the fairest
provinces of France, Le Perry, and was dependent upon the archdiocese of
Bourges. Famous vineyards, verdant meadows, well cultivated fields, rich
farms, forests full of game and ponds full of fish made this abbey an
admirable domain; unfortunately, the expenses of maintaining or
repairing the buildings, the dues payable to the government, the
allowances secured to the monks, and above all, the waste and theft
which must necessarily victimize proprietors separated from their
tenants by the whole breadth of an ocean, must absorb a great part of
the revenues. Letters of the steward of this property to the Bishop of
Quebec are instructive in this matter. "M. Porcheron is still the same,"
writes the steward, M. Matberon, "and bears me a grudge because I desire
to safeguard your interests. I am incessantly carrying on the work of
needful repairs in all the places dependent on Maubec, chiefly those
necessary to the ponds, in order that M. Porcheron may have no damages
against you. This is much against his will, for he is constantly seeking
an excuse for litigation. He swears that he does not want your farm any
longer, but as for me, I believe that this is not his feeling, and that
he would wish the farm out of the question, for he is too fond of
hunting and his pleasure to quit it.... He does his utmost to remove me
from your service, insinuating many things against me which are not
true; but this does not lessen my zeal in serving you."

Mgr. de Laval, who did not hesitate at any exertion when it was a
question of the interests of his Church, did not fail to go and visit
his two abbeys. He set out, happy in the prospect of being able to
admire these magnificent properties whose rich revenues would permit him
to do so much good in his diocese; but he was painfully affected at the
sight of the buildings in ruins, sad relics of the wars of religion. In
order to free himself as much as possible from cares which would have
encroached too much upon his precious time and his pastoral duties,
Laval caused a manager to be appointed by the Royal Council for the
abbey of Lestrees, and rented it for a fixed sum to M. Berthelot. He
also made with the latter a very advantageous transaction by exchanging
with him the Island of Orleans for the Ile Jesus; M. Berthelot was to
give him besides a sum of twenty-five thousand francs, which was
employed in building the seminary. Later the king made the Island of
Orleans a county. It bec