228 ‘The French in Prince Edward Island

they who always assembled the savages for the an- nual distribution of presents. While they were to im- prove the conduct of the Indians, they were above all to strengthen their attachment to the King and to prevent intercourse with the English. “It is also,” says a French writer, “through the zeal and care of these missionaries, coupled with necessary circum- spection, that the Acadians are kept loyal.” To this end they were given their rations, 500 livres a year, and additional presents for the Indians in winter.’

The French Government would not tolerate any slackness on the part of either priest or missionary and it held the Bishop of Quebec responsible for the patriotism of both. On May 12, 1745, the Minister wrote a very indignant letter to the Bishop, reprov- ing him for the lukewarmness of some of the clergy in the recent French invasions of Acadia. In this letter he says that the King had been informed that only Sieurs Maillard, La Goudalie, Laboret, and Le Loutre had endeavored to assist the French, that Sieur Desenclaves had given information to the Eng- lish and had exhorted his parishioners to be faithful to the King of England, that Sieur Chauvreulx had threatened to excommunicate any who joined the French, and that Sieur Miniac, Vicar-General, al- though he was more circumspect, had acted even more effectually to cause the failure of the enterprise. The King had thought of recalling these three but had decided instead that they should not participate in the distribution of the funds which he had

18 C11 B, Vol. 12, p. 884.