(1611-Unknown)
Martine was alone, when her home was attacked by three warriors, who fired rifle shots in the air, hoping to take her alive. At the time, most Native men did not like to hit women, preferring to take them captive, and if it was deemed that they should be executed, would allow the women to handle the deed.
But Martine would not surrender so easily. Backed into a corner she kicked, screamed, and flailed her arms wildly; despite taking a beating; and when it looked like she was through, one of the men grabbed her by the hair to remove her scalp. However, she in turn, grabbed...well...his hair; and the man screamed in pain, beating her with his hatchet until she was near death.
According to Historian and Catholic Priest, Dollier de Casson, ''The woman defended herself like a
lioness, but as she had no weapons but hands and feet, at the third or fourth blow they felled her as if dead.
Immediately one of the Iroquois flung himself upon her to scalp her and escape with this shameful trophy. But as our amazon felt herself so seized, she at once recovered her senses, raised herself and, more fierce than ever, caught hold of this monster so forcibly by a place which modesty forbids us to mention that he could not free himself. He beat her with his hatchet over the head, but she maintained her hold steadily until once again she fell unconscious to the earth, and so allowed this Iroquois to flee as fast as he could, that being all he thought of at the moment, for he was nearly caught by our Frenchmen, who were racing to the spot from all directions.
The poor woman was in such a state of shock, that when the other French settlers ran toward the house, fearing the worst, one man embraced Martine; thrilled to find her alive. Again de Casson: ''In addition this episode was followed by a most amusing thing. When these Frenchmen who came to her help had lifted up this woman, one of them embraced her in token of compassion and affection. But she, coming round, and feeling herself embraced, delivered a heavy blow to this warm-hearted helper, which made the others say to her: 'What are you doing? This man but wished to show his friendly feeling for you with no thought of evil, why do you hit him?' She answered, 'Parmanda, I thought he wanted to kiss me'."
Of course, the actual quote in the original French text was 'Parmanda, Je croyois qu'il me vouloit baiser,'' which loosely translated is: 'I swear, I thought he was going to rape me'. However, basier is more of a vulgar term for sexual intercourse, but after what Martine had survived, we can forgive her a four letter word.
This courageous lady would remain in Montreal with her husband, and adopted daughter Catherine Primot (Primeau) Thierry. Catherine was orphaned when her parents Guillaume Thierry and Elizabeth Messier (Martine's sister) died at St-Enis-le-Petie-Pas, France. She married Charles Lemoyne on May 28, 1654 and the couple had eleven children, who no doubt all heard the story of their brave grandmother.
As for Martine, from that day on, she became known as Parmanda or 'I Swear'; respected by all who knew her and loved to tell the tale. No doubt even by a young Iroquois man, whose war cry was a little higher pitched, after the day he tried to mess with Martine Messier.
