gesta, . Soc. J."—Al. de Andrade, S.J., "Varonis Illustres de la Compania de Jesus."—M. Tanner, S.J., " Societas Jesu, usque ad sanguinis et vitae profusionem militans" (also in German). — G. Patrigrani, S.J., " Menologia di pie Memorie d'alcuni Religiosi de la C. de G."—Jos. Cassani, "Glorias del Segundo Siglo de la Compania de Jesus." Introduction, g events simply of colonial interest.* The other is still more important. It is a quarto manuscript, entitled "Memoire Touchant la Mort et les Vertus des PP. Isaac Jogues, Anne de Noue, Jean de Brebeuf," etc. The first 150 pages are devoted to Father Jogues. To invest this monument with a character of special authority, and render it available for use in case of necessity in a canonical process, each account, and in some cases each separate document, is confirmed by the signature of the Superior of the Mission and his attestation under oath. The geography and history of that period seemed to us to require some details to enlighten readers who might be unfamiliar with the country.

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