January 30, 1699.
-- Lettres Edifiantes Et Curieuses, Ecrites Des Missions Etrangeres, by Charles Le Gobien, Volume 10, 1781
PAGES 36-53
[French Version]
According to the anonymous author in the Oriental Herald (anon. 1827:236) the EzV is "a work entirely composed of the celebrated Jesuit, Robert de Nobilibus, in the year 1621, for the express purpose of promoting, by this 'pious fraud,' the conversion of the Hindoos to Christianity." In von Bohlen's (1830:136) opinion "everything has now been clarified, even the name of the author has been established," namely: "The author is the Jesuit Missionary Robertus de Nobilius (s9c), a relative of Pope Marcellus II, who so zealously conducted conversions in India about 1620, that he even wore the apparel of an Italian mendicant, and, thanks to his knowledge of the vernacular languages and Sanskrit as well, composed a number of writings for that purpose." Adelung (1830:94; 1832:76; especially 1837:121) uses practically identical words, and Wiseman's reference (184:2.xxxix) to the EzV as "having been composed in 1621 by a pious missionary" undoubtedly derives from the same source.
In the meanwhile another variant on the divided participation of Nobili and others appears in the Preface (1831:vi-viii) to [William Hodge] Mill's Christa-sangita. "Whether Mr. Ellis is right in separating the composition from the forgery of the Pseudo-Vedas, and assigning the former only, on the view of his high character, to the celebrated nephew of Bellarmine, Robertus de Nobilibus, to whom their entire composition is ascribed by the Christians of Southern India, may admit of considerable question. I am disposed with him to ascribe the blundering part of the imposture, viz. the ascription of the title Veda, to the more modern copyist, whose diversity from Robert de Nobilibus is completely demonstrated from the circumstances which Mr. Ellis has brought to light, (the mode of exhibiting Sanscrit words in the MS. e.g. Okioro, Zoimeni, Bedo, &c.... being such as could only proceed from one who had learnt the language from the Pandits of the province of Bengal, which was certainly not the case with the founder of the Madhura Mission). But it would be difficult to exempt from all share in the forgery, him who puts Christian, or at least Anti-Vedic sentiments into the mouth of Atri, Narada, Jaimini, &c., a mendacious assumption of their names (as F. Paulin would not scruple to call it) in order to gain Hindu readers, which enters into the whole texture of the original composition. And whoever will study the history of the Society of Jesus -- not from the narration of enemies, but from their friends or themselves -- will see amidst the numerous contradictions it presents, abundant reason to distrust the validity of any argument, which would infer from the possession of extraordinary virtues, of real piety however debased by superstition, and the most disinterested benevolence and probity in all secular concerns, that such a forgery for a purpose deemed pious would be therefore inadmissible. As it should seem from vol. xiv, p. 62 of the Jesuits' Letters, that no one of their number after Robert de Nobilibus was sufficiently versed in Sanscrit to have composed these papers, it becomes of less consequence to enquire who was their transcriber at Masulipatam or elsewhere, who gave them their Bengalese interlineations, and perhaps their Vedic titles also. The history of the Jesuits in India presents us with more than one instance of missionaries who acquired their knowledge of Brahmanical literature in this province. One Pierre Martin, whose letter from Balassore in the year 1699 occurs in the 10th volume of the Lettres Edifiantes, tells us, that after five months' assiduous application of the Bengali, he disguised himself as a Brahman, and in that character commenced studying the Shastras as a Brahmachari or Sanscrit student in a celebrated Brahman University, (at Naddea doubtless), until the insurrection of Subha Sinh [Sobha Singh] against the government of Aurang Zeib compelled him to retreat thence to Orissa, after which we hear of him frequently in the same collection, as a most zealous and active missionary in the Southern Provinces."
"Other instances might doubtless be found in the subsequent history of these Roman Sannyasies (as the Jesuit Fathers were usually called in India), at a date more approaching that of the MSS. of this forgery, were the subject thought worthy of closer investigation."
-- Ezourvedam: A French Veda of the Eighteenth Century, Edited with an Introduction by Ludo Rocher
Lettre
Du Pere Pierre Martin, Missionnaire de la Compagnie de Jesus, au Pere de Villette de la meme Compagnie.
A Balassor, dans le Royaume de Bengale, le 30 Janvier 1699.
Mon Reverend Pere,
P.C.
On m'a remis entre les mains les lettres que vous vous etes donne la peine de m'ecrire. Je ne vous dirai pas le plaisir que j'ai ressenti en recevant ces marques de votre cher souvenir. Il est plus doux que vous ne pensez d'apprendre, dans ces extremites du monde, que nos amis ne nous oublient point, & que pendant que nous combatrtons, ils levent les mains au Ciel, & nous aident de leurs prieres. J'en ai eu, je vous assure, un tres-grand besoin depuis que je vous ai quitte, & je me suis troube dans des occasions qui vous paroitroient bien delicates & bien difficiles, si je pouvois vous les marquer ici.
Je suis venu dans les Indes par l'ordre de mes Superieurs. Je vous avouerai que je n'ai eu aucun regret de quitter la Perse, mon attrait etant pour une autre Mission, ou je croyois qu'il y avoit encore plus a souffrir & plus a travailler. J'ai trouve de que je cherchois plutot que je n'eusse pense. Dans le voyage je fus pris par les Arabes, & retenu priosonnier pour n'avoir pas voulu faire profession du Mahometisme. Quelque envie qu'eussent ces infidels de scavoir qui nous etions le Pere Beauvollier mon compagnon & moi, ils n'en purent venir a bout, & ils crurent toujours que nous etions de Constantinople. Ce qui les trompoit, est qu'ils nous voyoient lire des livres Turcs & Persans. Nous les laissames dans cette erreur jusqu'a ce qu'un d'entr'eux s'avisa d'exiger de nous la profession de leur maudite fecte. Alors nous nous declarames hautement pour Chretients, mais toujours sans dire notre pays. Nous parlames meme tres-fortement contre leur impostueur Mahomet; ce qui les mit de si mauvaise humeur contre nous, qu'ils faisirent le vaisseau, quoiqu'il apartint a des Maures. Ils nous menerent a terre, & nous mirent en prison. Ils nous firent comparoitre plusieurs fois, le Pere & moi, devant les Magistrats, pour tacher de nous seduire; mais nous trouvant toujours, par la misericorde de Dieu, fermes & constans, il se lasserent enfin de nous tourmenter, & envoyerent un expres au Gouverneur de la Province pour scavoir ce qu'ils feroient de nous. On leur ordonna de nous mettre en liberte, pourvu que nous ne fussions pas Franquis, e'est-a-dire, Europeens. Ils ne soupconnerent presque pas que nous le fussions, parce que nous parlions toujours turc, & que le Pere Beauvollier ne lisoit que des livres Arabes, & moi des livres Persans. Ainsi le Seigneur ne nous jugea pas dignes, dans cette occasion, de souffrir la mort pour la gloire de son saint nom, & nous en fumes quittes pour la prison, & pour quelques autres mauvais traitemens.
De-la nous vinmes a Surate1 [C'est la plus fameuse ville des Indes Orientales pour le commerce. Elle appartient au Grand Mogol.] ou le Pere Beauvollier demeura pour etre Superieur de la maison que nous y avons. Pour moi, je ne m'y arretai pas, mais je passai dans le Bengale (7), apres avoir couru risque plus d'une fois de tomber entre le mains des Hollandois.
Si-tot que je fus arrive dans ce beau Royaume, qui est fous la domination des Mahometans, quoique presque tout le peuple y soit idolatre, je m'appliquai serieusement a apprendre la langue Bengale. Au bout de cinq mois je me trouvai asses habile pour pouvoir me deguiser, & me jetter dans une fameuse Universite de Brames1 [Ce Royaume est a l'orient de l'Indoustan, & appartient au Grand Mogol.]. Comme nous n'avons eu jusqu'a present que de fort legeres connoissances de leur Religion, nos Peres souhaitoient que j'y demeurasse deux ou trois ans pour pouvoir m'en instruire a fond. J'en avois pris la resolution, & j'etois pret de l'executer, lorsqu'il s'eleva tout-a-coup une si furieuse guerre entre les Mahometans & les Gentils, qu'il n'y avoit de surete en aucun lieu, sur-tout pour les Europeens.2 [Ce sont les Docteurs des Indiens.] Mais Dieu, dans l'occasion, donne une force qu'on ne comprend pas. Comme je n'apprehendois presque pas le danger, mes Superieurs me permirent d'entrer dans un Royaume voisin nomme Orixa1 [Ce Royaume est sur le golphe de Bengale, en-deca du Gange.], ou dans l'espace de seize mois j'eus le bonheur de baptiser pres de cent personnes, dont quelques-unes passoient l'age de soixante ans.
J'esperois, avec la grace de Dieu, faire dans la suite une recolte plus abondante; mais tout ce que nous pumes obtenir, fut d'avoir soin d'une espece de Paroisse erigee dans la principale habitation que la royale. Compagnie de France a dans le Bengale.
Comme cette Mission ne manque pas d'ouvriers, nos Superieurs resolurent de m'envoyer avec trois de nos Peres a Pondichery2 [Elle est situee au milieu de la cote de Coromandel.], l'unique place un peu fortifiee que les Francois aient dans les Indes. Il y a environ cinq ans que les Hollandois s'en rendirent les maitres. Nous y avons une assez belle Eglise, dont nous allons nous remettre en possession en meme temps que les Francois retreront dans la place.
Nous serons la, mon cher Pere, a la porte de la Mission de Maudre1 [Madure est un Royaume situe au milieu des terres, dans la grande Peninsule de l'Inde, qui est en-deca du Gange.], la plus belle, a mon sens, qui soit au monde. Il y a sept Jesuites, presque tous Portugais, qui y travaillent infatigablement avec des fruits & des peines incroyables. Ces Peres me firent proposer, il y a plus de dix-huit mois, de me donner a eux pour aller prendre part a leurs travaux. Si j'eusse pu disposer de moi, j'aurois pris volontiers ce parti; mais nos Superieurs ne l'ont pas juge a propos, parce qu'ils veulent que nous etablissions de notre cote des Missions Francoises, & que dans ces vastes Royaumes nous occupions les pays que nos Peres Portugais ne peuvent cultiver a cause de leur petit nombre. C'est ce que notre Superieur general le Reverend Pere de la Breuille, qui est presentement dans le Royaume de Siam, vient de me marquer dans sa dernier lettre. Il me charge de la Mission de Pondichery, & me fait esperer qu'en peu de temps il m e permettra d'entrer dans les terres, ce que je souhaite depuis longtemps.
Par les dernieres lettres qu'on a recues d'Europe, on mande qu'on me destine pour la Chine; mais je renonce sans peine a cette Mission, sur la parole qu'on me donne de me faire passer incessamment dans celle de Madure, qui a, je vous l'avoue, depuis long-temps bien des charmes pour mois. des qu j'etois en Perse, je portois souvent mes voeux vers ce pays-la, sans avoir alors aucune esperance de les voir exauces. Mais je commence a juger que ces desirs si ardens & concus de si loin, ne venoient que d'une bonne source. Je les ai toujours senti croitre & s'augmenter a mesure que je m'approche de cet heureux terme. Vous n'aurez pas de peine a comprendre pourquoi je m'y sens si fort attire, si je vous dis qu'on compte dans cette Mission plus de cent cinquante mille Chretiens, & qu'il s'y en fait tous les jours un tres-grand nombre. Le moins que chque Missionnaire en baptise mar an est mille. Le Pere Bouchet, qui y travaille depuis dix ou douze ans, ecrit que cette derniere annee il en a baptise deux mille pour sa part, & qu'en un seul jour il a administre ce premier sacrement a trois cens; ensorte que les bras lui tomboient de foiblesse & de lassitude. Au reste, ce ne sont pas, dit-il, des Chretiens comme ceux du reste des Indes. On ne les baptise qu'apres de grandes epreuvres, & trois & quatre mois d'instruction. Quand une fois ils sont Chretiens, ils vivent comme des Anges, & l'Eglise de Madure paroit une vraie image de l'Eglise naissante. Ce Pere nous proteste qu'il lui est quelquefois arrive d'entendre les confessions de plusieurs villages, sans y trouver personne coupable d'un peche mortel. Qu'on ne s'imagine pas, ajoute-t-il, que ce soit l'ignorance ou la honte qui les empeche d'ouvrier leur conscience a ce sacre tribunal; ils s'en approchent aussi bien instruits que des Religieux, & avec une candeur & une simplicite de Novice.
Le meme Pere marque qu'il est charge de la conduite de plus de trente mille ames, de sorte qu'il n'a pas un moment de repos, & qu'il ne peut meme demeurer plus de huit jours dans un meme quartier. Il lui seroit impossible, aussi, bien qu'aux autres Peres, vu leur petit nombre, de vacquer a tout par eux-memes. C'est pourquoi ils ont chachun huit, dix, & quelquefois douze Catechistes, tous gens sages & parfaitement instruits de nos mysteres & de notre sainte Religion. Ces Catechistes precedent les Peres de quelques jours, & disposent les peuples a recevoir les sacremens; ce qui en facilite beaucoup l'administration aux Missionaires. On ne peut retenir ses larmes de joye & de consolation, quand on voit l'empressement qu'ont ces peuples pour la parole de Dieu, le respect avec lequel ils l'ecoutent, l'ardeur avec laquelle ils se portent a tous les exercicises de piete, le zele qu'ils ont pour se procurer mutuellement tous les secours necessaires au salut, pour se prevenir dans leurs besoins, pour se devancer dans la faintete, ou ils font des progres merveilleux. Ils n'ont presque aucun des obstacles qui se trouvent parmi les autres peuples, parce qu'ils n'ont point de communication avec les Europeens, dont quelques-uns ont gate & corrompu par leurs debauches & par leurs mauvais exemples presque toute la Chretiente des Indes, Leur vie est extremement frugale, ils ne font point de commerce, se contentant de ce que leurs terres leur donnent pour vivre & pour se vetir.
La vie des Missionnaires ne scauroit etre plus austere ni plus affreuse, selon la nature. Ils n'ont souvent pour tout habit qu'une longue piece de toile dont ils s'enveloppent le corps. Ils portent aux pieds des sandales bien plus incommodes que les soques des Recollets; car elles ne tiennent que par une espece de grosse cheville a tete, qui attache les deux premiers doigts de chaque pied a cette chaussure. On a toutes les peines du monde a s'y accoutumer. Ils s'abstiennent absolument de pain, de vin, d'oeufs, & de toutes sortes de viande, & meme de poisson. Ils ne peuvent manger que du ris & des legumes sans nul assaisonnement, & ce n'est pas une petite peine de conserver un peu de farine pour faire des hosties, & ce qu'il faut de vin pour celebrer le saint sacrifice de la Messe. Ils ne sont pas connus pour etre Europeens: si l'on croyoit qu'ils le fussent, il faudroit qu'ils quittassent le pays; car ils n'y feroient absolument aucun fruit. L'horreur des Indiens pour les Europeens a plus d'une cause. On a fait souvent de grandes violences dans leur pays. Ils ont vu des exemples affreux de toutes sortes de debauches & de vices; mais ce qui les frappe particulierement, c'est que les Franquis, ainsi qu'ils les nomment, s'enivrent & mangent de la chair, chose si horrible parmi eux, qu'ils regardent comme des personnes infames ceux qui le font.
Ajoutez a la vie austere que menent les Missionnaires, les dangers continuels ou ils sont de tomber entre les mains des voleurs, qui sont la en plus grand nombre que parmi les Arabes memes. Ils' n'oseroient presque tenir rien de ferme a clef, de peur de donner du soupcon qu'ils eussent des choses precieuses. Il faut qu'ils portent & qu'ils conservent tous leurs petits meubles dans des pots de terre. Ils se qualifient Brames du nord, c'est-a-dire, Docteurs venus du nord pour enseigner la loi du vrai Dieu. Quoiqu'ils soient obliges de pratiquer une pauvrete tres-rigoureuse, & qu'il faille peu de chose pour leur peronne, il leur faut neanmoins d'assez grands fonds pour pouvoir entretenir leurs Catechistes, & subvenir a une infinite de frais & d'avanies qu'on leur fait. Ils souffrent souvent de veritables persecutions. Il n'y a gueres que quatre ans qu'un de nos plus celebres & saints Missionnaires fut martyrise1 [Le venerable Pere Jean de Brito, Jesuite Portugais.]. Le Prince de Maravas2 [C'est un petit Royaume qui est entre le Madure & la Cote de la Pecherie.] lui fit couper la tete pour avoir preche a loi de Jesus-Christ. Helas, oserois-je jamais esperer une telle faveur? Je vous conjure, mon tres-cher Pere, de ne cesser par vous-meme & par vois amis, de demander a Notre Seigneur qu'il me convertisse veritablement a lui, & que je ne me rende pas indigne de souffrir quelque chose pour sa gloire.
Je me ferai un plaisir de vous instruire plus au long de tout ce qui regarde cette charmante Mission, quand j'aurai eu le bonheur de la connoitre par moi-meme. S'il y avoit quelques personnes vertueuses de celles que vous conduisez si bien dans la voie du Seigneur, qui voulussent contribuer dans ces pays a sa gloire, en y fondant la pension de quelques Catechistes, je vous assure devant Dieu que jamais argent ne peut etre mieux employe. L'entretient d'un Catechiste nous coute par an dixhuit ou vingt ecus (c'est beaucoup pour nous, c'est peu de chose en France) & nous pouvons compter que chaque Catechiste gagne par an a Jesus-Christ cent cinquante ou deux cens ames. Mon Dieu, il y a tant de personnes zelees qui donneroient volontiers leur fang pour en retirer une seule des mains du demon; du moins on le dit souvent au pied de l'Oratoire. Ne s'en trouvera-t-il point qui veuille par un si petit secours nous aider a remplir la bergerie du Pere de famille. Je connois votre zele pour la conversion des ames, mon tres-cher Pere; vous vous etiez sacrifie pour aller en Grece ramener au troupeau de Jesus-Christ les pauvres Schismatiques qui s'en sont separes depuis si long-temps. Votre sante foible obligea les Superieurs de vous faire retourner sur vos pas. Vous aurez sans doute rapporte dans votre Province tout le zele qui vous en avoit fait sortir si genereusement. Appliquez-le, je vous conjure, ce zele qui vous devore, a nous procurer des Missionnaires & des Catechistes. Je n'avois pas jusqu'ici ecrit une seule lettre pour inviter personne a venir nous aider dans nos travaux, parce que je ne voyois point sur mon passage de moisson, qui n'eut assez d'ouvriers. Maintenant que je decouvre des compagnes entieres dans un parfaite maturite; des infideles par milliers, qui ne demandent qu'a etre instruits; je crie de toutes me forces qu'on nous envoie d'Europe des secours d'hommes & d'argent, de bons Missionnaires & des fonds pour leur donner des Catechistes; & je me crois oblige en conscience d'interesser dans une si bonne oeuvre tous ceux que je connois propres a nous aider. Je ne vois personne, mon Reverend Pere, qui puisse mieux que vous entrer dans de si pieux desseins. Si vous nous trouvez quelques secours, envoyez-les a Paris au Pere qui a soin de nos Missions des Indes Orientales & de la Chine.
Le Pere Bouvet a mene a la Chine, l'annee 1698, une florissante recrue de Missionnaires. L'escadre du Roi en a apporte ici une petite troupe, mais treschoisie, qui est destinee aussi pour ce vaste Empire; elle est composee des Peres Fouquet, Pelisson, & d'Entrecolle, & des freres Rhodes & Fraperie, qui sont tres-habiles dans la Medecine & dans la Chirurgie. Ils valent tous infiniment, & meritent veritablement d'aller travailler dans un si beau champ. Le Pere d'Entrecolle s'est fait admirer par son zele & par sa charite dans le vaisseau sur lequel il a passe. L'escadre du Roi a ete affligee dans les Indes1 [A Negrailles, Isle pres des cotes du Pegou.] d'une terrible mortalite. Une grande partie des equipages y a peri, j'etois a cent lieues de l'endroit ou elle est venu aborder. Aussi-tot que j'appris un si grand malheur, je me jettai dans une chaloupe avec le Pere d'Entrecolle, pour aller la secourir. A notre arrivee nous trouvames deux Aumoniers morts, tous les Chirurgiens des vaisseaux morts aussi ou malades; de sorte qu'il nous fallut pendant deux mois servir de Medecins, de Chirurgiens, d'Aumoniers & d'Infirmiers. La Mousson2 [C'est la saison propre pour aller des Indes a la Chine, lorsque les vents d'Ouest soufflent ___?] pressa le Pere d'Entrecolle de partir avec le Pere Fouquet & le Frere Fraperie, qui etoient aussi venus depuis nous au secours des vaisseaux du Roi; de sorte que je me trouvai presque seul pendant assez longtemps, ayant sur les bras plus de cinq cens malades, dont plusieurs etoient attaques de maladies contagieuses. Deux autres de nos Peres vinrent ensuite partager un si saint travail, & profiter d'une occasion que nous ne croyions pas trouver aux Indes, de servir si utilement les Francois nos cheres compatriotes.
La main de Dieu s'est fait sentir bien vivement sur eux; c'est une espece de miracle qu'on ait pu sauver les vaisseaux du Roi, je ne dis pas tous, car l'Indient, un des plus beaux, alla s'echouer sur les cotes du Pegou2 [C'est une ville du Royaume de Siam, sur le golphe de Bengale.], ou les autres prirent la maladie; il n'y a eu que celui qui se separa pour porter a Merguy1 [C'est un Royaume qui est a la cote orientale du golphe de Bengale au-dela du Gange.] les Peres Tachard & de la Breuille, qui ait ete preserve d'accident. Un si grand fleau a touche plusieurs de ceux qui etoient sur la flotte, & a servi a les mettre dans la voie du salut. Il y avoit parmi eux quelques nouveaux convertis qui etoient plus attaches que jamais a leurs erreurs, j'ai eu la consolation de recevoir leur abjuration, & de les voir mourier avec de grands sentimens de componction & de penitence. L'escadres, quoique diminuee d'un vaisseau, est presentement en bon etat.
Nous allons en peu de journs prendre possession de Pondichery; Dieu me fasse la grace de n'y rester qu'autant de temps qu'il en faudra pour apprendre un peu la langue du pays, qui m'est necessaire pour ma chere Mission de Madures. Cette langue est toute differente du Turc, du Persan, du Maure & du Bengale, que j'ai deja apprises; le Persan & le Maure me serviront beaucoup, a cause d'un grand nombre de Mahometans qui sont repandus dans les terres. La langue Portugaise me sera encore necessaire pour traiter avec nos Peres de cette Nation; j'ai ete oblige de l'apprendre, parce que je me suis trouve charge de plus de mille Portugais des Indes, qui se trouverent abandonnes de leur Pasteur pendant plus de six mois.
Dans le temps que j'en avois la conduite, je recus ordre de M. L'Eveque de Saint-Thome1 [Cette ville qu'on appelle aussi Meliapor, est sur la cote de Coromandel.] de publier le Jubile, & de le leur faire gagner; ces bonnes gens ne scavoient ce que c'etoit que Jubile. Je travaillai pendant plus d'un mois a les mettre en etat de profiter du tresor que l'Eglise leur ouvroit; je faifois deux sermons par jour, & deux catechismes; le matin etoit destine a l'instruction des adultes catechumenes, & l'apres-dinee a celle des chretiens; la moitie de la nuit se passoit a entendre les confessions des hommes, & depuis la pointe du jour jusqu'a neuf heures que je disois la Messe, j'entendois les confessions des femmes. Ce grand travail me de-dommageoit des quatre annees que j'avois passees sans pouvoir rien faire qu'apprendre des langues. Je me sens plus d'ardeur que jamais pour etudier celle de Madure, parce que je suis convaincu qu'elle me sera plus utile que toutes les autres. Je ne veux retenir de Francois qu'autant qu'il en faudra pour vous ecrire, pour vous instruire de tout ce qui se passera dans ces Missions, & pour vous demander le secours de vos prieres. Souvenez-vous de ce que vous me promites, quand nous nous separames, & comptez que toutes les fois que j'ai dit la sainte Messe, j'ai pense nommement a vous. Aidons-nous tous deux mutuellement a nous sanctifier, & quoi que nous fassions si loin l'un de l'autre notre Sacrifice, unissons-le toujours dans celui pour lequel seul nous le saisons. Je suis avec bien du respect, & c.
[THE END]
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Letter From Father Pierre Martin, Missionary of the Company of Jesus, to Father de Villette of the same Company. At Balassor, in the Kingdom of Bengal
January 30, 1699.
-- Lettres Edifiantes Et Curieuses, Ecrites Des Missions Etrangeres, by Charles Le Gobien, Volume 10, 1781
[English Version by Google Translate]
Letter
From Father Pierre Martin, Missionary of the Company of Jesus, to Father de Villette of the same Company.
At Balassor, in the Kingdom of Bengal, January 30, 1699.
My Reverend Father,
P.C.
They have placed in my hands the letters that you have taken the trouble to write to me. I will not tell you the pleasure I felt in receiving these marks of your dear memory. It is sweeter than you think to learn, in these extremities of the world, that our friends do not forget us, and that while we fight, they raise their hands to Heaven, and help us with their prayers. I have had, I assure you, a very great need of it since I left you, and I have found myself on occasions which would seem very delicate and very difficult to you, if I could point them out to you here.
I came to India by order of my Superiors. I will confess to you that I had no regrets about leaving Persia, my attraction being for another Mission, where I believed that there was still more to suffer and more to work. I found what I was looking for sooner than I thought. On the journey I was taken by the Arabs, and held prisoner for not having wanted to make a profession of Mahometism. Whatever desire these infidels had to know who we were, Father Beauvollier, my companion and me, they could not overcome it, and they always believed that we were from Constantinople. What deceived them was that they saw us reading Turkish & Persian books. We left them in this error until one of them took it into his head to demand of us the profession of their accursed feast. So we declare ourselves loudly for Christians, but always without saying our country. We even spoke very strongly against their impostor Mahomet; which put them in such a bad humor against us, that they made the ship -- although it belonged to the Moors -- they took us ashore, and put us in prison. They made us appear several times, the Father & I, before the Magistrates, to try to seduce us; but finding us still, by the mercy of God, firm and constant, they finally got tired of tormenting us, and sent an express to the Governor of the Province to find out what they would do with us. They were ordered to set us free, provided we were not Franquis, that is to say, Europeans. They hardly suspected that we were, because we always spoke Turkish, and Father Beauvollier only read Arabic books, and I Persian books. Thus the Lord did not judge us worthy, on this occasion, to suffer death for the glory of his holy name, and we were released from prison, and from some other bad treatment.
From there we came to Surat1 [It is the most famous city of the East Indies for trade. It belongs to the Grand Mogol.] where Father Beauvollier lived to be Superior of the house we have there. As for me, I did not stop there, but I passed through the Bengale (7), after running the risk more than once of falling into the hands of the Dutch.
As soon as I arrived in this beautiful Kingdom, which is under the domination of the Mahometans, although almost all the people there are idolaters, I applied myself seriously to learning the Bengal language. At the end of five months I found myself clever enough to be able to disguise myself, and throw myself into a famous University of Brames1 [This Kingdom is to the east of Hindustan, and belongs to the Great Mogul.]. As until now we have had only a very slight knowledge of their religion, our Fathers wanted me to stay there two or three years to be able to learn it thoroughly. I had taken the resolution, and was ready to execute it, when suddenly there arose such a furious war between the Mahometans and the Gentiles, that there was no security in no place, especially for the Europeans.2 [These are the Doctors of the Indians.] But God, on occasion, gives a strength which one does not understand. As I hardly apprehended the danger, my Superiors allowed me to enter a neighboring Kingdom called Orixa1 [This Kingdom is on the golph of Bengal, below the Ganges.], or within the space of sixteen months I had the good fortune to baptize nearly a hundred people, some of whom were past the age of sixty.
I hoped, with the grace of God, to reap a more abundant harvest in the future; but all that we could obtain was to take care of a sort of parish erected in the principal dwelling, the royal one, [that] Compagnie de France has in Bengal.
As this Mission does not lack workers, our Superiors resolved to send me with three of our Fathers to Pondicherry2 [It is located in the middle of the Coromandel coast.], the only slightly fortified place that the French have in The Indies. About five years ago the Dutch took control of it. We have a rather fine church there, which we are going to regain possession of at the same time as the Frenchmen retire to the place.
We will be there, my dear Father, at the door of the Mission of Maudre1 [Madure is a Kingdom located in the middle of the lands, in the great Peninsula of India, which is on the deca side of the Ganges.], the most beautiful, in my opinion, which is in the world. There are seven Jesuits, almost all Portuguese, who work there tirelessly with incredible fruits and pains. These Fathers made me propose, more than eighteen months ago, to give myself to them to go and take part in their work. If I could have disposed of myself, I would gladly have taken this course; but our Superiors did not judge it appropriate, because they want us to establish French Missions on our side, and that in these vast Kingdoms we occupy the countries which our Portuguese Fathers cannot cultivate because of their small number. This is what our Superior General the Reverend Father de la Breuille, who is presently in the Kingdom of Siam, has just marked me in his last letter. He puts me in charge of the Pondicherry Mission, and makes me hope that in a short time he will allow me to enter the land, which I have wanted for a long time.
By the last letters received from Europe, they tell me that I am destined for China; but I renounce this Mission without difficulty, on the word that I have been given to send me without delay to that of Madure, which, I confess to you, has for a long time had many charms for me. As soon as I was in Persia, I often took my wishes to that country, without then having any hope of seeing them granted. But I begin to judge that these desires, so ardent and conceived from so far away, only came from a good source. I have always felt them grow and increase as I approach this happy end. You will have no difficulty in understanding why I feel so strongly drawn to it, if I tell you that there are more than one hundred and fifty thousand Christians in this Mission, and that there are one every day very large number. The less that each Missionary baptizes is a thousand. Father Bouchet, who has been working there for ten or twelve years, writes that this last year he baptized two thousand for his part, and that in a single day he administered this first sacrament to three hundred; so that his arms fell from weakness and weariness. Besides, they are not, he says, Christians like those of the rest of India. They are baptized only after great trials, and three or four months of instruction. When once they are Christians, they live like Angels, and the Church of Madure appears to be a true image of the nascent Church. This Father protests to us that it has sometimes happened to him to hear the confessions of several villages, without finding anyone guilty of a mortal sin. Let no one imagine, he adds, that it is ignorance or shame that prevents them from working their conscience at this sacred tribunal; they approach it as well instructed as Religious, and with the candor and simplicity of the Novice.
The same Father points out that he is in charge of the conduct of more than thirty thousand souls, so that he does not have a moment of rest, and that he cannot even remain more than eight days in the same district. It would be impossible for him, too, although for the other Fathers, given their small number, to attend to everything by themselves. This is why they each have eight, ten, and sometimes twelve Catechists, all wise people and perfectly instructed in our mysteries and our holy Religion. These Catechists precede the Fathers by a few days, and dispose the people to receive the sacraments; which greatly facilitates its administration for the Missionaries. We cannot restrain our tears of joy and consolation, when we see the eagerness these people have for the word of God, the respect with which they listen to it, the ardor with which they devote themselves to all exercises of piety, the zeal they have for mutually obtaining all the help necessary for salvation, for forestalling their needs, for advancing in laziness, in which they make marvelous progress. They have almost none of the obstacles that are found among other peoples, because they have no communication with the Europeans, some of whom have spoiled and corrupted by their debauchery and by their bad examples almost all of Christianity of the Indies. Their life is extremely frugal, they do not trade, contenting themselves with what their lands give them to live and to clothe themselves.
The life of the Missionaries could not be more austere or more dreadful, according to nature. Their only clothing is often a long piece of cloth with which they wrap their bodies. They wear sandals much more inconvenient than the soques of the Recollets; because they are only held by a kind of big ankle with a head, which attaches the first two fingers of each foot to this shoe. We have all the trouble in the world getting used to it. They absolutely abstain from bread, wine, eggs, and all kinds of meat, and even fish. They can only eat sweetbreads and vegetables without any seasoning, and it is no small trouble to keep a little flour to make hosts, and enough wine to celebrate the holy sacrifice of the Mass. They are not known to be Europeans: if one believed that they were, they would have to leave the country; for they would produce absolutely no fruit there. The horror of the Indians for the Europeans has more than one cause. There has often been great violence in their country. They have seen frightful examples of all sorts of debauches and vices; but what particularly strikes them is that the Franquis, as they call them, get drunk and eat flesh, a thing so horrible among them, that they regard those who do so as infamous.
Add to the austere life which the Missionaries lead, the continual dangers in which they are of falling into the hands of thieves, who are there in greater numbers than among the Arabs themselves. They would scarcely dare to keep anything locked, for fear of giving any suspicion that they had valuable things. They have to carry & keep all their little furniture in earthen pots. They call themselves Brams of the North, that is to say, Doctors who have come from the North to teach the law of the true God. Although they are obliged to practice a very rigorous poverty, and that little is needed for their person, they nevertheless need large enough funds to be able to maintain their Catechists, and provide for an infinity of expenses and snubs made to them. They often suffer from real persecution. Hardly four years ago one of our most famous & holy Missionaries was martyred1 [The Venerable Father Jean de Brito, Portuguese Jesuit.]. The Prince of Maravas2 [It is a small Kingdom which is between Madure & the Coast of Fisheries.] had his head cut off for having preached the law of Jesus Christ. Alas, would I ever dare to hope for such a favour? I conjure you, my very dear Father, not to cease by yourself and by your friends, to ask Our Lord that he convert me truly to him, and that I do not make myself unworthy to suffer something for his glory.
I will have the pleasure of instructing you further in all that concerns this charming Mission, when I shall have had the good fortune to know it for myself. If there were a few virtuous people of those whom you lead so well in the way of the Lord, who wanted to contribute in these countries to his glory, by founding there the pension of some Catechists, I assure you before God that money can never be better employed. The maintenance of a Catechist costs us eighteen or twenty crowns a year (it's a lot for us, it's very little in France) & we can count on each Catechist earning a year at Jesus Christ one hundred and fifty or two cens souls. My God, there are so many zealous people who would gladly give their fang to get a single one out of the hands of the demon; at least it is often said at the foot of the Oratory. Won't there be anyone who wants by such a little help to help us fill the sheepfold of the Father of the family. I know your zeal for the conversion of souls, my very dear Father; you had sacrificed yourselves to go to Greece to bring back to the flock of Jesus Christ the poor Schismatics who have been separated from it for so long. Your poor health forced the Superiors to make you retrace your steps. You will no doubt have brought back to your Province all the zeal which brought you out so generously. Apply, I conjure you, this zeal which devours you, to procure for us Missionaries and Catechists. I had not hitherto written a single letter to invite anyone to come and help us in our work, because I did not see on my passage of harvest, which had not enough workers. Now that I discover whole companions in perfect maturity; infidels by the thousands, who ask only to be instructed, I cry out with all my strength that they send us from Europe help of men and money, good Missionaries and funds to give them Catechists; & I believe myself obligated in conscience to interest in such a good work all those I know capable of helping us. I see no one, my Reverend Father, who can enter into such pious designs better than you. If you find some help for us, send it to Paris to the Father who takes care of our missions in the East Indies and China.
Father Bouvet brought to China, in the year 1698, a flourishing recruit of Missionaries. The King's squadron has brought here a small but very select troop, which is also destined for this vast Empire; it is made up of Fathers Fouquet, Pelisson, & d'Entrecolle, & the brothers Rhodes & Fraperie, who are very skilled in medicine and surgery. They are all infinitely worthy, and truly deserve to go to work in such a beautiful field. Father d'Entrecolle made himself admired for his zeal and his charity in the ship on which he passed. The King's squadron was afflicted in the Indies1 [At Negrailles, an island near the coast of Pegou.] by a terrible mortality. A large part of the crew perished there. I was a hundred leagues from the place where she came to land. As soon as I learned of such a great misfortune, I threw myself into a boat with Father d'Entrecolle to go and rescue her. On our arrival we found two Chaplains dead, all the Surgeons of the vessels also dead or ill; so that we had to serve as doctors, surgeons, chaplains and nurses for two months. La Mousson2 [It is the proper season to go from India to China, when the West winds blow.] urged Father d'Entrecolle to leave with Father Fouquet & Brother Fraperie, who had also come from us to the help of the King's ships; so that I found myself almost alone for quite a long time, having on my hands more than five hundred sick people, several of whom were attacked by contagious diseases. Two other of our Fathers then came to share such a holy work, and to take advantage of an opportunity that we did not believe we would find in India, to serve the French people so usefully, our dear compatriots.
The hand of God was felt very keenly on them; it's a kind of miracle that we were able to save the King's ships. I'm not saying all of them, because the Indian, one of the most beautiful, ran aground on the shores of the Pegou2 [It's a town in Kingdom of Siam, on the Bay of Bengal.], where the others took the disease; there was only the one who separated to bring to Merguy1 [It is a Kingdom which is on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Bengal beyond the Ganges.] the Fathers Tachard & de la Breuille, who was preserved accident. Such a great plague touched many of those who were on the fleet, and served to put them on the road to salvation. There were among them some new converts who were more attached than ever to their errors. I had the consolation of receiving their abjuration, and of seeing them die with great feelings of compunction and penance. The squadron, although reduced by one vessel, is presently in good condition.
We are going in a few days to take possession of Pondicherry; God grant me the grace to stay there only as long as it takes to learn a little the language of the country, which is necessary for me for my dear Mission of Madures. This language is quite different from Turkish, Persian, Moorish & Bengal, which I have already learned; the Persian and the Moor will be of great use to me, because of the large number of Mahometans who are spread over the lands. The Portuguese language will still be necessary for me to deal with our Fathers of this Nation. I was forced to learn it, because I found myself in charge of more than a thousand Portuguese from India, who found themselves abandoned by their Pastor for more than six months.
During the time that I was in charge of it, I received orders from M. L'Eveque de Saint-Thome1 [This town which is also called Meliapor, is on the Coromandel coast.] to publish the Jubilee, and to make them win; these good people did not know what Jubilee was. I worked for more than a month to put them in a position to benefit from the treasure that the Church was opening up to them. I give two sermons a day, and two catechisms. The morning was intended for the instruction of adult catechumens, and the afternoon for that of Christians. Half the night was spent hearing the confessions of the men, and from daybreak until nine o'clock when I said Mass, I heard the confessions of the women. This great work compensated me for the four years I had spent without being able to do anything but learn languages. I feel more eager than ever to study that of Madure, because I am convinced that it will be more useful to me than all the others. I only want to retain from Francois as much as is necessary to write to you, to inform you of everything that will happen in these Missions, and to ask you for the help of your prayers. Remember what you promised me when we parted, and count that every time I said Holy Mass, I thought of you by name. Let us both mutually help to sanctify ourselves, and although we make our Sacrifice so far from each other, let us always unite it in that for which we alone season it. I am with great respect, &c.
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