me pensions as soldiers in the
national service. Henceforth 'one pipe of brandy' was to go on each
vessel for use during war; but, in spite of 'pipes of brandy,' the
seamen were now very mutinous about going aboard, and demanded pay in
advance, which with 'faire words doth allay anger.' It was a difficult
matter now to charter ships. The Company had to buy vessels; and it
seems there was a scarcity of ready money, for one minute records that
'the tradesmen are very importunate for their bills.'

Many new shareholders had come into the Company, and 'Esquire Young' had
great ado to convince them that Radisson had any rightful claim on them
at all. Radisson, for his part, went to law; and the arrears of
dividends were ordered to be paid. But when the war waxed hotter there
were no dividends. Then Esquire Young's petitions set forth that 'M.
Radisson is living in a mean and poor condition.' When the Frenchman
came asking for consideration, he was not invited into the committee
room, but was left cooling his heels in the outer hall. But the years
rolled on, and when, during the negotiation of the Treaty of Ryswick in
1697, the Company pressed a claim of L200,000 damages against France,
'the Committee considering Mr Peter Radisson may be very useful at this
time, as to affairs between the French and this Co'y, the Sec. is
ordered to take coach and fetch him to the Committee'; 'on wh. the
Committee had discourse with him till dinner.' The discourse--given in
full in the minutes--was the setting forth, on affidavit, of that secret
royal order from the king of France in 1684 to restore the forts on the
Bay to England. Meanwhile amounts of L250 were voted widows of captains
killed in the war; and the deputy-governor went to Hamburg and Amsterdam
to borrow money; for the governor, Sir Stephen Evance, was wellnigh
bankrupt.

A treaty of neutrality, in 1686, had provided that the Bay should be
held in common by France and England, but the fur traders of New France
were not content to honour such an ambiguous arrangement. D'Iberville
came overland again to Rupert river in 1687, promptly seized the English
sloop there, and sent four men across to Charlton Island to spy on
Captain Bond, who was wintering on the ship _Churchill_. Bond clapped
the French spies under hatches; but in the spring one was permitted
above decks to help the English sailors launch the _Churchill_ from her
skids. The Frenchman waited till six of the English were