Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Figures
- List of Original Source Material
- Preface
- Introduction
- Chapter One Beginnings: Europe and the Wider World
- Chapter Two Expansion: The Old World and a New World
- Chapter Three Spain Ascendant: Conquest and Colonization
- Chapter Four Interlopers: Pirates, Traders, Trappers, Missionaries
- Chapter Five Profit and Piety: The English Settlements
- Chapter Six The Sea and the Land: Open Space, Abundance, Frontier
- Index
Chapter Four - Interlopers: Pirates, Traders, Trappers, Missionaries
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 September 2020
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Figures
- List of Original Source Material
- Preface
- Introduction
- Chapter One Beginnings: Europe and the Wider World
- Chapter Two Expansion: The Old World and a New World
- Chapter Three Spain Ascendant: Conquest and Colonization
- Chapter Four Interlopers: Pirates, Traders, Trappers, Missionaries
- Chapter Five Profit and Piety: The English Settlements
- Chapter Six The Sea and the Land: Open Space, Abundance, Frontier
- Index
Summary
While the good Father was thus encouraging these good people, a wretched Iron renegade … whom Father de Breboeuf had formerly instructed and baptized—hearing him speak Paradise and Holy Baptism, was irritated, and said to him, … “[T]hou sayest that Baptism and the sufferings of this life lead straight to Paradise; thou wilt go soon, for I am going to baptize thee, and to make thee suffer well, in order to go the sooner to thy Paradise.” The barbarian, having said that, took a kettle full of boiling water, which he poured over his body three different times, in derision of Holy baptism. And, each time that he baptized him in this manner, the barbarian said to him, with bitter sarcasm, “Go to Heaven, for thou art well baptized.”
—“A veritable Account of the Martyrdom and Blessed death of Father Jean de Breboeuf and of Father Gabriel L’Alemant, in New France, in the country of the Hurons, by the Iroquois, enemies of the Faith” (1649)They took the prisoners to the border of the water, and fastened them perfectly upright to a stake. Then each came with a torch of birch bark, and burned them, now in this place, now in that. The poor wretches, feeling the fire, raised so loud a cry that it was something frightful to hear; and frightful indeed are the cruelties which these barbarians practise towards each other. After making them suffer greatly in this manner and burning them with the abovementioned bark, taking some water, they threw it on their bodies to increase their suffering. Then they applied the fire anew, so that the skin fell from their bodies, they continuing to utter loud cries and exclamations, and dancing until the poor wretches fell dead on the spot.
As soon as a body fell to the ground dead, they struck it violent blows with sticks, when they cut off the arms, legs, and other parts; and he was not regarded by them as manly, who did not cut off a piece of the flesh, and give it to the dogs. Such are the courtesies prisoners receive.
—Samuel de Champlain, “Second Voyage of Sieur. de Champlain to New France, in the Year 1610” (1613)- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Old World, the New World, and the Creation of the Modern World, 1400–1650An Interpretive History, pp. 109 - 138Publisher: Anthem PressPrint publication year: 2013