9 96822-partii contemporary documents relating to champlain

7/28/2019 9 96822-PartII Contemporary Documents Relating to Champlain

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SIXCONTEMPORARYDOCUMENTS

RELATING TO

CHAMPLAIN1610-1618


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IPara devant Nicolas Chocquillet et Loys Arragon, notaireset gardenottes 1 du Roy nostre Sire en son chastelet de Paris,soubzsignez, furent presens en leurs personnes MessireNicolas Boulle, secretaire de la Chambre du Roy, demeuranta Paris, Rue et parroisse St. Germain d'Auxerrois, et Mar

gueritte Alix, sa femme, de luy auctorisee en ceste partye,ou nom et comme stipulans et eulx faisant fort , pour HeleyneBoulle, leur fille, a ce presente, et de son consentementd'vne part, et noble homme Samuel de C.hamplain, sieurdudict lieu, capitaine ordinaire de la marine, demeuranta a ville de Brouage, pays de Saintonge, fils de feu Anthoinede Complain/ vivant capitaine de la Marine et de dame

11 From the Archives Nationales, Paris, Serie Y, volume 150, :ff. 293--94b Sic.

IBefore Nicolas Chocquillet and Loys Arragon, notariesand notary-record-keepers 1 of the King our sovereign Lord

in his Chatelet of Paris, subscribing, were present in theirpersons Messire Nicolas Boulle, Secretary of the King'sChamber, residing at Paris, in the street and parish of St.Germain 1'Auxerrois, and Margueritte Alix, his wife, by himauthorized in this party, in the name of and contracting forand representing Heleyne Boulle, their daughter, upon thispresent, and vvith her consent, of the one part, and nobleman Samuel de Champlain, Lord of the said place, Captainin ordinary in the Navy, residing in the town of Brouage,province of Saintonge, son of the late Anthoine de Complain,in his lifetime Captain in the Navy, and of Dame Margueritte

1 Notaires gardes-notes. Officers appointed within everie Bailliage,an d Siege Royal (by Edict anno 1575) to receive from the widows or heirsof deceased Notaries all such notes, draughts, & Records of Instruments asthey left behind them; since that time all Notaries and ,Tabellions havebeene, by another Edict, made Gardes-Notes. (Cotgrave.)


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816 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAINMargueritte Le Roy, ses pere et mere, ledict Sieur deChamplain estant de present en ceste ville de Paris, logeRue Tirechappe 1 de ladicte parroisse St. Germain d'Auxerrois,pour luy et en son nom d'autre part, lesquelles parties deleurs bons grez se ont recongnu et confesse en la presencepar l'advis et consentement de Messires Pierre du Gas,gentilhomme ordinaire de la chambre du Roy, et son lieutenantgeneral en la Nouvelle France, Gouverneur de Pontz enSaintonge pour le service de Sa Majeste, amy, honnorablehomme Lucas Le Gendre, marchand bourgeois de la villede Rouen, aussy amy, honnorable homme Hercules Rouer,bourgeois de Paris, Marcel Chesnu, marchand bourgeois deParis, Messire Jehan Roeruau,2 secretaire dudict Sieur deMont, amiz dudict sieur futur Espouz, et d'honnorablehomme F r a n ~ o i s Le Saige, apoticaire de l'escurye du Roy,allie et amy, Jehan Ravenel, sieur de La Merrois, Pierre Noel,

Le Roy, his father and mother, the said Sieur de Champlainbeing at present in this city of Paris, lodging in the rueTirechappe 1 of the said parish of St. Germain 1'Auxerrois,for himself and in his name, on the other part, which partiesof their own free will in the presence, and with the adviceand consent of Messires Pierre du Gas, gentleman in ordinaryof the King's Chamber, and his Lieutenant-General in NewFrance, Governor for his Majesty's service of Pons inSaintonge, friend, honourable Lucas Le Gendre, merchantcitizen of the town of Rouen, also friend, honourable HerculesRouer, citizen of Paris, Marcel Chesnu, merchant citizen ofParis, Messire Jehan Roeruau,2 Secretary of the said Sieurde Mont, friends of the said future husband, and of honourable F r a n ~ o i s Le Saige, Apothecary of the King's Stable,kinsman and friend, J ehan Ravenel, Lord of La Merrois,

1 A street between th e present rue du Roule and rue des Bourdonnais,but which was done away with in 1857.1 In Vol. I, p. 28o, his name is given as Ralleau.


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 817Sieur de Cosigne, amy, Messire Anthoine de Murat, conseilleret aumosnier du Roy, amy, Anthoine Marye, Maistre barbiercirugien a Paris, allye et amy, Genneviefve Le Saige, femmede Messire Simon Alix, oncle du coste maternel de ladicteHeleyne Boulle, avoir faict, feyrent et font entre eulx debonne foy, les traicte, accordz, dons, douaires, promesseset conventions qui ensuivent, pour raison du mariage futurdesdicts Samuel de Champlain et Heleyne Boulle, qui ontpromis et promectent prendre l'vn d'eulx l'aultre par nomet loy de mariage dedans le plus bref temps que faire cepourra et sera advise entre eulx, leurs parens et amis, sy Dieuet nostre mere Ste. Eglise s'y accordent, aux biens et droitzaeulx appartenans qu'ilz promectent porter l'vn avec l'aultrepour estre vngs et commungs entre eulx, selon les vz et cous-tume de Paris, lequel mariage neantmoings en consideration

Pierre Noel, Lord of Cosigne, friend, Messire Anthoine deMurat, King's Councillor and Almoner, friend, AnthoineMarye, master barber surgeon at Paris, kinsman and friend,Gennevieve Le Saige, wife of Messire Simon Alix, uncleon the maternal side of the said Heleyne Boulle, haveacknowledged and confessed that they have made, did makeand do make between them in good faith the contract,marriage preliminaries, gifts, settlements, promises andcovenants which follow, by reason of the future marriage ofthe said Samuel de Champlain and Heleyne Boulle, who havepromised and do promise to take each other in lawful wedlockwithin the briefest space of time possible and that shall bedecided upon between them, their relatives and friends, ifGod and our Holy mother Church thereto consent, withthe goods and rights belonging to them, which they promiseto bring to each other to be mutual and common betweenthem, according to the usage and custom of Paris, whichmarriage nevertheless it has been agreed, in consideration


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818 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAINdu bas aage de ladite Heleine Boulle a este accorde qu'ilne se era et effectura qu'apres deux ans d'huy finis etaccomplis, sinon que plustost il soit trouve bon et adviseentre eulx, leurs parens et amis, passer oultre a a confectiondudict mariage, En faveur duquel promectent et s'obleigentsolidairement lesdicts Boulle et sa femme de bailler et paierausdictz futurs mariez par advancement d'hoirye venantpar ladicte Boulle aux successions futurs de sesdicts pereet mere, la somme de six mil livres tournois, en denierscomptans, dans le jour precedent leurs espouzailles : Etpartant !edict sieur futur espoux a doue et doue ladictefuture espouze de Ia somme de dix-huict cens livres tournoisen douaire prefix pour vne fois paier a icelle, douaire avoiret prendre par elle, sy tost que douaire aura lieu, sur touset chacuns les biens, meubles et immeubles presens et advenirdudict futur espoux, qu'il en a pour ce du tout charges,of the tender age of the said Heleine Boulle, shall not becarried out and effected until two years elapsed and completedfrom this day, unless it be deemed advisable and be decidedbetween them, their relations and friends, to proceed earlierto the completion of the said marriage. In favour of whichthe said Boulle and his wife promise and bind themselvesjointly and severally to deliver and pay to the said futurehusband and wife as an advance heritage on the futureinheritances coming through the said Boulle from her saidfather and mother, the sum of six thousand livres in readymoney of Tours on the day preceding their nuptials. Andtherefore the said future husband has endowed and endowsthe said future wife with the sum of eighteen hundred livrestournois as a settled jointure, to be paid iri. one payment tothe said beneficiary, to be had and taken by her as soon asthe jointure shall take effect, upon all and several the goods,movable and immovable, present and to come, of the saidfuture husband, which he has to this intent wholly bound,


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 819obleiges et ypotecquez, obleige et ypotecque par ces presentesa fournir et faire valloir et duquel douaire prefix, ladictefuture espouze jouira selon les vz et coustume de Paris ; aeste accorde que le survivant desdicts futurs mariez auraet prendra par preciput et avant que faire aucun partaigedes biens de leur commun(un)aulte et hors part, la sommede six cens livres tournois s ~ a v o i r : ledict sieur futur espouxpour ses habitz, armes et chevaulx et ladicte future espouzepour ses habitz, bagues et joyaulx, selon la prisee qui en serafaicte par l'inventaire et sans erie faire sur icelle, ou ladictesomme en deniers comptans, aux choix et option dudictsurvivant, pourveu que lors de la dissolution dudict futurmariage, il n'y ayt enfant ou enfans vivans nez et procreesd'icelluy; Et recongnoissant ledict futur espoux et ayantegard a a grande jeunesse de ladicte Heleinne Boulle et pourobligated and hypothecated, does obligate and hypothecateby these presents to furnish and provide, and which settledjointure the said future wife shall enjoy according to theusage and custom of Paris ; and it has been agreed that thesurvivor of the said future marriage shall receive and take asa specific legacy, and before any division is made of the goodsof their common property, and apart from his or her share,the sum of six hundred livres tournois to wit : the saidfuture husband for his apparel, arms and horses, and the saidfuture wife for her apparel, rings and jewels, according tothe valuation which shall be made in the inventory and with-out any public announcement thereupon, or the said sum inready money, at the choice and option of the said survivor,provided that at the time of the dissolution of the saidfuture marriage there be no child or children living, bornand begotten from the said marriage. And the said futurehusband, recognizing and considering the extreme youth ofthe said Heleinne Boulle, and from the affection and friendship


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820 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN!'affection et amitye que luy porte, veult et entend ledictfutur espoux apres la consommation dudict mariage !'ad-vancer et luy donner moien de vivre et de s'entretenir apresson decedz, et advenant qu'il feust prevenu de mort en sesvoiages sur la mer et aultres lieux ou il est employe pour leservice du Roy, en ceste consideration et advenant, commediet est, son decedz, veult et entend !edict futur espoux queladicte future espouze jouisse sa vye durant de tous et chacunsles biens, meubles et immeubles, presens et advenir, quelquepart qu'ilz soient scituez et assis, et qui pourront apparteniraudict futur espoux, soit par acquisition, successipn, don-nation ou autrement, pourveu qu'il n'y ayt enfant ou enfansvivans lors nez et procrees dudict futur mariage. Pourfaire insinnuer lequel present contract au greffe du chasteletde Paris, et partout ailleurs ou il appartiendra, ont lesdictsfuturs espoux faict et constitue et par ces presentes font et

that he bears her, wills and intends, after the consumma-tion of the said marriage, to provide for her and to give herthe means of living and of maintaining herself after hisdecease, and should he be forestalled by death during hisvoyages at sea, and elsewhere, where he is employed on theKing's service, in consideration of this and in the event, ashas been said, of his death, the said future husband wills andintends that the said future wife shall enjoy during her life-time all and severally the goods, movable and immovable,present and to come, wheresoever situated and located, andwhich may belong to the said future husband, either bypurchase, inheritance, gift or otherwise, provided there beno child or children then living, born and begotten from thesaid marriage. In order to have this present contract re-corded in the Registry of the Chatelet of Paris, and elsewherewhere it shall appertain, the said future husband and wifehave made and constituted and by these presents make and


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 821constituent leur procureur general et special, le porteur despresentes, auquel ilz ont donne et donnent pouvoir etpuissance de ce faire et tout ce qui au cas appartiendra, serarequis et necessaire, et generallemen : car ainsi a esteaccorde entre lesdictes parties nonobstant vz, stil, coustumene aultres choses ace contraires, aquoy lesdictes part ies ontdesroge et desrogent pour ce regard, promectant, obleigeant,chacun en droict soy renonceant. Faict et passe a Paris enla maison desdicts Boulle et sa femme, seize aParis en ladicteRue et paroisse St. Germain, enseigne du Miroir, apresmidy l'an mil six cens dix, le lundy vingt-septiesme jour dedecembre; et ont lesdicts futurs espoux et aultres susnommezsigne la minutte des presentes demeuree vers Arragon, l'vndes notaires soubzsignez. Signe Chocquillet et Arragon :et plus bas est escript ce qui ensuit :

constitute their general and special attorney, the bearer ofthese presents, to whom they have given and give powerand authority to do this and all that may pertain and berequisite and necessary to the case and generally : for so ithas been agreed between the said parties, notwithstandingusage, practice, custom or anything else to the contrary, whichthe said parties have invalidated and invalidate in that regard,promising, binding, each for himself renouncing. Doneand executed at Paris in the house of the said Boulle and hiswife, situated in Paris in the said street and parish of St.Germain, at the sign of the Mirror, after noon in the year161o, Monday the twenty-seventh day of December; andthe said future husband and wife and the others named abovehave signed the draft of these presents, which remains in thekeeping of Arragon, one of the undersigned notaries. Signed,Chocquillet and Arragon : and lower down is written thatwhich follows :

VOL. II . y


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822 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAINLedict Sieur Samuel de C o m p l a i n , ~ ~ sieur dudict lieu, cy

dessus nomme, confesse avoir eu et receu desdicts MessireNicolas Boulle et Margueritte Alix, sa femme, aussy cydessus nommez, !edict Boulle a ce present, la somme dequatre mil cinq cens livres sur et temoings de la sommede six mil livres tournois audict sieur de Champlain promisen faveur de mariage de luy et de Heleyne Boulle, selonqu'il est a plain contenu et declaire par leur contract cydessus escript, de laquelle somme de quatre mil cinq censlivres, !edict sieur de Champlain s'est tenu et tient pourcontent et bien paye, et en quicte lesdicts Boulle, sa femme,et tous aultres sans prejudice du surplus. Promectant,obleigeant, renonceant. Faict et passe a Paris es estudesdes notaires soubzsignez, apres midy, l'an mil six cens dix,le mercredy vingt-neufiesme jour de decembre, et ont signe

16 Sic.

The said Sieur Samuel de Complain, Lord of the saidplace, here above named, confesses that he has had andreceived from the said Messire Nicolas Boulle and MargueritteAlix, his wife, also here above named, the said Boulle beingpresent, the sum of four thousand five hundred livres as anearnest of the sum of six thousand livres tournois promisedto the said Sieur de Champlain in favour of the marriage ofhimself and Heleyne Boulle, according as is fully containedand declared by their contract here above written, withwhich sum of four thousand five hundred livres the saidSieur de Champlain has held himself and holds himself forsatisfied and well paid, and discharges therefrom the saidBoulle and his wife, and all others without prejudice to theremainder. Promising, binding, renouncing. Done andexecuted at Paris in the chambers of the undersigned notariesafter noon in the year 161o, Wednesday the twenty-ninthday of December, and they have signed the draft of these


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 828la minutte des presentes estant au bas de Ia minutte dudictcontract de mariage. Signe Chocquillet et Arragon. Etplus bas a este mis l'insinnuation ainsy qu'il s'enssuit :

L'an mil six cens vnze, le mardy vnziesme janvier, lepresent contract de mariage a este apporte au greffe duchastelet de Paris et icelluy insinue, accepte et eu pouragreable aux charges, causes et conditions y apposees et selonque contenu est par icelluy par honnorable homme MessireNicolas Boulle, secretaire de ladite chambre du Roy, porteurdudict contract et comme procureur de noble homme Samuelde Champlain, sieur dudict lieu, capitaine ordinaire de lamaryne et encores !edict Boulle stipulant et acceptant pourHeleyne Boulle, sa fille et future espouze dudict sieurChamplain, taus desnommez audict present contract, lequela este enregistre, ensemble la quictance cy dessus transcripte,au present Registre LXVe volume des lnsinnuations dudictpresents, being underneath the draft of the said marriagecontract. Signed : Chocquillet and Arragon. And lowerdown has been placed the act of registration as follows :

In the year I 6 I I , Tuesday, January I I , the presentmarriage contract was brought to the Registry of the Chateletof Paris and the same recorded, accepted and approved withthe charges, interests and conditions therein inserted andaccording as is contained in the same, by honourable MessireNicolas Boulle, Secretary of the said King's Chamber, bearerof the said contract and as attorney for noble Samuel deChamplain, Lord of the said place, Captain in ordinary inthe Navy, and also the said Boulle stipulating and acceptingfor Heleyne Boulle, his daughter and future wife of the saidSieur Champlain, all named in the said present contract,which has been recorded, together with the quittance hereabove transcribed, in the present Register, LXVth volumeof the Registrations of the said Chatelet, in accordance withthe ordinance, at the request of the said Boulle who has


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824 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAINchastelet suivant !'ordonnance, ce requerant !edict Boulle,qui de ce a requis acte a luy octroye et bailie ces presentestant pour servir et valloir audict sieur Complain qu'a sadictefuture femme en temps et lieu ce que de raison.

I IF u a present en sa personne Richard Terrier, facteur demarchandz, demeurant rue de la Heaulmiere, parroisse StJacques de la Boucherye, lequel a confesse et confesse avoir

bailie et mis en service Ysabel Terrier, sa fille, dujourd'huyjusques a quatre ans prochain apres ensuivant finiz, a et aveqnoble homme Samuel de Champlain, cappitainne ordinairedu Roy en la Marine deponent, et damoiselle Eslayne Boulle,sa femme, demeurant rue et parroisse St Germain de1'Auxerroys, ace presens, qui 1'on t prinse et retenue a leur

11 From Etienne Charavay, Documents inedits suf' Samuel deChamplain, 4-5, Paris, 1875demanded a certificate of the same to be granted and givento him, these presents as well to serve and avail both for thesaid Sieur Complain as for his said future wife in proper timeand place.

I IWas present in his person Richard Terrier, merchants'factor, residing in the rue de la Heaulmiere, in the parishof St. Jacques de la Boucherye, who has confessed and con-

fesses thctt he has given and placed in service Ysabel Terrier,his daughter, for the term of four years dating from this dayto and with the noble Samuel de Champlain, Captain inordinary to the King in the Western Navy, and MadameEslayne Boulle, his wife, residing in the street and parishof St. Germain 1'Auxerrois, here present, who have taken


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 825service pendant ledit temps. Laquelle Ysabel promectles servir pendant ledit temps en touttes choses qui luiseront commandees par ses maistre et maistresse, licitteset honnestes, moyennant trente livres tournois par chacunan, que ledit sr de Champlain et sa femme s'obligent sollennellement d'en baUer et payer a ladite Ysabel Terrier aufeur et a mesure qu'elle en aura affaire, mesme lui advencersur sesdits gaiges ce qui lui sera de present necessaire pourl'abiller, et laquelle Ysabel Terrier !edit Richard Terrierpleuvist de toute loyaulte et preudhomye, car ainsi appartientchacun en droict, s'engageant, remettant, promettant. Faitet passe a Paris en estudes apres midy MVI 0 dix sept, levingt deuxiesme jour de juillet. Et ont signe, fors laditeYsabel qui a declare ne s ~ a v o i r .

CHAMPLAIN H. BouLLE TERRIERFoNTAINE CARTIER

and engaged her in their service for the said term. WhichYsabel promises to serve them during the said term in allthings lawful and honest which may be commanded her byher master and mistress in consideration yearly of thirtylivres tournois, which the said Sieur de Champlain and hiswife solemnly bind themselves to deliver and pay to the saidYsabel Terrier in proportion as it falls due to her, even toadvance to her on her said wages whatever will now benecessary to fit her out, and which Ysabel Terrier the saidRichard Terrier warrants honest and of good character, forthus belongs to each by right, agreeing, remitting, promising.Done and executed at Paris in the chambers of the notaryafter noon on the twenty-second day of July in the year 1617.All have signed, except the said Ysabel, who has declaredthat she does not know how.

CHAMPLAIN H. BouLLB TERRIERFoNTAINE CARTIER


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826 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAINI I I

Au Roy et anosseigneurs de son Conseil.4SIRE,

Vous remonstre tres humblement Ie sieur de Champlainque, depuis seize ans, il auroit travaille avec vn soing laborieuxtant aux descouverture[s] de la Nouvelle-France que dedivers peuples et nations qu'i l a amenez anostre cognoissance,qui n'avoient jamais este cognues que par luy ; lesquelsluy ont donne telle et si fidelle rellation des mers du nor etdu su, que l'on n'en peut doubter, qui seroit Ie moyen deparvenir facilement au Royaume de la Chine et lndesorientales, d'ou l'on tireroit de grandes richesses ; oultrele culte divin qui s'y pourroit planter, comme le peuvent

11 Documents III to VI were first printed in 1879 by Louis Audiatin the A Ychives histoYiques de la Saintonge et de l' A unis, VI, 381 et seq.They have been compared afresh with MS. No. 1777 in th e Bibliothequede Carpentras, Vaucluse, by M. Robert Caillet, to whom th e editor begsto express his heartiest thanks for this help.

I I ITo the King and the Lords of his Council.

SIRE,The Sieur de Champlain represents to you most humbly

that for sixteen years he has toiled with laborious zeal as wellin the discoveries of New France as of divers peoples andnations whom he has brought to our knowledge, who hadnever been discovered save by him ; which peoples havegiven him such and so faithful report of the north and southseas that one cannot doubt but that this would be the meansof reaching easily to. the Kingdom of China and the EastIndies, whence great riches could be drawn ; besides plantingthere the divine worship, as our Recollet friars can bear


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 827tesmoigner nos relligieux recolles, plus l'abondance desmarchandises dudict pays de la Nouvelle-France, qui setireroit annuellement par la dilligence des ouvriers qui s'ytransporteroient. Que sy cedict pais estoit delaisse etl'abitation abandonnee, faulte d'y apporter le soing quiseroit requis, les Anglois ou Flamens, envieux de nostre bien,s'en empar[er]oist en jouissant du fruict de nos labeurs,et empeschant par ce moyen plus de mille vaisseaux d'allerfaire paicherie de poissons sec, vert, et huilles de balleyne,comme ils ont desja faict au nor et habitations du sieur dePoitrincourt, que des J esuites qu'ils [ont] prises et brullees,comme l'a faict veoir ledict Champlain a messieurs de lachambre du commerce, qui se sont bien et deuement informessur chasque point des articles cy attaches. Et considerant lebien et utilite qui en peut revenir, tant a la gloire de Dieuque pour l'honneur de Sa Majeste et bien de ses subjects,witness, in addition to the abundance of merchandise fromthe said country of New France, which would be drawnthence annually through the diligence of the workmen whowould go there. Should this said country be given up andthe settlement abandoned, for want of bestowing upon itthe needed attention, the English or Flemings, envious of ourprosperity, would seize upon it , thereby enjoying the fruitsof our labours, and preventing by this means more than athousand vessels from going to the dry and green fisheries,and for whale-oil, as they have already done in the north andin the Sieur de Poitrincourt's settlements as well as in thoseof the Jesuits, which they have captured and burned, as thesaid Champlain has reported to the gentlemen of the Chamberof Commerce, who have properly and duly informed themselves concerning every point of the articles hereto appended.And considering the advantage and profit to be derivedtherefrom, as well for the glory of God as for the honour ofHis Majesty and for the good of his subjects, the Chamber


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328 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAINelle auroit donne son ad vis pour le presenter a adicte Majesteet nosdicts seigneurs de son Conseilles moyens qu'elle doibtdonner pour vne si saincte et glorieuse en treprise.A ces causes, ledict Champlain supplie tres humblementsadicte Majeste et nosdicts seigneurs de son conseilluy donnermoyen de fortiffier et augmenter son desseing. Et d'aultantque !edict de Champlain, en ceste presente annee, faict levoiage de la Nouvelle-France, il supplie humblement sadicteMajeste d'avoir pour agreable que le sieur baron de Roussillon,l'vn des commissaires de ladicte chambre du commerce,ayent le soing de vacquer aux choses necessaires pour ladicteentreprise, et poursuivre l'accomplissement dudict advis deladicte chambre du commerce pres de sadicte Majeste etnosdicts seigneurs de son conseil, pendant l'absance dudictde Champlain ; lequel continuera aprier Dieu incessammentpour le bien et accroissement de vostre dicte Majeste. Signe

CHAMPLAIN.

of Commerce has passed a resolution to represent to HisMajesty and to the said Lords of his Council on the measureswhich he should take for such a holy and glorious enterprise.

For these reasons the said Champlain most humbly entreats His said Majesty and the said Lords of his Cour...cil togrant him the means of strengthening and extending his design.And forasmuch as the said de Champlain, in this presentyear, is making a voyage to New France, he humbly entreatsHis said Majesty to consent that the Baron de Roussillon,one of the commissioners of the said Chamber of Commerce,be entrusted with the care of looking after the things necessaryfor the said undertaking, and of pursuing the fulfilment of thesaid resolution of the said Chamber of Commerce with His saidMajesty and the said Lords of his Council, during the absenceof the said de Champlain; who will continue to pray God unceasingly for the prosperity and increase of Your said Majesty.

(Signed) CHAMPLAIN.


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 829IVP1'emie1'ement.-Sadicte Majeste establira la foy chres

tienne parmy vn peuple infini d'ames, lequel ne tient ny n'aaucune forme de religion quelle qu'elle soit, et neantmoingsne respire autre chose que la cognoissance du culte divin ethumain, selon qu'il est rapporte par la relation de tous ceuxqui ont fait le voyage dans ladicte Nouvelle-France.Secondement.-Le roy se rendra maistre et seigneur d'vneterre de pres de dix-huict cens lieues de long, arrousee desplus beaux fieuves du monde et des plus grands lacs en plusgrande quantite, et les plus fertiles et abondants en toutesorte de poissons qui se peuvent trouver, comme aussy desplus grandes prairies, campagnes, forests rem plies la plupart denoyers,1 et coutaulx tres agreables ou il se trouve grande quantite de vignes sauvages, lesquelles apportent le grain aultantou plus gros que les nostres, toutes cultivees qu'elles sont.

IVFirstly.-His said Majesty will establish the Christianfaith among an infinite number of souls, who neither hold

nor possess any form of religion whatsoever, and neverthelesswish only for the knowledge of divine and human worship,according to the reports of all those who have made thevoyage to the said New France.Secondly.-The King will make himself master and lordof a country nearly eighteen hundred leagues in length,watered by the fairest rivers in the world and by the greatestand most numerous lakes, the richest and most abundant inall varieties of fish that are to be found, and full also of thegreatest meadows, fields, and forests, for the most part ofwalnut-trees, 1 and very pleasant hills upon which there isfound a great abundance of wild vines, which yield grapesas large as or larger than ours, cultivated as these are.

1 See Vol. I, 140 .


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880 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAINT'iercement.-Le sieur de Champlain pretend trouver le

passage de la mer du sud pour aller a la Chine et au'x lndesorientales par le moyen du fleuve Saint-Laurent, qui traverseles terres de ladicte Nouvelle-France, et sort icelluy fleuved'vn lac contenant environ trois cens lieues, duquellac sortvn fleuve, lequel entre dans ladicte mer du sud, suivant larelation faicte audict sieur de Champlain par quantite depeuples, ses amis audict pais ; lesquels il a visites et recongneus, aiant remonte !edict fleuve Saint-Laurent plus dequatre cens lieues dans !edict lac de trois cens, auquel voyageil a trouve des villes fermees en quantite, enceintes et closesde bois, ala mode qu'elles sont pour le jourdhuy dans Mouscovye ; desquelles villes peut sortir deux mille hommesarmes a eur mode ; en quelcune aultre, moins.

Que sadicte Majeste retireroit vn grand et notable profitdes imposts et denrees qu'elle pourroit mettre sur les mar-

'lhirdly.-The Sieur de Champlain undertakes to discoverthe South Sea passage to China and to the East Indies byway of the river St. Lawrence, which traverses the lands ofthe said New France, and which river issues from a lakeabout three hundred leagues in length, from which lakeflows a river that empties into the said South Sea, according to the account given to the said Sieur de Champlain bya number of people, his friends in the said country ; whomhe has visited and become acquainted with, having ascendedthe said river St. Lawrence for more than four hundredleagues into the said lake of three hundred leagues in length,on which voyage he found numerous fortified towns, encircledand enclosed with wooden palissades after the manner usedto-day in Muscovy; which towns can furnish two thousandmen armed after their fashion ; others less.

That His said Majesty would derive a great and notableprofit from the taxes and duties he could levy on the mer-


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 881chandises sortant dudict pais, suivant le memoire donne,comme aussy de la douane des marchandises qui viendroientde la Chine et des Indes, laquelle surpasseroit en prix dix fois[au] moings toutes celles qui se !event en France, d'autantqu'au passage pretendu par le sieur de Champlain, passeroienttous les marchands de la chrestiente, s'il plaict au roy leuroctroyer !edict passage, pour oster vn racourcissement dudictpassage de plus d'vn an et demy de temps, sans le dangierdes coursaires et de la fortune de la mer et du passage, parle grand tour qu'il convient de prendre maintenant, rapportemille sorte d'incommodites aux marchands et voyageurs.Ce que !edict sieur de Champlain diet d'abondant etentend de faire soubs le bon vouloir de Sa Majeste, si ellea pour agreable de commencer et poursuivre ladicte entrepriseet de faire aQuebec, lieu de !'habitation du sieur Champlain,assise sur la riviere Saint-Laurent, en vn detroict d'icelle

chandise coming from the said country, according to thememorial submitted, as likewise from the customs' dutieson the merchandise that would come from China and fromthe Indies, which would surpass in value at least ten timesall those levied in France, inasmuch as all the merchantsof Christendom would pass through the passage sought bythe Sieur de Champlain, if it please the King to grant themleave to do so, in order to shorten the said journey by morethan a year and a half, without any risk from pirates and fromthe perils of the sea and of the voyage, on account of thegreat circuit it is necessary now to make, which brings athousand inconveniences to merchants and travellers.Furthermore the said Sieur de Champlain declares andproposes, subject to the good pleasure of His Majesty, shouldhe see fit to undertake and pursue the said enterprise, to buildat Quebec, the site of the Sieur Champlain's settlementsituated on the river St. Lawrence, at a narrow part of the


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882 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAINriviere, qui peut contenir environ neuf cens ou mille pas,vne ville de la grandeur presque que celle de Sainct-Denis,laquelle ville s'appellera, s'il plaict aDieu et au roy, LuDOVICA,dans laquelle 1'on fair a faire vn beau temple au milieu d'icelle,dedie au Redempteur, et nomme le. Redempteur, en signe etcommemoration du bien qu'il plaira a Dieu faire a ces pouvrespeuples, lesquel[s] n'ont aucune cognoissance de son sainctnom, de porter la volonte du roy a les faire venir a la congnoissance de la sainte foy chrestienne et au giron de nostremere saincte eglise.

11 sera faict vn fort compose de cinq bastions, a coustede ladicte ville, sur vn certain lieu releve des deux coustes,lequel commandera sur ladicte ville et sur le destroit deladicte riviere ; de !'autre couste de laquelle et vis-a-visse era vn fort de mesme grandeur pour barrer entierementle passage de ladicte riviere, comme estant !'entree et laporte dudict pais, sans laquelle on n'y peut aucunementsaid river, some nine hundred or a thousand yards in width,a town almost as large as St. Denis, which shall be called, if itplease God and the King, LuooviCA, in the centre of whichwill be built a fair temple, dedicated to the Redeemer, andcalled the Church of the Redeemer, as a memorial and commemoration of the good that it shall please God to do to thesepoor people, who have no knowledge of His holy name, toincline the will of the King to bring them to the knowledgeof the holy Christian faith and to the bosom of our holymother Church.

A fort with five bastions will be built alongside the saidtown, on a certain spot elevated on two sides, which willcommand the said town and the narrows of the said river.On the other side of the river and directly opposite will bebuilt a fort of the same dimensions in order to bar completelythe passage of the said river, as being the entrance and thegateway of the said country, through which alone anyone


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 888entrer, estant despuis l'embuchure de ladicte riviere jusquesdans la mer, laquelle embouchure dans la mer peut contenirenviron trente lieues jusques audict Quebec, qui est distantde ladicte embouchure de quelques six vingts lieues, le paystout remply a droicte et a gauche de montagnes et rochersespouvantables et pays deserts, lesquels il n'y a moien detraverser, ne s'y trouvant aucun port ny havres pour tirerles vaisseaux, sinon vn, nomme Tadoussac, auquel lieu seretirent les grands vaisseaux. Et la il sera faict vn fort survne poincte d'icelluy, fort adventageuse, auquell'on mettragarnison, et laquelle garnison sera changee de six en six mois.Ledict Tadoussac est au-dessoubs dudict Quebec, environtrente et cinq lieues. Entre ledict Quebec et Tadoussacny amis ny ennemis, ny s'y peuvent loger.Ce que ledict sieur de Champlain diet estre necessairepour s'establir fermement dans ledict pais de la NouvelleFrance est : premierement, afin que ce saint reuvre soitmay enter therein, since from the mouth of the said river tothe sea, from which mouth it may be about thirty leaguesto the said Quebec, which is distant from the opening intothe sea some six score leagues, the country on the right andon the left is very full of horrible mountains and rocks anddesert lands, which there is no means of traversing, therebeing no port nor harbours for laying up vessels, save one,called Tadoussac, where the great vessels come to anchor.And in this place a fort will be built on a very suitable pointof land, in which will be placed a garrison, which garrisonwill be changed every six months.

The said Tadoussac is some thirty-five leagues belowthe said Quebec. Between the said Quebec and Tadoussacneither friends nor enemies can secure a footing.What the said Sieur de Champlain declares to be necessary

in order to secure a solid footing in the said country of NewFrance is : firstly, in order that this holy enterprise may be


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384 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAINbeny de Dieu, d'y mener d'abord quinze religieux recolets,lesquels seront loges en vn cloistre qui sera faict proche deladicte eglise du Redempteur ;Secondement, y mener trois cens familles chascunecomposee de quatre personnes, s ~ a v o i r le mary et la femme,fils et fille, ou serviteur et servante, au-dessous de l'aage devingt ans, s ~ a v o i r les enfants et serviteurs.

Et d'autant que tousles estats qui subsistent sont appuiespolitiquement sur quatre arcs-boutants, lesquels sont laforce, la justice, la marchandise et le labourage, ayant parleen premier lieu pour ce qui est de 1'eglise, il est necessaired'y porter la force, laquelle sera de trois cens bons hommesbien armez et disciplinez, et lesquels nean tmoings ne a i ~ s e r o n tde travailler a tour de role a ce qui sera necessaire, n'estantbesoing aux establissements de colonnyes d'y porter despersonnes de quelque qualite que ce soit, qui ne s ~ a c h e n tagaigner la vie.blessed by God, to take there first of all fifteen Recolletfriars, who will be lodged in a monastery to be erected nearthe said Church of the Redeemer ;Secondly, to conduct thither three hundred families,composed each of four persons, namely the husband andwife, son and daughter, or man-servant and maid-servant,below the age of twenty years, that is to say the children andservants.

And inasmuch as all existing states are supportedpolitically on four buttresses, which are force, justice, tradeand husbandry, having spoken in the first instance of whatp ~ r t a i n s to the Church, it is necessary to add thereto force,\\"hich will consist of three hundred good men well armedand disciplined, and vvho nevertheless will have to work byturns at whatever will be necessary, as it is inexpedient infounding colonies to ~ a r r y thither people, whatever theirquality may be, who are incapable of earning their living.


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 885Et sera considere que, si ladicte habitation de Quebec

n'est maintenue et fortifiee de peuples pour habiter lesterres voisines et se fortifier a bon essien t dans le pays, queles Anglois ou les Flamans, qui sont nos voisins, nous enchassent, comme ils ont desja faict les Jesuites et le sieurPotrincourt, desquels ils ont prins et brusle leur habitation.

Les Flamans sont loges en vn lieu ou ils ne permettentpersonne aller que ceux de leur nation, lequel lieu n'est pasbeaucoup esloigne de nous. Les AngJois sont loges auxVirginies, auquellieu ils ne permettent entrer aucun F r a n ~ o i s ,comme aussy d'autre part du couste du nort, ou lesdictsAnglois se sont loges, ne permettant aucuns estrangers quede leur nation faire la pesche de la baleine; que, s'ils sevenoient a s'emparer du fleuve Saint-Laurent et de notrehabitation, ils empescheroient du moings six cens ou septcens vaisseaux f r a n ~ o i s , qui von t tous les ans a la pesche des

And it will be well to consider that, should the said settle-ment at Quebec not be kept up and strengthened againstattack by settlers on the neighbouring lands establishingthemselves in the country in good earnest, the English or theFlemings, who are our neighbours, will drive us out, as theyhave already done the Jesuits and the Sieur de Poutrincourt,whose settlements they have captured and burned.

The Flemings are settled in a place where they permit noone to go save those of their nation, which place is not veryfar from us. The English are settled in Virginia, wherethey permit no Frenchman to enter, as likewise in the north,where the said English have established themselves, permittingno foreigners save of their own nation to engage in the whalefishery ; and if they should come to get possession of theriver St. Lawrence and of our settlement, they would preventat least six or seven hundred French vessels from going


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836 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAl\IPLAINmorues ; a quoy il est besoing de pourvoir et d'y mettreordre de bonne heure.A s'il plaict a Sa Majeste octroier les deniers provenusdes moyens ci-dessus, lesquels neantmoings !edict suppliantne veut ni manier ni toucher, comme il a diet cy-dessus,pour l'espace de quinze annees, l'on prevoira a cet accident;et !edict sieur de Champlain promet, ledict temps expire,pourveu que desdicts moyens il en puisse tirer assez pourfournir aux frais desdictes families et gens de guerre, sur leprix de son honneur et de sa vie, rendre la chose tellementestablie a Sa Majeste qu'il n'y aura force humaine a redoubter aux quatre villes basties en remontant ledict fleuve SaintLaurent, accompagnees de bourgs et villages, comme aussytous les peuples dudict pays tributaires a Sa Majeste. IIfaut faire estat d'autant de families et gens de guerre quedessus, le tout suivant et conformement a la supputationannually to the cod-fishery ; against which it is necessaryto make provision and to take early measures.

Should it please His l\1ajesty to grant the moneysraised from the above-mentioned sources, which neverthelessthe said petitioner, as he has stated above, does not wish tohandle or touch, for the period of fifteen year's, this accidentwill be guarded against ; and the said Sieur de Champlain,upon the expiration of the said period, promises on hishonour and his life, provided that from the said sources hecan obtain sufficient to meet the expenses of the said familiesand soldiers, to hand over the enterprise to His Majesty sofirmly established, that no human force need be feared inthe four towns built along the said St. Lawreni:e, nor in thetowns and villages, and also all the peoples of the said countrytributary to His Majesty. Provision must be made for asmany families and soldiers as stated above, the whole inaccordance and conformity \Nith the estimate above set out,


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 887faicte cy-dessus, et y faire porter aquantite de toutes sortesd'animaux domestiques que nous avons par deca, lesquelsne sont audict pays. Et faut faire estat de cest article dequinze mille livres pour chasque annee, et pour trois seulement consecutives. Pour l'establissement des autres troisparties de 1'estat, sea voir : la justice, le commerce et lelabourage, Sa Majeste sera tres-humblement suppliee deputerquelques vns de son conseil, pour establir et ordonner desloix fondamentales de l'estat, par lesquelles toutes leschicaneries et procedures de ces quart iers seron t retranch eeset tous les differents termines ala troisieme tenue des causeset sans qu'il soit besoing de procureur ny d'avocat, et quela justice se fasse gratuitement.

Pour le faict des deux autres parties, il y sera mis ordreselon l'urgence des cas.Sa Majeste sera tres-humblement suppliee par ledict

sieur de Champlain, comme aussy nosseigneurs du conseiland to have transported thither in considerable numbersall sorts of domestic animals that we have in France, whichare not found in the said country. And it is necessary toreckon for this article fifteen thousand livres annually, andfor three consecutive years only. For the establishmentof the other three parts of the state, to wit : justice, tradeand husbandry, His Majesty "'Nill be most humbly entreatedto appoint certain of his Council to establish and ordain thefundamental laws of the state, in accordance with which alllitigations and suits in these parts shall be decided and alldisputes settled at the third hearing of the cases and withoutthe necessity of attorney or lawyer ; and that justice be donefree of cost.For the matter of the other two parts, measures will betaken according to the urgency of the cases.His Majesty, and likewise the Lords of the Council andthe gentlemen of the Chamber of Commerce, will be most

VOL. II. Z


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338 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAINet messieurs de la chambre du commerce, que le sieur baronde Roussillon, l'vn des commissaires de ladicte chambre ducommerce, soit nomme pour l'vn des directeurs du manie-ment des deniers qui proviendront ou pourront provenir,tant par le moien des advis dudict sieur de Champlainqu'autres deniers qu'il plaira a Sa Majeste faire delivrerpour le faict et expedition de ladicte entreprise, sans toute-fois toucher aux deniers et affaires de la presente associationdestinee pour subvenir aux families qui leur convient envoyeraudict lieu, ny aussy en ce qui conserne la charge dudict deChamplain; ains !edict sieur baron, comme intelligent desvoyages, navigation et commerce, voir et juger au doigt eta 'reil de ce qui se era et sera necessaire en ceste affaire, pouren faire son rapport a Sa Majeste, et a ceste fin qu'il setransporte sur lesdicts lieux.Comme aussy la mesme supplication sera faicte en faveur

humbly entreated by the said Sieur de Champlain to appointthe Baron de Roussillon, one of the commissioners of thesaid Chamber of Commerce, as one of the directors for themanagement of the moneys which will accrue or may accrue,as well by means of the proposals of the said Sieur deChamplain as other moneys it may please His Majesty tohave paid over for the carrying out and execution of thesaid undertaking, without, however, touching the moneysand business of the present association destined to providefor the families that they may send to the said place, norlikewise in what concerns the employment of the said deChamplain; but on the contrary the said Baron, as a manskilled in voyages, navigation and commerce, must see andjudge diligently what is to be done and will be necessary inthis affair, in order to make his report to His Majesty, andto this intent he should go to the said parts.Inasmuch as the same petition will be made in favour of


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 889des marchands qui ont contribue pour maintenir et entrete-nir le fort de Quebec, assis au destroict de la riviere de SaintLaurent; que lesdicts marchands soient preferes sur tousautres pour le faict du commerce dudict pays.

CHAMPLAIN.

vPlaise amessieurs de la chambre du commerce.Lesieur de Champlain supplie humblement estre entendu

sur quelques faicts qu'il vous veut representer pour l'honneuret gloire de Dieu, !'augmentation de ceste couronne et l'establissement d'vn grand commerce infaillible dans la NouvelleFrance, comme il est specifie aux articles cy-dessoubs :

L'vtilite qui viendroit en premier rang de la pescherie desmolue[s ], qui se feroit annuel lement par la demeure arrestee

the merchants who have contributed to the maintenance ancupkeep of the fort of Quebec, situated at the narrows ofthe river St. Lawrence, the said merchants should be preferred above all others in the matter of the trade of the saidcountry.

CHAMPLAIN.

,,May it please the Gentlemen of the Chamber of

Commerce.The Sieur de Champlain humbly begs to be heard con

cerning certain facts which he wishes to present to you forthe honour and glory of God, for the increase of this realmand for the establishment of a great and permanent .trade inNew France, as is specified in the following articles :The advantage that would accrue in the first place from

the cod-fishery, which .would be carried on annually thanks


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840 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAl\IPLAINdes peuples qui seroit audict pais de la Nouvelle-France, oul'on pourroit faire du sel en bon nombre, et se fairoit deuxsortes de pescherie qui seroict sect et vert, le sect pour l'Espaigne et le destroit, et le vert pour la France ; et se tireroit,par la diligence des pescheurs, plus d'vn million de livrespar chacun an.Plus la pescherie des saulmons, qui sont en telle quantitedans les ports et rivieres que l'on en pourroit tirer paran, 1oo,ooo livres.Plus la pescherie de l'esturgeon marine, comme aussi destruites marines, qui est en telle quantite en la plupart deslieux qu'il s'en debiteroit en Allemagne, ou es lieux que cepoisson est fort requis, par an, 1oo,ooo liv.Plus la pescherie des anguilles, sardignes, harans et autrespo1ssons, y est en telle abondance que l'on en feroit, paran, 1oo,ooo liv.

to the permanent settlement of the people inhabiting thesaid country of New France, where salt could be made inconsiderable quantity, and two kinds of fishing could becarried on, namely dry and green, the dry for Spain andthe Straits [of Gibraltar], and the green for France ; andthrough the industry of the fishermen more than a millionlivres would be earned annually.Likewise the salmon fishery, which fish are in suchabundance in the harbours and rivers that one could procureannually 1oo,ooo livres.Likewise the sea-sturgeon fishery, as also that of the seatrout, which are so abundant in most places that there mightbe sold in Germany, or in the regions where thi3 fish is muchin demand, annually for 1oo,ooo livres.Likewise eels, sardines, herrings and other fish areso plentiful that there could be obtained annuallyfor 1oo,ooo livres.


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 841Plus des huilles de balleines, dont le pays abonde, l'on

en peut faire audict pays, par an, pour 200,000 liv.Plus l'on peut avoir des barbes desdictes baleines et dentsde vache m a r i n e ~ qui sont meilleurs que le morfil, la livrevalant vingt sols, et quantite de loups marins; et s'en feroitpar an, pour soo,ooo liv.Plus des bois, qui sont de haulteur esmerveillable, seferoit nombre de bons vaisseaux que l'on pourroit chargerdes marchandises cy-dessus et aultres, comme il sera dietcy-apres. Desdicts bois se feroit mas de navires de plusieursgrandeurs, pou res, solives, planches de plusieurs sortes,comme chesnes, ormeaux, hestres, noyers, planes, erables,bouleaux, cedres, cypres,1 chastaigniers, pruse, pains, sapainset aultres bois, se feroit merrains, bois de antes pourfenestrage et lambris et pour aultres ameublements, dont

Likewise the whale-oils, in which the country abounds,of which one can make in the said country annually to thevalue of 2oo,ooo livres.Likewise whale-bone from the said whales, and walrustusks, which are better than elephant's teeth, the poundbeing worth twenty sols, and an abundance of seals ; andof these commodities there might be taken annually to thevalue of soo,ooo livres.Likewise from the forests, which are of marvellous height,a number of good vessels might be built, which could be ladenwith the above-mentioned merchandise and other commodities, as will be stated below. From the said forestscould be made ships' masts of several sizes, beams, joists,planks of many varieties, such as oak, elm, beech, walnut,plane, maple, birch, cedar, cypress,1 chestnut, hemlock, pine,fir and other woods ; there could be made stave-wood,sawed oak for window-frames and wainscoting and for otherinterior decoration, for which the most part of the said

1 Eastern red-cedar (juniperus virginiana, L.). See p. 272 supra.


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842 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAINla plupart desdicts bois sont propres ; et s'en feroit, par an,pour 40o,ooo liv.Plus il se retireroit nombre de goume, dont l'odeur tire al'encens.Plus des bois qui seroient inutiles se feroient des cendres;et en tireroit-on, par an, pour 40o,ooo liv.

Des pains et sa pains se t ireroit bray, goudron, resine, paran, pour Ioo,ooo liv.Quant a la nature de la terre, il est certain qu'elle renda leurs cui teurs des bleds, mays, feves, poids, racines don t

la teinture de la racine fait vne couleur pareille a la cochenille ; et si ladicte racine estoit cultivee, il s'en tireroit, paran, pour 400,000 liv.Plus l'on pourroit tirer vn notable profit de la chanvre,que la mesme terre rapporte sans cultiver, qui en bonte et

woods are suitable ; and there would be obtained from themannually to the value of 4oo,ooo livres.

Likewise there could be obtained a quantity of gum, thesmell of which resembles incense.Likewise of the useless woods one could make ashes,from which there could be obtained annually to the

value of 40o,ooo livres.From the pines and firs could be obtained pitch, tar andresin to the value annually of Ioo,ooo livres.As for the nature of the soil, it is certain that it yields tothe native tillers corn, maize, beans, peas, roots the dye of\Vhich makes a colour similar to cochineal ; and if the saidroot were cultivated one could obtain from it annuallyto the value of 4oo,ooo livres.Likewise a notable profit could be gained from thehemp, which the same soil yields without cultivation andwhich in quality and texture is in no wise inferior to


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 848nature ne doibt rien a la nostre ; et en tireroit-on; par an,pour 300,000 liv.Apres ces chases, on met en consideration le fruict qui setirera de plusieurs sortes de mines, comme argent, assier,fer qui rend 45 pour cent, du plomb qui rend 30 pour cent,du cuivre 18 pour cent, et ce que la demeure arrestee sur leslieux pourra descouvrir d'aultres mineraux ou aultres chasesqui ne sont encores venus anostre cognoissance ; et se pourroit tirer desdictes mines, par an, plus d'vn 1,ooo,ooo liv.Plus se feroit des toiles, comme olonnes, de ladicte chanvredudict pais; et se feroit cables, cordages, agrez pour toutessortes de vaisseaux, pour plus de 400,000 liv.Plus le trafiq et commerce des pelleteries n'est a rejeter,tant des martres, castors, renards, loups-serviers et aultresfourrures, avec peaux de cerfs, eslans, bufles, qui sont chasesque des apresent on en peut tirer plus de 400,000 liv.ours ; and there could be obtained from it annually tothe value of 300,000 livres.

In addition is to be considered the profits to be derivedfrom several kinds of mines, such as those of silver, steel,iron which yields 45 per cent., lead which yields 30 per cent.,copper 18 per cent., and whatever other minerals, or thingsnot yet come to our knowledge which a permanent settlementin the country may discover ; and there could be derivedfrom the said mines annually more than 1,ooo,ooo livres.Likewise cloths, such as sail-cloths, could be made fromthe hemp of the said country ; as well as cables, ropes,and rigging for all sorts of vessels, to the value of morethan 4oo,ooo livres.Likewise the traffic and trade in furs is not to be scorned,not only marten, beaver, fox, lynx and other skins, but alsodeer, moose and buffalo robes, which are commodities fromwhich one can derive at present more than 400,000 livres.


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844 VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAINPlus l'on peut tirer dudict pais marbre, jeaspe, albastre,

porfil et aultres especes de pierres qui son t de valeur ; et peu ts'en faire vn notable profit.Les vignes sont en quantite audict pais, que la terre rapporte d'elle-mesme; que si elles estoient cultivees, ellesrendroient de grandes vtilites, comme des bleds et aultreschases, que la demeure arrestee pourra apporter par ladiligence des habitants dudict pais.Apres toutes ces choses, on peut esperer a l'advenir lamesme abondance du bestial que nous voyons arriver auPerou, despuis que les Espagnols y en ont apporte ; lequelaujourdhuy y abonde en telle sorte que presque il n'a plus demaistre ; et par le recit des Espagnols, il se retire des cuirsplus d'vn million d'or par chacun an. Car la terre de laNouvelle-France est tellement arrousee de toutes parts, quela fertilite des prairies y est presente pour la nourriture,multiplication dudict bestial, quand l'on l'y aura porte.

Likewise from the said country can be obtained marble,jasper, alabaster, porphyry and other kinds of valuable stones;and a notable profit may be made therefrom.Vines are in abundance in the said country, which the soilyields of itself; and if they were cultivated they would yieldgreat profits, as likewise corn and other things, which thepermanent settlements will be able to supply through theindustry of the inhabitants of the said country.Besides all these things one may expect in the futurethe same abundance of cattle that is seen in Peru since theSpaniards introduced them there ; which cattle abound thereto-day to such an extent that they almost run wild ; andfrom the Spaniards' account more than a million in gold isobtained annually from the hides. For New France is sowell watered everywhere that the fertility of the meadowsensures the feeding and multiplying of the said cattle, whenever they are introduced there.


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VOYAGES DV SIEVR DE CHAMPLAIN 845Oultre toutes ces choses, l'on peut esperer de treuver un

chemin raccourcy pour aller a la Chine par le moyen dufleuve Saint-Laurent; et cela estant, comme il es t certainque l'on y parviendra, moyennant la grace de Dieu, sansbeaucoup de difficultes ; et dedans six moys le voyage sepourroit faire ; d'ou l'on peut tirer vn notable profit, telque le tire le Portugais et aultres nations qui vont aux Indes.Carle sieur de Champlain a travaille a celle recherche despuisseize ans; mais le peu d'assistance qu'il a eu, ne luy a pupermettre de parvenir a la fin de son entreprise, commeil fera estant assiste, et fera cognoitre la facilite de sonen treprise.

In addition to all these things one may hope to find ashort route to China by way of the river St. Lawrence ; andthat being the case, it is certain that we shall succeed by thegrace of God in finding it without much difficulty ; and thevoyage could be made in six months ; whence a notableprofit may be gained such as the Portuguese and other nationsderive, "rho go to the Indies. For the Sieur de Champlainhas been toiling at this quest for sixteen years ; but the scantassistance he has received has not been sufficient to allowhim to complete his undertaking, as he will do when assisted,and will make known the freedom from difficulty of hisundertaking.