53
ACTE OF POSSESSION
BY SIEUR DU BOIS IN THE NAME OF THE KING (OF FRANCE) OF THE FORTS TAKEN FROM THE IROQUOIS .
In the year 1666, the 17 th day of Octob., the King’s troops commanded by Messire Alexander deProuville Knight, Lord de Tracy Lieut. General of His Ma tie » Naval armies both in the Islands andContinent of South and North America as well by sea as by land, aided by Messire Daniel de RemyKnight, Seigneur de Courcelles, Governor and Lieut. General for the King in New France, beingdrawn up in battle array before the Fort of Andaraque, Jean Baptiste du Bois Esq ra Sieur de Cocreau-mont and de St. Morice, Commandant of the Artillery of the army, presented himself at the head ofthe army by order of Mons. Lord de Tracy and deputed by M. Jean Talon, King’s Councillor in hisState and Privy Councils, Intendant General of Justice, Police and Finance in New France, for thereview and direction of the Supplies of the Troops, who declared and said that at the request ofMons* Talon he took possession of said Fort and of all the lands in the neighbourhood as far and inas great a quantity as they may extend, and of the other four forts which have been conqueredfrom the Iroquois in the name of the King, and in token thereof hath planted a Cross before thedoors of said forts and near this hath erected a post and to these hath affixed the King’s arms, ofwhich and of all the above the said Sieur du Bois has required acte of the undersigned Royal Notarycommanded in the said army for His Majesty’s service. Done at the aforesaid Fort of Andaraquethe day and year above written, in presence of Messire Alexander de Chaumont, Knight Seigneur ofsaid place, Aid de Camp of his Majesty’s armies, and of Hector d’Andigny, Knight of Grande Fon-taine, Captain of a Company of Infantry in the Carignan Regiment, of the Nobleman Antoine deContrecour Cap n of a Company of Infantry in said Regiment, of Francois Masse Sieur de Wally Jeandu Gal Esq cs Sieur du Fresne Major of Canada , Jean Louis Chevalier du Glas Lieut of a Company ofsaid Regirn 1 , Rene Louis Chartier Esq r , Sieur de Lobinire Lieutenant of a Militia Company from Que-bec , Dominique le Feure Esq r , Sieur de Quesquelin Lieutenant in said Regiment, Witnesses under-signed with the said Seigneur du Bois and the Notary . Signed, Chaumont, le Chevalier de GrandFontam, de Contrecour, du Gal, Wally, Chev^ 1 du Glas, du Guesclin, Rene Louis Chartier, Lobiniere,du Bois and du Guet Royal Notary .
GOV. NICOLLS TO CHEV. TRACY, AT QUEBEC .
Monsieur, [ Lond. n 0 c. n. ]
I was in some measure surprized in february last with the newes of so considerable a force offorreiners under the command of Monsieur de Courcelle so farre advanct in these His Ma tics Domi-nions without my Knowledge and Consent, or the least notice given of yr intentions to any of HisMa Colonies then in amity with the French Nation: although y r proceedings heerin were notconformable to the practise in Europe, yet all my officers both Military and Civill soon resolu’d tosuccor and relieve your Campe with such meane provisions as the Country affords [and] from a smallvillage cou c bee expected and as they have in all former times been very affectionate with ChristianCharity to ransome or by any other meanes to convey divers French prisoners out of the hands oftheir barbarous Enemies so also their Intentions towards you is manifest in their letter of the 20‘*>March last wherein their purpose was to give you a speedy notice that the Maquaes were at last