The Makers of Canada: ChamplainDionne, N.-E. (Narcisse-Eutrope)
History
The Makers of Canada: Champlain
Dionne, N.-E. (Narcisse-Eutrope)
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France); Champlain, Samuel de, 1574-1635
"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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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