Dolu advised Champlain to restrain the hands of the clerks of the old company, and to seize all the merchandise in the magazine.  He claimed that although this measure was rigorous, it was justified by the fact that the company had not fulfilled its obligations towards the settlement of New France.  De Villemenon’s letter was dictated in much the same terms.  Guillaume de Caen gave notice that he would soon arrive in Quebec with arms and stores for the settlement.  Dolu’s letter regarding the seizure of merchandise was couched in terms that might be considered imperative, nevertheless Champlain deemed it prudent to act with caution, and he therefore had conferred with Father George Le Baillif and Captain Dumay[18] on the subject.

The elder clerk had some clerks under him at Quebec, who after hearing of the contents of Dolu’s letter, were prepared to resist any curtailment of their rights.  Champlain appeased them, and assured them that they would be allowed freedom of trading at least until the arrival of Guillaume de Caen, the extent of whose authority was not yet known.

Caumont, the chief clerk, declared that he was satisfied with this arrangement, but nevertheless the situation was difficult.  If the king had given the order to confiscate the merchandise, then Dumay, whose visit to Canada was for the purpose of fur trading, would become the king of commerce in New France, and therefore he had nothing to lose in awaiting de Caen’s arrival.  He proceeded at once to Tadousac, but instead of meeting de Caen, he found that Pont-Grave had arrived as the representative of the old company, and that he had with him seventy-five men and some clerks.

Champlain was much distressed on receiving these tidings, for he foresaw a conflict which would possibly entail bloodshed.  The clerks also were despondent.  In order to avoid a quarrel, Champlain deemed it advisable to protect his men, and he therefore installed his brother-in-law, Eustache Boulle, and Captain Dumay with sixteen men, in the small fort which he had erected at Cape Diamond during the preceding year.  Champlain defended himself within the habitation, where he quartered all the men he could dispose of.  If the clerks were inclined to fight he would defend his position, but he hoped that these precautionary measures would prove the means of preventing bloodshed.

On May 7th, 1621, three of the clerks of Guillaume de Caen left Tadousac and took up their quarters near the habitation.  Father Le Baillif and Jean Baptiste Guers asked them to produce their papers.  They declared that they had authority to trade from the old Company of Rouen, which still existed through articles agreed to by the Duke of Montmorency, and that a trial was at present pending between the two societies.  On receiving this information from Father Le Baillif, Champlain decided to allow five clerks the necessary merchandise for trading; they were, however, told that the old company had been dissolved, and that the new company only was invested with authority to trade.  The clerks were satisfied with Champlain’s decision, but they objected to the presence of armed soldiers in the fort, which they claimed was not in accordance with the king’s commands.  The clerks finally went to Three Rivers to carry on their trade.