Déposition de Sept 1683

Very interesting document! Although Pierre ARSONNEAU does not sign this report, we believe he was able to: first, his name was written in by his partner Guillaume Bourgeois (same handwriting ). The scribe also specified in the report that both «signed the present delclaration». If a party couldn't sign, the scribe was required by ordonnance to specify that such&such «declared not knowing read nor sign» to explain the absence of signature, and write in the «Pierre Arsonneau __ his mark» where he could put his «X». We (moi & Pauline Arsenault) believe to have found the immigrant and he does indeed sign. In this case, Pierre apparently left in a hurry after his ship being taken to find another in Port-Royal or abroad, before Bourgeois could hand in the report, so Bourgeois likely filled in the rest himself not being able to reach Pierre. Canseau is not next door to Port-Royal.

Transcription:

Nous Guillaume Bourgeois et pierre Arsonneau; Estant a Chebouctou En la barque le St Charles faisant la pesche Sommes venus en le port de Canseau pour desclarer a Monsieur Bergier que nous avons Este pris par des Corsaires anglais, qui Estaient Conduits par le nommé Jemes Tailler de Baston; se qui nous cause une perte Considerable Et a beaucoup d’autres de nos amis du dit port Royal qui ont Esté pris comme nous; Enfoy dequoy nous avons signé la presente desclaration; fait a Canseau Coste de l’acadie le Vingt Sixiesme Septambre Mil six Cent quatre Vingt Trois : Bourgeois Marque de † Pierre arsenneau

Martin Roy, personal files. Photocopy from Archives du Ministère des Affaires Étrangères (France), Correspondance politique, Angleterre, 1683-1685,

MG 5, A 1, vol. 151, folio 108r obtained in July 2007.