1636-46.] PRIESTLY AUTHORITY. I53 



of royalty and all the patronage of power. And, 

 as often happens where the mterests of a hierarchy 

 are identified with the interests of a ruling class, 

 religion was become a fashion, as graceful and as 

 comforting as the courtier's embroidered mantle or 

 the court lady's robe of fur. 



Such, we may well believe, was the complexion 

 of the enthusiasm which animated some of Le 

 Jeune's noble and princely correspondents. But 

 there were deeper fervors, glowing in the still 

 depths of convent cells, and kindling the breasts 

 of their inmates with quenchless longings. Yet 

 we hear of no zeal for the mission among religious 

 communities of men. The Jesuits regarded the 

 field as their own, and desired no rivals. They 

 looked forward to the day when Canada should 

 be another Paraguay.^ It was to the combustible 

 hearts of female recluses that the torch was most 

 busily applied ; and here, accordingly, blazed forth 

 a prodigious and amazing flame. " If all had their 

 pious will," writes Le Jeune, " Quebec would soon 

 be flooded with nuns." ^ 



Both Montmagny and De Lisle were half 

 churchmen, for both were Knights of Malta. 

 More and more the powers spiritual engrossed the 

 colony. As nearly as might be, the sword itself 

 was in priestly hands. The Jesuits were all in 

 all. Authority, absolute and without appeal, was 



1 " Que si celuy qui a escrit cette lettre a leu la Relation de ce qui se 

 passe au Paraguais, qu'il a veu ce qui se fera un jour en la NouueUe 

 France." — Le Jeune, Relation, 1637, 304 (Cramoisy). 



2 Chaulmer, Le Nouveau Monde Chrestien, 41, is eloquent on this 

 theme 



