Champlain well understood the advantages of founding his city on a spot naturally fortified and where he could readily defend himself against the attack of an enemy, whose approach he expected sooner or later.  The first foes, however, whom Champlain had to encounter were not the Indians, but his own countrymen, members of his crew who under various pretexts sought to kill their chief and give the command of the settlement to the Basques.  Jean Duval, the king’s locksmith, was the leader of this conspiracy against Champlain, and associated with him were four vicious sailors to whom he promised a part of the reward which had been offered for this treason.  The conspirators agreed to preserve secrecy, and fixed the night of the fourth day for the assassination of their chief.

On the day upon which the plot was to be put into execution, Captain Le Testu[9] arrived from Tadousac in command of a vessel laden with provisions, utensils, etc.  After the vessel was unloaded, one of the conspirators, a locksmith named Natel, approached the captain and acquainted him with the details of the plot.  Champlain also listened to the man’s account and promised to observe secrecy, although he took precautions to frustrate the scheme by inviting the leader and the four conspirators to an entertainment on board Captain Le Testu’s barque.

The men accepted the invitation, and as soon as they were on board they were seized and held in custody until the following day.  The deposition of each man was then taken by Champlain in the presence of the pilot and sailors, and set down in writing, after which the “worthies” were sent to Tadousac, where Champlain requested Pont-Grave to guard them for a time.  Some days after the men were returned to Quebec, where they were placed on trial for attempted murder.

The jury was composed of Champlain, Pont-Grave, Le Testu, Bonnerme, the mate and the second mate, and some sailors.  The verdict was unanimous.  Duval was condemned to death on the spot as the instigator of the plot, and the others were also sentenced to death, but their sentence was to be carried out in France.  Duval was strangled at Quebec, and his head was placed on a pike which was set up in the most conspicuous part of the fort.  This was the second example of capital punishment in New France.  The first case recorded was at Charlesbourg Royal, or Cap-Rouge, near Quebec, in the winter of 1542-3, when Michel Gaillon, one of Roberval’s companions, was put to death.

Champlain was invested with executive, legislative and judiciary powers, but the founder of Quebec never abused the authority intrusted to him.  From this time every one fulfilled his duty day by day, and Champlain was able to continue his work in peace.