N. E. Dionne - The Makers of Canada: Champlain

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Champlain was much affected on finding that he had a rival in Pont-Grave
whom he had always respected as a father, neither would he accept such a
humiliating position. The king, however, intervened at this time, and
wrote a letter to the associates, requesting them to aid Champlain.

"BY THE KING.

"Dear, and well-beloved:--On the report made to us that
there has hitherto been bad management in the establishment of the
families and workmen sent to the settlement of Quebec, and other
places of New France, we write to you this letter, to declare to
you our desire that all things should proceed better in future; and
to tell you that it will give us pleasure that you should assist,
as much as you conveniently can, the Sieur Champlain in the things
requisite and necessary for the execution of the commands which he
has received from us, to choose experienced and trusty men to be
employed in the discovery, inhabiting, cultivating, and sowing the
lands; and do all the works which he shall judge necessary for the
establishment of the colonies which we desire to plant in the said
country, for the good of the service and the use of our subjects;
without, however, on account of the said discoveries and
settlements, your factors, clerks, and agents in the traffic of
peltry, being troubled or hindered in any way whatever during the
term which we have granted you. And fail not in this, for such is
our pleasure. Given at Paris March 12th, 1618.

(Signed) "Louis."
(And below) "Potier."

The merchants brought their affairs before the notice of the Council of
Tours, who decided that Champlain should retain his position. The action
of the council was a victory for Champlain, but it was soon followed by
another still more agreeable. The associates promised to provide for the
organization of emigration during the following year on a scale which
would assure the success of the settlement. By this arrangement eighty
persons, including three Recollet fathers would arrive in New France
during the year 1619. In order to have the proceedings regularly
conducted, Champlain caused papers to be prepared by notaries, which
were signed on December 21st, 1618, by Pierre du Gua and Lucas Legendre
in the name of the associates, and also by Vermeulle, Corneille de
Bellois and Mathieu d'Insterlo. The document is as follows:

"List of persons to be sent to, and supported at, the settlement of
Quebec for the year 1619.

"There shall be eighty persons, including the chief, three Recollet
fathers, clerks, officers, workmen and labourers. Every two persons
shall have a mattress, a paillasse, two blankets, three pairs of new
sheets, two coats each, six shirts, four pairs of shoes, and one capote.

"For the arms:--Forty musquets, with their bandaliers, twenty-four
pikes, four arquebuses a rouet [wheel-lock] of four to five feet, one
thousand pounds of fine powder, one thousand pounds of powder for
common, six thousand pounds of lead, and a match-stump.

"For the men:--A dozen scythes with their handles, hammers, and other
tools; twelve reaping-hooks, twenty-four spades, twelve picks, four
thousand pounds of iron, two barrels of steel, ten tons of lime [none
having been then found in this country], ten thousand curved, or twenty
thousand flat tiles, ten thousand bricks to build an oven and chimneys,
two mill-stones [the kind of stone fit for that purpose was not
discovered till some years afterwards.]

"For the service of the table of the chief:--Thirty-six dishes, as many
bowls and plates, six saltcellars, six ewers, two basins, six pots of
six pints each, six pints, six chopines [about half a pint] six
demy-septiers, the whole of pewter, two dozen table-cloths, twenty-four
dozen napkins.

"For the kitchen:--A dozen of copper boilers, six pairs andirons, six
frying-pans, six gridirons.

"Shall also be taken out:--Two bulls of one year old, heifers, and as
many sheep as convenient; all kinds of seeds for sowing.

"The commander of the settlement shall have charge of the arms and
ammunition which are actually there, and of those which shall afterwards
be sent, so long as he shall be in command; and the clerk or factor who
shall reside there shall take charge of all merchandise; as well as of
the furniture and utensils of the company, and shall send a regular
account of them, signed by him, by the ships.

"Also shall be sent, a dozen mattresses complete, like those of
families, which shall be kept in the magazine for the use of the sick
and wounded, etc., etc.

"Signed at Paris December 21st, 1618, and compared with the original [on
paper] by the undersigned."

Champlain submitted this document to the king, who approved it, but
nevertheless the associates were afterwards unwilling to fulfil its
conditions. The Prince de Conde having been discharged from prison on
October 20th, 1619, the king forwarded to him his commission of viceroy,
and the Company of Rouen granted him a thousand ecus.

The prince gave five hundred ecus to the Recollets for the construction
of a seminary at Quebec, and this was his only gift to the settlement of
New France. The prince afterwards sold his commission as viceroy to the
Duke of Montmorency, Admiral of France, for the sum of thirty thousand
ecus. Dolu, grand almoner of the kingdom, was appointed intendant. The
duke renewed Champlain's commission as lieutenant of the viceroy, and at
the same time advised him to return to Quebec to strengthen his
positions everywhere, in order that the country might be secure against
invasion.

The patronage of Montmorency greatly encouraged Champlain, for the duke
exercised great power. He therefore resolved to take his young wife to
Quebec with him, for she had never been to Canada. Champlain concluded
his private business in France, and took all his effects to the new
settlement, as he had determined to take up his residence there. Before
leaving France, all the difficulties in connection with his command were
removed, and the king wrote him a very gracious letter, in which His
Majesty expressed his esteem for his loyal and faithful subject.

The new administration of the Duke of Montmorency created
dissatisfaction amongst the merchants of the society, which in fact had
only changed its name of the "Company of Rouen" to the "Company of
Montmorency or of de Caen." The associates forming the old company had
hoped that Champlain would have been placed in the shade, especially
when they learned that he intended to fortify Quebec and settle in the
country. No action, however, was taken until the new company had
commenced its administration. Champlain remained in ignorance of these
facts until the arrival of the vessels in the spring of 1621, when he
received letters from M. de Puiseux, _secretaire des commandements du
roi_, from the intendant Dolu, from de Villemenon, intendant of the
admiralty, from Guillaume de Caen, one of the members of the new
association, and from the viceroy, which last is here given:--

"Monsieur Champlain: For many reasons I have thought fit
to exclude the former Company of Rouen and St. Malo from the trade
with New France, and to assist you and provide you with everything
necessary, I have chosen the Sieurs de Caen, uncle and nephew, and
their associates: one is a good merchant, and the other a good
naval captain, who can aid you well, and make the authority of the
king respected in my government. I recommend you to assist him and
those who shall apply to you on his part, so as to maintain them in
the enjoyment of the articles which I have granted them. I have
charged the Sieur Dolu, intendant of the affairs of the country, to
send you a copy of the treaty by the first voyage, so that you may
know to what they are bound, in order that they may execute their
engagement, as, on my part, I desire to perform what I have
promised.

"I have taken care to preserve your appointments, as I believe you
will continue to serve the king well.

"Your most affectionate and perfect friend,

"Montmorency.

"From Paris, February 2nd, 1621."

The letter of Louis XIII was also satisfactory:

"Champlain: I have perceived by your letters of August
15th, with what affection you work at your establishment, and for
all that regards the good of my service: for which, as I am
thankful to you, so I shall have pleasure in recognizing it to your
advantage whenever the occasion shall offer: and I have willingly
granted some munitions of war, which were required to give you
better means to subsist and to continue in that good duty, which I
promise myself from your care and fidelity."

"Paris, February 24th, 1621.

"Louis."

It was in this manner that the sentence of death was given to the old
company.

Several members of the old Company of Rouen and St. Malo were
incorporated in the Company of Montmorency, which was composed of
Guillaume de Caen, Ezechiel de Caen, Guillaume Robin, three merchants of
Rouen; Francois de Troyes, president of the treasury of France at
Orleans; Jacques de Troyes, merchant; Claude Le Ragois, general receiver
of finance at Limoges; Arnould de Nouveau, Pierre de Verton, councillor
and secretary of the king, and Francois Herve, merchant of Paris. The
two brothers de Caen belonged to the reformed religion.

Dolu advised Champlain to restrain the hands of the clerks of the old
company, and to seize all the merchandise in the magazine. He claimed
that although this measure was rigorous, it was justified by the fact
that the company had not fulfilled its obligations towards the
settlement of New France. De Villemenon's letter was dictated in much
the same terms. Guillaume de Caen gave notice that he would soon arrive
in Quebec with arms and stores for the settlement. Dolu's letter
regarding the seizure of merchandise was couched in terms that might be
considered imperative, nevertheless Champlain deemed it prudent to act
with caution, and he therefore had conferred with Father George Le
Baillif and Captain Dumay[18] on the subject.

The elder clerk had some clerks under him at Quebec, who after hearing
of the contents of Dolu's letter, were prepared to resist any
curtailment of their rights. Champlain appeased them, and assured them
that they would be allowed freedom of trading at least until the arrival
of Guillaume de Caen, the extent of whose authority was not yet known.

Caumont, the chief clerk, declared that he was satisfied with this
arrangement, but nevertheless the situation was difficult. If the king
had given the order to confiscate the merchandise, then Dumay, whose
visit to Canada was for the purpose of fur trading, would become the
king of commerce in New France, and therefore he had nothing to lose in
awaiting de Caen's arrival. He proceeded at once to Tadousac, but
instead of meeting de Caen, he found that Pont-Grave had arrived as the
representative of the old company, and that he had with him seventy-five
men and some clerks.

Champlain was much distressed on receiving these tidings, for he foresaw
a conflict which would possibly entail bloodshed. The clerks also were
despondent. In order to avoid a quarrel, Champlain deemed it advisable
to protect his men, and he therefore installed his brother-in-law,
Eustache Boulle, and Captain Dumay with sixteen men, in the small fort
which he had erected at Cape Diamond during the preceding year.
Champlain defended himself within the habitation, where he quartered all
the men he could dispose of. If the clerks were inclined to fight he
would defend his position, but he hoped that these precautionary
measures would prove the means of preventing bloodshed.

On May 7th, 1621, three of the clerks of Guillaume de Caen left Tadousac
and took up their quarters near the habitation. Father Le Baillif and
Jean Baptiste Guers asked them to produce their papers. They declared
that they had authority to trade from the old Company of Rouen, which
still existed through articles agreed to by the Duke of Montmorency, and
that a trial was at present pending between the two societies. On
receiving this information from Father Le Baillif, Champlain decided to
allow five clerks the necessary merchandise for trading; they were,
however, told that the old company had been dissolved, and that the new
company only was invested with authority to trade. The clerks were
satisfied with Champlain's decision, but they objected to the presence
of armed soldiers in the fort, which they claimed was not in accordance
with the king's commands. The clerks finally went to Three Rivers to
carry on their trade.

On June 13th, Pont-Grave arrived at Quebec. Here he was questioned as
to his authority, although he was treated with the respect and courtesy
due to his age and character. Pont-Grave assured Champlain that the
disputes between the two companies would be resolved in a friendly way,
and that he had received news to this effect before he sailed from
Honfleur. He then started for Three Rivers to join his clerks.

Some days after these events, a clerk named Rouvier, in the employ of de
Caen, arrived with letters from Dolu, de Villemenon, and Guillaume de
Caen, and left a copy of an order-in-council in favour of the old
company. Champlain also received a letter from the king. The
order-in-council granted permission to both companies to trade during
the year 1621, provided that both should contribute equally towards the
maintenance of the captains, soldiers, and the inhabitants of Quebec.

Foreseeing a conflict between de Caen and Pont-Grave, Champlain went to
Tadousac, and advised de Caen to respect Pont-Grave's authority. De Caen
replied that he could not do so, as he had received authority privately
from the king. Champlain therefore assured the commandment to
Pont-Grave's vessel, in order to protect his old friend, and thus it
happened that this affair which threatened to produce serious
consequences, was smoothed over through Champlain's intervention.
Pont-Grave then took possession of his vessel in the presence of de
Caen, who offered no opposition, and a few days after they both returned
to France.

De Caen had promised to send twenty-five men to Quebec, but he sent only
eighteen. A certain quantity of stores was also brought to Quebec at
this time by Jacques Halard, and a number of halberds, arquebuses,
lances, and many barrels of powder, which were delivered in the presence
of Jean Baptiste Varin, who had been sent by Guillaume de Caen, and
Guers.

Father Georges Le Baillif also left for France during the autumn, as a
delegate from the inhabitants of the settlement, who had prepared a
memorandum of their grievances. This document was signed by Champlain,
Father Jamet, Father Le Caron, Louis Hebert, Guillaume Couillard,
Eustache Boulle, Pierre Reye, Olivier Le Tardif, J. Groux, Pierre
Desportes, Nicholas and J.B. Guers. On his arrival in France, Father Le
Baillif had an interview with the king, and placed the memorandum in
question in His Majesty's hands. The king admitted that the complaints
were well founded, but at the same time he stated that it was impossible
to grant all that was requested. The Huguenots were to retain their
commercial liberty, and Champlain obtained some supplies, and his
salary, which was formerly six hundred livres, was increased to twelve
hundred.

Father Le Baillif's mission was unfruitful, for he brought word of the
amalgamation of the two companies, whose chiefs were Guillaume de Caen,
Ezechiel de Caen, and their nephew, Emery de Caen. The order-in-council
establishing this large company granted to them the liberty of trading
in New France, and all French subjects were eligible for admission to
the society. By this arrangement the de Caens were obliged to pay the
sum of ten thousand livres to the members of the old Rouen association,
and a sum equal to the value of their goods, barques and canoes. The old
company received five-twelfths of the Company of Montmorency,
one-twelfth of which was reserved by de Monts, who was at that time
living at his residence in Saintonge. By this latter arrangement,
however, the de Caens were relieved from the payment of the ten thousand
livres imposed upon them by the order-in-council. When Father Le Baillif
returned to Quebec in the spring of 1622, all the old rivalry had
disappeared. The Company of Rouen had adopted the name of the Company of
Montmorency with the de Caens as chiefs.

The principal articles stipulated in the agreement were:--

1. Champlain to be lieutenant of the viceroy, with precedence on land,
and to command the habitation of Quebec, and to have command of all the
French residents in New France. Ten men were also to be placed at his
disposal, who were to be maintained at the expense of de Caen, who was
also to pay to each an annual sum of twenty livres.

2. The company was also to maintain six Recollet fathers, two of whom
were to be engaged in missions to the savages.

3. The company was to support and maintain six families of labourers,
carpenters and masons, during the period of the agreement, the families
to be changed every two years.

4. The company was to pay the sum of twelve hundred francs as a salary
to Champlain.

5. Champlain was to enjoy the privilege of trading for eleven years, and
to this term the king added another eleven years.

The first man to bring the news of a change of authority was a clerk
named Santein, but it was confirmed some days after by the arrival of
Pont-Grave and Guillaume de Caen, who were accompanied by a clerk named
Le Sire, an underclerk named Thierry-Desdames,[19] and Raymond de la
Ralde. De Caen handed to Champlain a letter from the king, who advised
him to recognize the authority of the new company, and also to endeavour
to maintain peace and harmony. When de Caen had completed his trading at
Three Rivers he sailed again for France, leaving Pont-Grave as chief
clerk at Quebec, and Le Baillif as underclerk at Tadousac.

In order to establish good order throughout the country, Champlain
published certain ordinances, which should be regarded as the first code
of Canadian laws. Although it was desirable to maintain peace, it was
also necessary to prepare to resist the attacks of the Iroquois, who
were becoming more and more active. A party of the Iroquois had
approached Quebec, and were observed to be rambling in the vicinity of
the Recollets' convent, on the north shore of the River St. Charles.
They finally made an attack, but they were repulsed with loss by the
French and the Montagnais, whose chief was Mahicanaticouche, Champlain's
friend. This chief was the son of the famous Anadabijou, who had
contracted the first alliance with the French at Tadousac in 1603.

In the year 1623, the vessels arrived from France later than usual, and
the rendezvous took place at Cape de la Victoire on July 23rd. On this
occasion the following persons were present: Champlain, Pont-Grave,
Guillaume de Caen, Captain Duchesne, des Marets, De Vernet, Etienne
Brule, an interpreter, Loquin, a clerk, Father Nicholas Viel, and
Brother Sagard-Theodat.

On his return to Quebec, Champlain declared that certain sailors had
appropriated a number of beaver skins, and he therefore confiscated them
and had them placed in the store, pending the decision of the company.
This infraction of the rules of commerce was trifling when compared with
the contraband which was carried on freely in the lower St. Lawrence.
The merchants of La Rochelle and the Basques were the most notorious in
this respect. Their vessels were constantly sailing from one shore to
another, trading furs, although they had no authority to do so. They
were found at Tadousac, at Bic, and at Green Island. The Spanish,
English and Dutch vessels also carried on an illegitimate trade in the
same waters. Champlain mentions the fact that a Spanish captain, whose
vessel was anchored at Green Island, had sent his sailors at night to
Tadousac, in order that they might watch what was being done, and hear
what was being said on board the _Admiral_.

At the commencement of the spring of 1624, a dark cloud hung over New
France. The winter had been severe, and provisions were scarce.
Champlain had only four barrels of flour in the store, so that he was
anxiously awaiting assistance. On June 2nd he received good news. A
vessel of sixty tons was anchored at Tadousac, laden with pease,
biscuits and cider. To the starving settlement this was most welcome,
and some days after Guillaume de Caen arrived with still more
provisions.

After having traded at Three Rivers, de Caen visited Quebec, the Island
of Orleans, and the vicinity of Cape Tourmente and the neighbouring
islands. He was now the proprietor of these lands, having received them
as a gift from the Duke of Montmorency.

Champlain now resolved to recross the ocean, and to take with him his
young wife, who had spent four years in Quebec. Emery de Caen was given
the command of the settlement in the absence of Champlain. On August
18th two ships sailed from Tadousac, having on board Champlain, Helene
Boulle, Font-Grave, Guillaume de Caen, Father Piat, Brother Sagard, J.B.
Guers, Joubert, and Captain de la Vigne. At Gaspe, Raymond de la Ralde
and a pilot named Cananee joined the party. The voyage was brief and
pleasant to Champlain's party, but Cananee's ship was captured by the
Turks, and its commander was put to a cruel death.[20]

FOOTNOTES:

[18] His correct name was Dume dit Leroy. He made a single voyage to
Quebec, and he had on board Jean Baptiste Guers, delegate of the Duke of
Montmorency. Dume was born at St. Gomer de Fly, Beauvais. A member of
his family who resided at Havre de Grace was one of the chief consignees
of the company of St. Christophe in the West Indies.

[19] Thierry-Desdames arrived at Quebec in 1622, as underclerk of the
company, which position he occupied until 1628. We lose trace of him
after that date, but we find him again in 1639 at Miscou Island, where
he served as captain. He was a good Catholic, charitable, and a friend
of the Jesuits.

[20] Cananee was one of the most famous French navigators of his time.
From 1608 to 1624 he used to fish on the banks of Miscou and in the
gulf. He was at first captain and co-proprietor of the _Mouton_, a
vessel of one hundred and twenty tons, but some years later, he
commanded the _Ste. Madeleine_, a ship of fifty tons. It was this vessel
that the Turks captured on the coast of Bretagne. Cananee was a fervent
Catholic.

CHAPTER VIII

CHAMPLAIN, THE JESUITS AND THE SAVAGES

The first inhabitants of the settlement of New France were the
interpreters, clerks, and workmen, employed by the merchants. They were
termed the winterers, in opposition to the captains and sailors who
visited the colony for the purpose of trading only. The interpreters
present an interesting feature in the life of the new colony. Their
functions rendered it necessary for them to reside for an indefinite
period with an Indian tribe, in order to qualify themselves to act as
interpreters for their countrymen during trade, or for the missionaries
while catechising or providing other religious exercises. A daily
intercourse with the Indians was absolutely essential in order to induce
them to keep their appointments with the traders at the established
rendezvous. The interpreters had seldom any other occupation, although
some of them acted as clerks, and thereby received a larger salary, in
addition to a certain number of beaver skins which they could exchange
for goods.

Etienne Brule and Nicholas Marsolet, who arrived at Quebec with
Champlain in the year 1608, acted as interpreters, but at first they did
not meet with much success. They were, however, both young and
intelligent, and Brule soon acquired a knowledge of the Huron language,
while Marsolet mastered the idiom of the Algonquin tongue. Brule spent
nearly all his life among the Hurons, who adopted him as a member of
their family, while Marsolet accompanied the Algonquins to Allumette
Island, and became one of their best friends. Historians of Canada
mention the names of many other interpreters of this period, some of
whom founded families, while others afterwards returned to France. In
the year 1613 three interpreters arrived, Nicholas du Vignau, Jacques
Hertel, and Thomas Godefroy. In the year 1618 there was only one
arrival, Jean Manet, who took up his residence among the people residing
on the shores of Lake Nipissing.

In the year 1619 Jean Nicolet came to Canada, and won great esteem in
the country of his choice. He was the father of a large family, the
descendants of whom are very numerous. Three more interpreters came in
1621, Du Vernet, Le Baillif, and Olivier Le Tardif, and two in 1623,
namely, Jean-Paul Godefroy and Jacques Couillard, and finally in 1624
Jean Richer and Lamontagne, thus making twelve interpreters between the
years 1608 and 1625. Of this number the two Godefroys, Marsolet,
Nicolet, Hertel, and Le Tardif were distinguished on account of the part
which they took in Canadian affairs; and the knowledge which they had
obtained of the native languages rendered them competent to discuss
delicate questions relating to the welfare of the colony. Their services
to the authorities, both civil and religious, were therefore at certain
periods exceedingly valuable. It is among these men that we may
fittingly seek for the founders of the Canadian race.

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