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. 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.]