328 AN INTERLUDE. [1694. 



Frontenac showed great moderation, but grew 

 vehement, and then violent, as the dispute pro- 

 ceeded ; as did also the attorney-general, who seems 

 to have done his best to exasperate him. Fron- 

 tenac affirmed that, in depriving Mareuil and 

 others of the sacraments, with no proof of guilt 

 and no previous warning, and on allegations which, 

 even if true, could not justify the act, the bishop 

 exceeded his powers, and trenched on those of the 

 king. The point was delicate. The attorney- 

 general avoided the issue, tried to raise others, and 

 revived the old quarrel about Frontenac's place in 

 the council, which had been settled fourteen years 

 before. Other questions were brought up, and 

 angrily debated. The governor demanded that 

 the debates, along with the papers which intro- 

 duced them, should be entered on the record, that 

 the king might be informed of every thing; but 

 the demand was refused. The discords of the 

 council chamber spread into the town. Quebec 

 was divided against itself. Mareuil insulted the 

 bishop ; and some of his scapegrace sympathizers 

 broke the prelate's windows at night, and smashed 

 his chamber-door. 1 Mareuil was at last ordered 

 to prison, and the whole affair was referred to the 

 king. 2 



These proceedings consumed the spring, the 

 summer, and a part of the autumn. Meanwhile, 

 an access of zeal appeared to seize the bishop ; and 

 he launched interdictions to the right and left. 



1 Champigntj an Ministre, 27 Oct., 1694. 



2 Registre du Conseil Souverain ; Requeste du Sieur de Mareuil, Nov., 1694. 



