Chapter 126

To the 2d. 3d. and 4th. hee saith that he was in the forte when Capt Kircke and his comp. tooke the same, and there were then in that forte and habitacion thereof when Kircke tooke the same viz. the 20th. day of July 1629. Stilo novo viz 4 brasse peeces weighing each about 150 lb weight, one other peece of brasse ordinance wey. 80 lb weight, 5 Iron boxes serving for the 5 brasse peeces of ordinance, 2 small Iron peeces of ordnance wey. each 8 hundred poundes weight, six murderers with their double boxes or chargers, one small Iron peece of ordnance wey. about 80 lb, 45 small Iron bulletts for the service of the foresaid 5 brasse peeces, six iron bullettes for the service of the foresaid, 26 brasse peeces wey. every one 3 poundes, 30 or 40 poundes of gunpowder all belonging to Mo. de Caen of Deepe Mo. Dollew[831] of Paris Mo. de Nouveau of the samm Mo. Ezemaell Caen of Roen Mo. Deshenn[832] of St. Mallos and 3 or 4 more whose names he doth not remember, aboute 30 poundes of match belonging to the French King, 13 whole and 1 broken muskett, a harquebush, a Croacke belonginge to the said merchants, 2 longe harquebushes 5 or 6 foote longe, a peece belonginge to the Kinge, 2 other harquebushes, 10. halbertes. 12 pikes belonginge to the Kinge, 5 or 6 thousand leaden bulletts plate and barres of lead belonging 60 Corseletts whereof 2 are compleat and pistole proof, 2 greate brasse croes wei. 80 lb, 1 pavilion to lodge aboute 20 men belonging to the King, a smithes fordge with the appurtenances, all necessaries 3/1415 for a kitchen, all tooles and necessaries for a Carpenter as appurtenances of Iron worke for a windmill a hand-mill to grinde corne, a brasse bell belonging to the said merchants, and as he hath bin toulld by the factors for the merchants there were in the warehouse or magazine in the said habitacions aboute two thousand five hundred or 3 thousand beavor skinnes and some cases of knifes the number whereof he hath not heard and some small Iron shafts which did belonge particularly to Mo. de Cane and the forte belonging to the King and the habitacion and houses there belonging to the said merchants were all left standing undefaced, and the inhabitants in those houses had some goods of their owne in them but what they were he cannot expresse, and this he affurmed upon his oath to be true, and more to these Interogatories he cannot answere.

[Note 831: Dolu.]

[Note 832: Deschênes.]

To the 4th. he saith that there were not any victuals or ordinarie sustinance for men in the said forte or habitacion at the tyme of the taking of them, the men in the same haveing lived by the space of about 2 monthes before upon nothinge but rootes.

To the 5th. and 6th. he saith that being in distresse for want of victuals this examinate sent his brother and twenty more persons in a small pinnace of 7 or 8 tonnes called the Le Loania[833] and one hundred coates or gownes to a place called Gaspey and gave his brother order to land twentie of them there, whereof as he remembreth 2 were weomen and 4 children, and gave them each of them 2 Coates of beaver to buy victualls of the Savages, and with the rest to saile to France to give notice of their distresse in the said forte ac aliter nescit.

(_State Paper Office_, vol. V, n. 34.)

[Note 833: La Coquinne.]

III.

9 (19) Novembris 1629.

Eustacie Boule of Paris in France gent. aged twenty nyne yeares or thereabouts sworne as aforesayde sayeth as followeth.

To the first Interrogatory he sayeth that, those Frenchmen which Captaine Kirke tooke at Canada and brought home with him in his shippe have bin very well used by him, but this examinate beinge putt into another shippe called the William was at first some thinge ill used by the company of that shippe, but uppon complaint thereof to Captaine Kirke he caused him to be better used. And he hath not (as he sayeth) bin moved to depose any thinge but truth.

To the second and third he sayeth That he was taken in the Shallopp the Coquinna before the fort was taken, but sayeth that he knoweth that there were in the interr[t] Forte three or fower brasse peeces of Ordnance, twoe iron peeces of ordinance, some musketts and other municion, the perticulers whereof he cannot expresse nor cann he expresse what quantety of goodes were then in that fort or habitacion but he heard that there were then in the habitacion a quantetye of beavers, knifes and Iron shaftes, and he hath heard that part of the munition of the sayd fort did belonge to the French Kinge, and the rest thereof to Mounsr. de Cane, Mounsr. Dolliew, Mounsr. Donovien, 4/1416 Mounsr. Harvey, Mounsr. Deyerton, Mounsr. de Shanne[834] and other French merchants and that the beavers knifes and shafts aforesayde belonged to Mounsr. de Cane in particuler ac aliter nescit.

[Note 834: Deschênes.]

To the fourth he sayeth That they in the fort aforesayde at the tyme of theire takinge fedd only uppon rootes and had noe other sustenance.

To the fifth and sixte he sayeth That Mounsr. Shamplye[835] caused this examinate with twenty nyne persons more, men woemen and children to imbarque themselves in the Interrogate Pinnace and gave this examinate order to carrye them to Gaspie and there to leave them twenty of them amongst the savages to get victualls amongst them and to give them two coates of beaver a peece to buy victualles with, and with the rest to seeke passage for France to make knowne in what necessitye they in the Fort were, And this he affirmeth uppon his oath to be true who was Captayne of the sayde Shalloppe. (_State Paper Office, Colonial Papers_, vol. V, art. 35.)

[Note 835: Champlain.]

IV.

9 (19) Novembris 1629.

Nicholas Blundell of Deepe in France, gent. aged 22 yeares or thereaboutes, sworne as aforesayde sayeth as followeth.

To the first Interrogatory he sayeth That he and the rest of the French taken by Captaine Kirke at Caneda have bin well used and intreated by him in the best manner that he could and as well as himselfe, and hath not bin dealt with to speake any thing more then truth.

To the second and third he sayeth That he was in the Fort of Cabecke when it was taken by Captaine Kirke, and he sayeth that there were then in the sayde fort two greate peeces of Iron Ordnance, but what other munition, goodes or marchandizes, were then [in] that fort or the habitacion thereof he cannott expresse, livinge as a private gentleman to his fashion Ac aliter nescit.

To the fourth he sayeth That there was not any victuall or ordinary susteynance for men in the sayde fort at the tyme of the takinge thereof they havinge lived about a month or six weekes before, only uppon bitter rootes.

To the fifth he cannott depose.

To the last he sayeth that those in the Interrogate pinnace and all the rest of the people of the sayde fort and habitacion except sixteene were sent away, some to goe for France, and the rest to be releived amongst the Salvages in the country. (_State Paper Office, Colonial Series_, vol. V, art. 36.)

V.

The depositions of Capt. David Kyrcke, and Capt. Thomas Kyrcke, John Lowe and Thomas Wade, Factors for the Adventerers to Canada, taken before Sr. Henry Martin, Kt. and Judge of the Admiralty the 17th. (27) of November 1629.

The 26th of March (5th. of April) 1629. we departed from Gravesend with sixe shipps and tow pinnaces and weare of the coast of England, about the 10th. (20) of April following.

5/1417 The 15'th (25) of June wee arrived at Greate Gaspe and went up to Taddowsacke and Quebecke, between that and the 3rd (13) of Julye; in these places we traded with the Natives of the Countrye for 4540 Beavor skinns and 432. stagge skinns, according to the accompt delivered to mee by the Factors and pursors of the shipps, as appeareth to bee true under ther oathes. About the 3rd (13) of Julye I sent my brother with tow hundred men to demaund the rendering of the forte of Quebecke, which was geven up unto him the 9th (19) ditto upon such articles and condicions as are set dowen under the hande writinge of Mr. Champlaine and Mounsier du Pon.

My brother haveing possession of the Forte sent dowen to our shippes all such Bevore skinns as were found therin, which did amount to one thousand seaven hundreth and therteen beavors, as appeareth by the account of the Factors imployed to take the tale and accompte of them, and more beavor skins were not in the sayed Fortte and habitation as farre as I knowe.

These above sayd are the depositions of Capt. David and Capt. Thomas Kyrcke, made the 17th Novembr. 1629.

We John Lowe and Thomas Waade, Factors and pursers in this voyadge with the above sayed Capt. Kyrckes do likewise affirme upon our oathes taken the 17th Novembr. 1629. that there were noe more then 1713 Bevor skinns in the Forte and habitation to our knowledge and that there came no more to the Companies handes.

This the parties abovesayd upon there severall oathes taken before Sr. Henry Martin Kt. Judge of the Admiraltye have affirmed to be true of theire knowledge.

(_State Paper Office, Colonial Papers_, vol. V, art. 37.)

VI.

Demandes de l'Ambassadeur de France au Roy de la Grande Bretagne.

Qu'il plaise à sa Majesté luy accorder la permission de faire saisir les pelletries & autres marchandises apportées de Canada dans deux vaisseaux par les Kirkes, & deschargez secretement, pour le droit des François interessez, contentant à la vendition desdites marchandises, moiennant qu'il y ayt un commis par luy pour y assister, Et que l'argent quy en proviendra soit mis en sequestre jusques en définitive.

Plus qu'il plaise à sa Majesté vouloir remettre à son juge de l'admirauté la cognoissance & le jugement de trois vaisseaux pris en mer par les Holandois, & enmenez en ses portz, reclamez par les propriétaires François.

FONTENAY.

(_State Paper Office, Colonial Series_, vol. V, art. 50.)

VII

(11 février 1630.)

L'ambassadeur de France supplie sa Majesté de la Grande Bretagne qu'il luy plaise ordonner suivant & conformément à ce qui a esté promis & accordé par les articles du XXIIIIe avril dernier, au Capitaine Querch & au Sir Guillaume Alexandre, & telz autres de ses subjectz qui sont ou se trouverront en la 6/1418 nouvelle France, de s'en retirer & remettre entre les mains de ceux qu'il plaira au Roy son Maistre d'y envoier & seront porteurs de sa commission, tous les lieux & places qu'ilz y ont occupez & habitez depuis ces derniers mouvemens, & particulièrement la forteresse & habitation de Québec, costes du Cap Breton & Port roial prins & occupez, scavoir la forteresse de Québec par le Capitaine Querch & les costes du Cap Breton & Port roial par ledit Sir Guillaume Alexandre Escossois, depuis le XXIIIIe avril dernier. Et iceux remettre en mesme estat quilz les ont trouvez, sans en desmolir les fortifications ny bastimens des habitations, ny emporter aucunes armes, munitions, marchandises ny ustencilles de celles qui y estoient lors de la prinse, quilz seront tenuz de rendre & restituer avec toutes les pelletteries quilz ont apportées dudit païs, ensemble la patache commandée par le Capitaine de Caen, qui a esté amenée en Angleterre, comme aussy le navire nommé la Marie de St jean de Luz, du port de soixante dix tonneaux, qui a esté prins par ledit Alexandre au port des baleines, coste du Cap Breton, & partie des hommes ramenez icy par le Capitaine Pomere.

(_Sur le dos est écrite._)

MEMOIRE Whereby the French Amb. desires his Majesty to give order for the restitution of all the places taken in Canada by the English and Scotts during these last troubles: Item of all the goods and ships brought from thence hether all in manner as it was taken, CANADA.

(_State Paper Office, Colonial Séries_, vol. V, art. 50.)

VIII.

Response de Messieurs les Commissaires establis pour les affaires estrangeres sur cinq mémoires à eux presentés par Mr. l'Ambassadeur de France, le premier de Febvrier 1629.

(11 février 1630.)

1. Touchant la restitution des places, navires & biens qui ont esté pris sur les François en Canada, & particulièrement du fort de Québec, Sa Majesté persiste en sa première resolution signifiée audit Sieur Ambassadeur par un Mémoire qui luy fut delivré en Latin, portant que ledit fort & habitation de Québec, qui fut prist par le Capitaine Kirke, le 9 (19) de Juillet, sera restitué en mesme estat qu'il estoit lors de la prise, sans rien abbatre des fortifications ou bâtiments, ny en emporter des armes, munitions, marchandises ou utensiles qui y furent lors trouvées. Et que si aucune chose en avoit esté emportée, elle sera rendue soit en espece ou en valeur, selon la quantité de ce qu'il a peu ou pourra apparoir par nouvelle examination qui en sera faite sur serment avoir esté trouvé audit lieu. Semblablement les peaus qui ont esté prises & emportées dudit fort pour butin & choses de bonne prise, seront restituées selon qu'aussy il peut ou pourra apparoir par le compte exact qui en sera pris là, sur serment qu'elles auront esté prises & emportées dudit lieu. C'est ce que sa Majesté offre & demeure tousjours en resolution d'accomplir selon la première déclaration qu'elle en a faite, & n'estime pas pouvoir estre pressée à davantage sur ce point là en vertu du dernier Traité.

2. Touchant l'abus que ledit Sieur Ambassadeur se plaint avoir esté commis par les Marchans Anglois, en cachant & soustrayant 7/1419 les peaus qui ont esté apportées de Canada, il a esté ordonné par Messieurs du Conseil, & charge expresse par eux donnée à un des clercs du Conseil, de faire une visitation particulière & prendre Inventaire du nombre des peaus qui retient & de faire parfournir ce qui s'y trouvera de manque par les marchants afin d'accomplir toutes choses selon qu'il a esté promis.

3. Quant aux marchandises que Pierre de Joffe & autres marchants de Calais reclament & disent leur avoir esté prises en la navire de Hambourg, Messieurs du Conseil ont pris la cognoissance de ce fait par devers eux ainsy qu'ils en ont esté requis, & se sont fait mettre entre les mains tous les enseignements qui le concernent, avec l'intention de faire faire restitution desdites marchandises selon qu'elles leur apparoistront appartenir de droit ausdits François.

4. 5. Touchant la navire particulière de St-jean de Luz, pris par le fils de Sr William Alexander, & amené à Plemue, & trois autres navires nommez l'Amitié, le Pierre & le Michel de Calais, qui ont esté pris & menés en Escosse, Sa Majesté a donné ordre exprés qu'ils soyent restitués.

(_Sur le dos est écrit._)

Responce de Messieurs les Commissaires aux Mémoires de l'Ambassadeur de France, Canada. _(State Paper Office, Colonial Papers_, vol. V, art. 50.)

IX.

Charles, by the grace of God, Kinge of England Scotland France and Ireland, Defender of the faith, etc. To our right trustie and welbeloved Councellor, Sir Humfrey May Knight Vicechamberlaine of our houshold. Sir John Coke Knight, one of our principall Secretaries of State, Sir Julius Cesar Knight Master of the Rolls, and to our trustie and welbeloved Sir Henry Martin Knight Doctor of the Lawes and Judge of the Admiraltie, Greeting. Whereas Captaine David Kirke and his associats have taken certen goodes moveables merchandize and skynns, from certaine of the French which were remayning in the forte of Kebecke, the Colledge of jesuites, and in a shippe by him taken in Canada in the partes of America, Wee therefore, minding and resolving to be trulie informed and advertised of the same, and of the quality and values of the skynns goodes and merchandize there taken as aforesaid, have assigned and appointed, and by theis presents doe assigne and appointe you the said Sir Humfrey May, Sir John Coke, Sir Julius Cesar, and Sir Henry Martin, to be our Comissioners, giving and by theis presentes granting unto you or anie three or two of you full power and authority to call or send for before you or anie three or two of you at such tyme and tymes, place and places, as to you or anie three or two of you shall seeme most expédient as well all and singuler masters of shippes and mariners as all or any other person or persons whome you shall understand or conceive can give you informacion in or concerning the premisses, and shalbe necessarie to be called for the discovery of the premisses, or anie of them. And wee doe further hereby give unto you, or any three or two of you, full power and authoritie, as well by examinacion of the said masters of shippes marryners or any other person or persons whome you or anie three or two of you, shall thincke fitt upon 8/1420 theire corporall oathes, or without oathe as by anie such other lawfull waies and meanes whatsoever as to you or any three or two of you shalbe thought fitt and expédient to find out and discover the said goodes moveables merchandize and skynnes, and all other necessarie incidents and circumstances concerning the premisses whereby the truth maie the more plainely appeare and be made manifest unto you. And upon such examination taken and discovery made, Wee will require and comaund you or anie three or two of you to certifie and advertise us or our privie councell of such your proceedinges and howe and what you find concerning the premises. And theis presentes or the inrollement thereof shalbe unto you, or anie three or two of you, a sufficient warrant in this behalfe. And lastlie our will and pleasure is, that this our Comission shall continue in force, and that you our said Comissioners, or any three or two of you, shall proceed to the execution thereof, although the same be not from tyme to tyme continued by adjournment. IN WITNESS whereof, wee have caused theis our letters to be made patentes, Winnes our selfe at Westm. the fifte day of March in the fifte yeare of our Raigne.

Per ipsum Regem WILLYS.

(_Sur le dos est écrit._)

A comission to Sr. Humfrey May Knight, and others to examyne what goodes, merchandize and other thinges were taken by Captaine Kirke, at Canady, in the partes of America. 5 mar. 5 Car. WILLYS.

(_State Paper Office, Colonial Series_, vol. V, art. 58.)

X.

In one onely point Monsieur de Chasteauneuf seemed to goe away ill satisfyed, that he could not obtayne a direct promise from His Majesty for ye restoring of Port Royall, joyning to Canada, where some Scottishmen are planted under ye title of Nova Scotia. This plantation was authorized by King James, of happy memorie, under letters patents of ye Kingdome of Scotland, and severall priviledges graunted unto some principall persons of ranke and quality of this Kingdome, with condition to undertake the same. True it is, it was not begun till towards the end of the warre with France, when some of His Majestys subjects of that Kingdome, went to Port Royall, and there seated themselves in a place where no French did inhabite. Mons. de Chasteauneuf pretending (rather out of his owne discourse, as wee here conceive, then by Commission) that all should be putt in state as it was before the warre, and by consequence those men withdrawne, hath pressed His Majesty earnestly for that purpose, and His Majesty without refusing or granting, hath taken time to advise of it, letting him know thus much that unless he found reason as well before as since the warre, to have that place free for his subjects plantation, he would recall them, but in case he shall find the plantation free for them in time of peace, the French will have noe cause to pretend possession thereof in regard of ye warre. Meanewhile Kebec, (which is a strong fortified place in the river of Canada which the English tooke) His Majesty is content should be restored, because the French were removed out of it by strong hand, and whatsoever was taken from them in that fort shall be restored likewise, whereby may appeare the reality of 9/1421 his Majestyes proceedings, and this I advertise your Lordship for your information, not that it should be needfull for you to treate or negotiate in it, but to ye end that if it should be spoken of upon Monsr. de Chasteauneuf's returne, you should not be ignorant how the businesse passed.

DORCHESTER.

Whitehall, 15th, Aprill 1630.

(_Sur le dos est écrit._)

Lord of Dorchester to Sr. Is. Wake, 15. April 1630. Plantation of Canada, Nova Scotia, Port Royall and Kebec.

(_State Paper Office, Colonial Series_, vol. V, art. 82.)

XI, n. I.

To the right honorable the Lords of his Majesties most honorable Privie Councell.