Also wee conceive that the Charges wee have byn att in building and keeping the 30/1442Fort nowe Three years should have byn considered in some measure. And if the French must be paid according to the price of beavor in England, Wee thinke it had byn very reasonable that they should have paid the Charges of bringing them home, seeing that which is bought in Canada for 2 s. is worth here above xx s. And that voyage cost us above 20000 £. which charge wee were att upon his Majesties Comaund and upon promise to enjoy both the goods wee should take the Fort and the Countrey.
But now by this conclusion it should seeme wee have made a voyage for De Caen whoe (as he makes his reckoning) will have paid him here for every Beavor marchauntable (which he calculates att a pound and halfe in weight and att 25 s. sterling per lb.) which is 37 s. 6 d. sterling for every beavor, which cost not him above 3 s. sterling in Canada and wee have paid all the Charge of fetching and bringing them home hither which cometh to much more then all the beavers are worth. And if de Cane had sett forth shipps himselfe he must have byn att the like charge which would have cost hime more then his Beavors were worth. And therefore we conceive there is no reason he should have the value of the Beavors as they are worth here, seeing we have bought them there and paid all the charges of bringing them hither. By which agreement de Caen would make above 12 for one profitt and wee should loose all both principall which was our provisions they had for them and also the charge of bringing them hither. And it appeares that for such goodes as wee shall have remayneing in Canada and deliver de Caen wee are to have but 30 per Cent more then they cost us, which seemeth as strange on thother side; beinge that the charges of carryîng the goodes thither and other expences will come to above Three tymes more then they cost besides the extraordinary yerely charge of keeping the Fort of Kebeck which must be raised upon the profitt of the goodes.
Further whereas his Lordshipp hath ordered de Caen to pay 2400 lyvers for the bringing home of 60 men custome and all other charges, wee conceive it to bee a very poore allowance seeing his Majesties custome amounteth to above 1000 lyvers and the very freight of our shipps coste above 4000 £. sterling besides Maryners wages and victualles.
And also whereas his Lordshipp hath further agreed That de Caen shall pay the freight and all Charges of a shipp of 250 tonnes to fetch home our men and goodes and also to pay 30 per Cent for such goodes as wee shall have remayneing in the countrey, Wee marvell de Caen doth not send one & give order and security for the performance thereof, that soe wee [may send away a][843] shipp in good tyme, that the delivery of the Fort may be performed according to his Majesties Comaund. But wee hold it very unreasonable wee should have soe litle allowance 30 per cent for the reasons above expressed.
Note 843: [(retour) ]
Effacé dans le manuscrit.
And lastly wee conceive the carryage of the busynes hath byn very unequall. For seeing our English Marchants have byn forced to goe into Fraunce to plead for such goodes as have byn taken from them by the French. Why should not the French come as well into England to plead for such goodes as have byn taken from them by the English. For all the world knoweth there is as good justice to be had in England as in 31/1443France. For in the passage of the busynes for Canada, it is playne that the depositions of the French are fully approved and the English wholly rejected. Soe also in the proceeding about the shipp called the Benediction taken by the French; It appeareth by the English depositions that the goodes which the French tooke from the English amounted to 14000 £. sterling and upwards. Yet their witnesses are not received nor allowed. But what the French have deposed is come to their handes (being little more than halfe of the said somme) is yeilded unto and restitution to be made for noe more. Soe that according to that rule it had byn but reason the English should have made restitution for noe more then what they proved came to their handes of the Frenchmens goodes. But in the whole course of their proceedinges it appeares the French are to receive and pay accordinge to their owne proofes and the depositions of the English are neither regarded nor their proofes on either side admitted or accompted of.
DAVID KIRKE for my mother
Elizabeth Kirke.
ROBERT CHARLTON.
WILLIAM BARKELEY.