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CHAP. LIV.

Transactions between the Massachusetts and some of the governours of the French plantations in Acady, from the year 1641 to 1646.

NOVEMBER the 8th, 1641, one Mr. Rochet, a Protestant of Rochelle, arrived at Boston, with a message from Monsieur La Tour, planted upon St. John's river, in the bay of Fundy, to the westward of Cape Sable. He brought no letters with him, but only from Mr. Shurt of Pemaquid, where he left his men and boat. He propounded three things to the governour and council of the Massachusetts. 1. Liberty of free commerce, which was granted. 2. Assistance against Monsieur D'Aulney, of Penobscot, with whom he had war. 3. That he might make return of goods out of England by their merchants. In the two last, they excused any treaty with him, as having no letters, or commission from La Tour; however he was courteously entertained there, and after a few days departed. But on the 6th of October following, there came a shallop from the said La Tour, with fourteen men, one whereof was his lieutenant. They brought letters to the gover. nour, full of French compliments, with desire of assistance against Monsieur D'Aulney. They stayed about a week, (in which time they had liberty to take notice of the state of the Massachusetts, with the order of which the lieutenant professed to be much affected,) and then returned without any promise of what was principally desired; yet having now a second time propounded lib. erty of commerce with them, some of the merchants of Boston sent a pinnace soon after, to trade with La Tour in St. John's river. He welcomed them very kindly, giving them good encouragement for commerce, and withal wrote letters to their governour, very gratulatory for his lieutenant's entertainment, &c. and a relation of the state of the controversy betwixt him and D'Aulney. But in their return they met with D'Aulney at Pemaquid, who wrote also to their governour, and sent him a print.

ed copy of the arrest against La Tour, and threatened them, that if any of their vessels came to La Tour, he would make prize of them. The next summer, June 12, 1643, Monsieur La Tour himself came to Boston, in a ship of 140 tons, with 140 persons that lately came from Rochelle, whereof the master and his company were protestants. There came along with them two friars, (one of whom was well learned, and a ready disputant, and very fluent in the Latin tongue,) and two women, sent to wait upon La Tour's lady. They came in with a fair wind, without any notice taken of them; for meeting a Boston boat at sea, they took a pilot out of her, and left one of their own men in his place. As they passed into the harbour, one of La Tour's gentlemen espied Capt. Gibbons his wife and her family passing by water to her farm; and giving notice to the Monsieur, that they had been courteously entertained at their house in Boston, he presently manned out a boat to go and speak with her. She seeing such a company of strangers making towards her, hasted to get from them, and landed at an island near by, called the governour's garden. La Tour landed presently after her, and there found the governour himself with his family, whom after salutation he presently made acquainted with the cause of his coming, viz. that his ship being sent him out of France, D'Aulney, his old enemy, had so blocked up the river to his fort, with two ships and a galliot, that his ship could not get in, whereupon he stole by in the night with his shallop, and was come to crave aid to convey him into his fort. The governour answered him, that he could say nothing to it till he had conferred with some other of the magistrates; so after supper, he went with him to Boston. In the mean time, notice being given hereof by boats that passed by, the town was up in arms, and sent three shallops with armed men to guard the governour home, and not without cause; for if it had been an enemy, he might not only have surprized the person of the governour, with his family, but seized also the guns, the castle, and either possessed themselves of the fortifi

cation, or carried all away, there being not a man at that time to defend the place. This supposed danger put them upon another course, for better security of the place soon after. But to let that pass, the governour having the next day called together such of the magistrates and deputies as were at hand, La Tour shewed them his commission, and propounded to them his request, with the cause of his coming. His commission was fairly engrossed in parchment, under the hand and seal of the vice admiral of France, and grand prior, &c. to bring supply to La Tour, whom he styled his majesty's lieutenant general of Acady. He showed also a letter from the agent of the company in France, to whom he hath reference, informing him of the injurious practices of D'Aulney against him, and advising him to look to himself, &c. and subscribed to him as lieutenant general, &c. Upon this it appeared, (being dated in April, 1643,) that notwithstanding the arrest which D'Aulney had sent to the governour the last year, whereby La Tour was proclaimed a rebel, &c. yet he stood in good terms with the state of France, and also with the company, &c. Whereupon, (though he could not grant him aid, without the advice of the other commissioners of the United Colonies,) yet they thought it neither fit nor just, to hinder any that would be willing to be hired to aid him; and accordingly they answered him, that they would allow him a free mercate; that he might hire any ships that lay in their harbour, &c. which he took very thankfully, and rested well satisfied in. He had also leave granted him to land his men to refresh themselves; and upon his request, liberty was granted to exercise his soldiers, on a training day, at Boston, when the company of the town were in like manner employed in their military exercises, wherein they behaved themselves civilly, and shewed their activity in feats of arms, which was unto mutual satisfaction; although some persons, unaccustomed to such affairs, were not well pleased therewith, and did foretell that which never came to pass. Many being dissatisfied with these concessions, the governour saw cause to call a se

cond meeting, where all the reasons, pro and con, were laid down and debated. After all which, the governour and council could not apprehend it any more unlawful for them, to allow him liberty to provide himself succour from amongst their people, than it was for Joshua to aid the Gibeonites against the rest of the Canaanites, or for Jehoshaphat to aid Jehoram against Moab; in which expedition Elisha was present, and did not reprove the king of Judah, but for his presence sake, saved their lives by a miracle; yet the ill success at the last, seems not fully justified by these reasons.

The governour also, by letters, informed the rest of the commissioners of what had passed, giving them the reasons, why they did so presently give him his answer, without further trouble to the country, or delay to the French Monsieur, whose distress was very urgent.

In like manner did the governour, with the advice of some of the magistrates and others, write to D'Aulney, by way of answer to his letters of November last, to this effect; viz. whereas he found by the copy of the arrest sent from himself, that La Tour was under displeasure and censure in France, and therefore intended to have no further to do with him, than by way of commerce, which is allowed, &c. and if he had made prize of any of their vessels in that way, as he had threatened, they should have righted themselves, as well as they could, without injury to himself, or just offence to his majesty of France, (whom they did honour, as a great and mighty Prince,) and should endeavour so to behave themselves, towards his majesty and all his subjects, &c. as became them. But La Tour coming to them, and acquainting them, how it is with him, and mentioning the vice admiral's commission, with the letters, &c. though they thought not fit to give him aid, as being unwilling to intermeddle in any of the wars of their neighbours; yet considering his urgent necessity and distress, they could not so far dispense with the laws of christianity and humanity, as to deny him liberty to hire, for his money, any ships in their harbour; and whereas, some of their

people were willing to go along with him, (though with out any commission,) they had charged them to endeavour, by all means, to bring matters to a reconciliation, &c. and that they should be assured, if they should do, or attempt, any thing against the rules of justice and good neighbourhood, they must be accountable thereof, unto them, at their return.

Some other gentlemen did, at that time, affirm, that being accidentally in their passage to New England, made to put into the harbour, where was La Tour's fort, they were there civilly treated, and accommodated with his own pinnace, to transport them, when their ship was forced to leave them. And whereas, he was charged with the killing two Englishmen at Machias, and detaining 500 pounds worth of goods, that belonged to some of New England, about ten years ago; it was then made out, undeniably, that the Englishmen at Machias were all drunk, (which is not hard to believe, where men, that have not power to govern themselves, have strong liquors and wine to command at their pleasure,) and that they began to fire their murdering pieces against the Frenchmen, whom they had peaceably traded with, but two or three days before. And for the goods, La Tour proffered to refer the matter to judgment yet, and that if it should be found he had done them any wrong, he would make them satisfaction.

In the end, nothing of moment being objected against their hiring of ships of force, to convey him and his lady, with their ship and goods, home to his fort, they set sail July the 14, 1643, with four ships and a pinnace, well manned with seventy or eighty volunteers, who all returned safe within two months after, without loss either of vessels or men; although they chased D'Aulney to his own fort, where he ran his two ships and pinnace aground, with intent to fortify himself with all expedition; and the messenger, that carried the letters to D'Aulney, was led blindfold into the house, and so returned, six or seven hours after. But the commander in chief of the vessels, hired at Boston, would not be persuaded by La

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