Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2
1630-04-26
The winde still w: and by S: close weather and scarce any winde.
The 2: shippes which we sawe yesterdaye were bonde for Canada Capt Kirk
1 was aboard the Admirall. they bare vp with vs, and coming
250 falling
They tould vs for certaine, that the Kinge of France had sett out six of his owne shippes, to recover the forte from them, About one of the Clocke Capt Lowe sent his skiffe aboard vs, (with a freindly token of his Love to the Governor) to desire our Capt to come aboard his shippe, which he did. and there mett the masters of the other shippes and Capt Kirke, and before night they all returned to their shippes againe, Capt Lowe Kirk cancelled and Lowe written above
The winde now blewe a pretye gale so as our shippes made some waye again, thoughe it were out of our right Course n: w: by n.
In 1629 David Kirke captured Quebec for the Canada Company, which was formed by Sir William Alexander. The Captain Kirke whom Winthrop met was probably David's brother, Louis, Thomas having remained in command of the garrison (C. F. Adams, Ed., New English Canaan, 235, note), who was bringing out stores and reinforcements for the English garrison at Quebec. Horace E. Ware, “An Incident in Winthrop's Voyage,” Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, XII. 101–113 and Henry Kirke, The First English Conquest of Canada (London, 1871), passim. An interesting account of the English at Quebec in 1628 and 1629 is to be found in Francis Parkman, Pioneers of France in the New World (Boston, 1865), 401–415.