Voyages of Samuel de Champlain, vol 1 | Page 3

only by a narrow channel. Although this little town can boast
a great antiquity, it never at any time had a large population. It is
mentioned by local historians as early as the middle of the eleventh
century. It was a seigniory of the family of Pons. The village was
founded by Jacques de Pons, after whose proper name it was for a time
called Jacopolis, but soon resumed its ancient appellation of Brouage.
An old chronicler of the sixteenth century informs us that in his time it
was a port of great importance, and the theatre of a large foreign
commerce. Its harbor, capable of receiving large ships, was excellent,
regarded, indeed, as the finest in the kingdom of France. [1] It was a
favorite idea of Charles VIII. to have at all times several war-ships in
this harbor, ready against any sudden invasion of this part of the coast.
At the period of Champlain's boyhood, the village of Brouage had two
absorbing interests. First, it had then recently become a military post of
importance; and second, it was the centre of a large manufacture of salt.

To these two interests, the whole population gave their thoughts, their
energy, and their enterprise.
In the reign of Charles IX., a short time before or perhaps a little after
the birth of Champlain, the town was fortified, and distinguished Italian
engineers were employed to design and execute the work. [2] To
prevent a sudden attack, it was surrounded by a capacious moat. At the
four angles formed by the moat were elevated structures of earth and
wood planted upon piles, with bastions and projecting angles, and the
usual devices of military architecture for the attainment of strength and
facility of defence. [3]
During the civil wars, stretching over nearly forty years of the last half
of the sixteenth century, with only brief and fitful periods of peace, this
little fortified town was a post ardently coveted by both of the
contending parties. Situated on the same coast, and only a few miles
from Rochelle, the stronghold of the Huguenots, it was obviously
exceedingly important to them that it should be in their possession,
both as the key to the commerce of the surrounding country and from
the very great annoyance which an enemy holding it could offer to
them in numberless ways. Notwithstanding its strong defences, it was
nevertheless taken and retaken several times during the struggles of that
period. It was surrendered to the Huguenots in 1570, but was
immediately restored on the peace that presently followed. The king of
Navarre [4] took it by strategy in 1576, placed a strong garrison in it,
repaired and strengthened its fortifications; but the next year it was
forced to surrender to the royal army commanded by the duke of
Mayenne. [5] In 1585, the Huguenots made another attempt to gain
possession of the town. The Prince of Condé encamped with a strong
force on the road leading to Marennes, the only avenue to Brouage by
land, while the inhabitants of Rochelle co-operated by sending down a
fleet which completely blocked up the harbor. [6] While the siege was
in successful progress, the prince unwisely drew off a part of his
command for the relief of the castle of Angiers; [7] and a month later
the siege was abandoned and the Huguenot forces were badly cut to
pieces by de Saint Luc, [8] the military governor of Brouage, who
pursued them in their retreat.

The next year, 1586, the town was again threatened by the Prince of
Condé, who, having collected another army, was met by De Saint Luc
near the island of Oleron, who sallied forth from Brouage with a strong
force; and a conflict ensued, lasting the whole day, with equal loss on
both sides, but with no decisive results.
Thus until 1589, when the King of Navarre, the leader of the
Huguenots, entered into a truce with Henry III., from Champlain's birth
through the whole period of his youth and until he entered upon his
manhood, the little town within whose walls he was reared was the
fitful scene of war and peace, of alarm and conflict.
But in the intervals, when the waves of civil strife settled into the calm
of a temporary peace, the citizens returned with alacrity to their usual
employment, the manufacture of salt, which was the absorbing article
of commerce in their port.
This manufacture was carried on more extensively in Saintonge than in
any other part of France. The salt was obtained by subjecting water
drawn from the ocean to solar evaporation. The low marsh-lands which
were very extensive about Brouage, on the south towards Marennes and
on the north towards Rochefort, were eminently adapted to this purpose.
The whole of this vast region was cut