Libr@rsi

1656-58] RELA TION OF 1656-57 59
them as our friends, when we were so weak that we
could no longer withstand them as enemies? They
had but to continue, to massacre the remainder of the
French Colony, for they met with hardly any resistance
either from the French or from the Savages,
our Confederates ; and, nevertheless, for over three
years, they [194] incessantly sent presents and embassies
to ingratiate themselves with us, and to solicit
us to make peace. Old and young, women and children,
place themselves at our mercy ; they enter our
forts; they act confidently with us, and spare no
effort to open their hearts to us, and to make us read
therein that all their solicitations are as sincere as
they are pressing.
They are not content with coming to us, but for a
long time they invite us to go to them, and offer us
the finest land that they have, and that is to be found
in this New world. Neither the necessities of trade
nor the hopes of our protection induce them to do
all that; for they have hitherto had and still enjoy
both those things with the Dutch, much more advan-
tageously than they can ever hope
French. But it is the act of God ;
to do with the
he has, doubtless,
lent an ear to the blood of the Martyrs, which is the
seed of Christians, and which now causes them to
spring up in this land that was watered by it. For,
not only have those greatest enemies of the [195]
Faith given presents to declare that they wish to
embrace it ; not only have they asked for Preachers
to instruct them, and publicly professed in open
Council that they were Believers; but the Fathers
of our Society who have passed the last winter with
them have also observed so many good dispositions
for the planting of a new Church among them,— not