Oeuvres de Champlain
Chapitre II
A copie of Mr. Champleins depositions taken before Sr. Henry Martin Kt.
the 9th. (19) of Novembr. 1629.
Samuell Champlein of Browages in Guien in the Kingdome of France, gent.
and late Lieutenant govournor of the forte in Canada called the St. Lewis at
Kebecke, sworne before the right worll Sr Henry Martin Knight Judge of
the high Court of Admiralty, saieth as followeth.
To the first Intergatory he saith that he and the rest of the French latelie
taken at Canada by Capt Kircke and his comp. have bin well intreated and
used by him and his comp. ev. since they were taken by them, giveing them
victualls and useing them as himselfe, and they have bin noe wayes dealt
with to depose an untruth for ought hee knoweth.
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. Deshenn832 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 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: (retour)
Dolu.
Note 832: (retour)
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 Loania833 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: (retour)
La Coquinne.