reon, or wholly to leaue it: and therefore I send
Captaine Iohn Ribault to bee gouernour there, to whom you shall deliuer
whatsoeuer you haue in charge, and informe him of all things you haue
discouered. And in a postscript of the letter was thus written. Thinke
not, that whereas I send for you, it is for any euill opinion or mistrust
that I haue of you, but that it is for your good and for your credit, and
assure your selfe that during my life you shall find me your good Master.

CHASTILLON.

(M540) Now after I had long discoursed with Captaine Ribault, Captaine la
Grange accosted mee, and told me of an infinite number of false reports
which had bene made of mee to my great hinderance: and among other things
he informed me, that my Lord Admirall tooke it very euill that I had
caried a woman with mee: likewise that some bodie had tolde him that I
went about to counterfeit the King, and to play the tyrant: that I was too
cruell vnto the men that went with mee: that I sought to be aduanced by
other meanes then by my Lord Admirall: and that I had written to many
Lords of the Court, which I ought not to haue done. (M541) Whereunto I
answered, that the woman was a poore chambermayd, which I had taken vp in
an Inne, to ouersee my houshold businesse, to looke to an infinite sort of
diuers beasts, as sheepe and poultrie which I caried ouer with me to store
the countrey withall: that it was not meete to put a man to attend this
businesse: likewise, considering the length of the time that I was to
abide there, mee thought it should not offend any body to take a woman
with me, aswell to help my souldiers in their sickenesses, as in mine
owne, whereinto I fell afterward. And how necessary her seruice was for
vs, ech one at that time might easily perceiue: That all my men thought so
well of her, that at one instant there were sixe or seuen which did demand
her of mee in mariage; as in very deede one of them had her after our
returne. Touching that which was sayd that I playd the King, these reports
were made, because I would not beare with any thing which was against the
duety of my charge, and the Kings seruice. Moreouer, that in such
enterprises it is necessary for a Gouernour to make himselfe knowen and
obeyed, for feare least euery body would become a master, perceiuing
themselues far from greater forces. And that if the tale-tellers called
this rigour, it rather proceeded of their disobedience, then of my nature
lesse subiect t