Huguenot associates.

The period of the De Caens was marked by the presence at Quebec of
Madame Champlain. The romance of Champlain's life does not, however,
revolve about his marriage. In 1610, at the age of forty-three, he
espoused Helene Boulle, whose father was secretary of the King's Chamber
to Henry IV. As the bride was only twelve years old, the marriage
contract provided that she should remain two years longer with her
parents. She brought a dowry of six thousand livres, and simultaneously
Champlain made his will in her favour. Probably De Monts had some part
in arranging the marriage, for Nicholas Boulle was a Huguenot and De
Monts appears as a witness to the notarial documents. Subsequently,
Madame Champlain became an enthusiastic Catholic and ended her days as
a nun. She had no children, and was only once in Canada, residing
continuously at Quebec from 1620 to 1624. No mention whatever is made of
her in Champlain's writings, but he named St Helen's Island after her,
and appears to have been unwilling that she should enter a convent
during his lifetime.

One need feel little surprise that Madame Champlain should not care to
visit Canada a second time, for the buildings at Quebec had fallen into
disrepair, and more than once the supply of food ran very low. During
1625 Champlain remained in France with his wife, and therefore did not
witness the coming o the Jesuits to the colony. This event, which is
a landmark in the history of Quebec and New France, followed upon the
inability of the Recollets to cover the mission field with any degree of
completeness. Conscious that their resources were unequal to the task,
they invoked the aid of the Jesuits, and in this appeal were strongly
supported by Champlain. Once more the horizon seemed to brighten, for
the Jesuits had greater resources and influence than any other order in
the Roman Catholic Church, and their establishment at Quebec meant much
besides a mere increase in the population. The year 1626 saw Champlain
again at his post, working hard to complete a new factory which he had
left unfinished, while the buildings of the Jesuit establishment made
good progress under the hand of workmen specially brought from France.
What still remained imperfect was the fortification. The English had
destroyed the French settlements at Mount Desert and Port Royal. What
was to hinder them from bombarding Quebec?

This danger soon clouded the mood of optimism that had been in