42 FRONTENAC AND PERROT. 



[1675. 



to request you to show him especial consideration, 

 though, in the exercise of his profession, he will 

 rarely have occasion to see you." 



As D'Urfe had lately addressed a memorial to 

 Colbert, in which the conduct of Frontenac is 

 painted in the darkest colors, the almost imper- 

 ceptible rebuke couched in the above lines does 

 no little credit to the tact and moderation of the 

 stern minister. 



Colbert next begs Frontenac to treat with kind- 

 ness the priests of Montreal, observing that Breton- 

 villiers, their Superior at Paris, is his particular 

 friend. " As to M. Perrot," he continues, " since 

 ten months of imprisonment at Quebec and three 

 weeks in the Bastile may suffice to atone for his 

 fault, and since also he is related or connected with 

 persons for whom I have a great regard, I pray 

 you to accept kindly the apologies which he will 

 make you, and, as it is not at all likely that he will 

 fall again into any offence approaching that which 

 he has committed, you will give me especial pleas- 

 ure in granting him the honor of your favor and 

 friendship." 1 



Fenelon, though the recent marriage had allied 

 him also to Colbert, fared worse than either of the 

 other parties to the dispute. He was indeed sus- 

 tained in his claim to be judged by an ecclesiastical 

 tribunal ; but his Superior, Bretonvilliers, forbade 

 him to return to Canada, and the king approved 

 the prohibition. Bretonvilliers wrote to the Sul- 

 pitian priests of Montreal : " I exhort you to profit 



1 Colbert a Frontenac, 13 Mai, 1675. 



