Nicholas Marsolet (1587-1677) had a "stranger-than-usual" life.

First, he lived longer than most in his century, where 40 was old, he died at 90.

Second, he lived three span of lives totally different:

1. 1587-1608: In the glamour, artificiality and pomp of the Court of France, until he was 21 years old.

2. 1608-1635: In Tadoussac with the Montagnais and Saguenay tribes ostensibly as Interpretor, but to all intent and purpose an interested party to the First Nations welfare.

3. 1635-1677: In Quebec city, married to Marie LeBarbier, Father to 6 children who survived childhood (on 10) children.

Third, he personally knew many illustrous people of his time, yet he held his peace without giving-in to no-honour-schemes and was able to hold his own in dangerous situations especially defending and remaining loyal to his friends the Montagnais.

So, yes, when Nicholas first arrived here there were few Europeans and he was careful to advise the First Nations tribes of his area wisely in keeping away from the Europeans and their politics. Nicholas had recognized that the First Nations' lifestyles in the woods of the New World were better than the greed and hypocrisy of the European courts.

Nicholas knew French Court Life well and had been personally chosen)
by Henri IV when Nicolas was twelve years old.

Henri IV of France, son of Antoine de Boubon and Jeanne III d'Albret Queen of Navarre, was born in 1553. He became Henri III of Navarre, then King of France and died in 1610.

HENRI III de Navarre
a.k.a. HENRI IV - King of France from 1589 to 1610

The great Catherine de Medicis died in January of 1589. She had reigned as a Regent several times. The French monarch, Henri III of Navarre, was known in France as Henri IV, the First King of the Bourbons. His wife was Margot, of the Valois House, sister of the deceased Charles IX and Henri III, kings of France.

In that year of 1589, when Henri IV truly came into power, Nicolas Marsolet was but a child of 2; he grew up in this new society which had for aim the restoration of religious peace (allowing both the Catholic and the Protestant beliefs of the Huguenots and Calvinists) and greater power for the monarchy.

The Edict of Nantes, proclaiming religious freedom, was signed in 1598 when Nicholas was eleven; the Marsolet family had Huguenot leanings as did most families from Rouen, LaRochelle, Britanny and Normandy.

Henri IV worked with Sully who also wanted greater prosperity. He envisioned the success of some of the colonization projects which Francois 1er had started half a century before.

So, in this climate of exploration and development, Nicolas was the first Interpretor signed-in by Henri IV, King of France, in 1599 at the Court of the King of France, to work for the newly formed "Compagnie de Montreal" to be part of the future planned expedition of 1608, giving him the necessary years to learn as many skills as was possible to gain greater independance.

He arrived in New-France with someone who would become one of his closest European friends, along with Joliet, namely Étienne Brûlé, and they were on the 1608 ship led by Samuel de Champlain.

Samuel de Champlain
Gouverneur

Nicholas Marsolet's story really could read as a Fairy Tale because it held the magical powers of transformation and self-control, in a world usually entrenched in rigidity.
So, yes, ...Once upon a time, long ago, in the castle/manor of Saint-Aignan in France (le Chateau de Saint-Aignan), was born a long-awaited boy. It was 1587. They named him after his Father and Grand-Father: Nicolas. His Mother was Marguerite de Plaines, (whose title was passed on to Bernard d'Amours, her great-grand-son)and Nicolas' paternal Grand-Mother was Laurence Griffon 

It is known that the family had many close friends at Court. The European Marsolet family were cousins to the Olivier House and would soon also be linked tru marriages with the Guyon (Dion), Pelletier, LaMothe (la Motte) and Damours families.
Claude Olivier of Rouen married Catherine Marsolet of S.Saturnin, évêché de Nantes, and their daughter Jeanne Olivier married André Leroux (see the Le Rouge family connection)

All Marsolet's daughters, except for Louise who married Jean Lemire (and many of his Grand-daughters) would marry noblemen from the French Court, which he personally picked, from amongst his friends' families. His daughter Marie Marsolet was dame Mathieu Damours , son of Louis D'Amours and Elisabeth Tessier. Amongst other things, Mathieu was the half-brother of Gabriel Damours, who would be Confessor of the King Louis XIV in 1666.  Mathieu was also the half-brother of Pierre Damours, Grand Senechal de France.  Mathieu's father, Louis Damours was "Conseiller du Roy" en son chateau de Paris, married to Anne de Gravelle.

Naturally, all the sons of Marie Marsolet and Mathieu D'Amours, but Claude, would be titled.

Nicholas middle daughters, Genevieve and Madeleine, would marry in the powerful Guyon family. Yes, in October 1662, Genevieve Marsolet married Michel Guyon du Rouvray and her sister Madeleine Marsolet married his brother Francois Guyon (Des Pres)(Dion).

Nicolas Marsolet's son, Jean, was born late, in 1651, and he did not leave any posterity though he was married twice, the first time at 30 yrs old, the year after his Father's death, to Marguerite Couture (he had a daughter who died young)(the Father of Marguerite was Me Guillaume Couture, Couture who in his young age had been the Huron Interpretor with the Father Jogues when he had been caught and tortured) and the second time Jean Marsolet was married to Marie Anne Bolduc, daughter of an advisor to King Louis XIV.

For many years, his Father, Nicholas Marsolet discreetly kept himself informed thru his office, in all likelihood being attentive to what was said and to what happened around him, hoping to find a suitable place for his young enterprising son and he must have heard of the King's need for reliable people to use as Interpretors in "la Nouvelle-France" because his young son was the first Interpretor signed with the "Compagnie de Montreal" in 1599.

Already, at age 12, his son Nicolas showed promise with languages, having enough natural ability to have learned Latin, Italian, Spanish, English & Dutch; moreso, his temperament showed not only resourcefulness but endurance, courage and integrity; this, coupled with the fact that his Father was a faithful servant was enough recommendation for the King: He was the first chosen Interpreter.

So, in 1599, he was signed by Henri IV as a "Drogman" (from an Arab word "tordgeman" which became "truchement" in French and "dragomena" in Italian, which were Interpreters) with the newly founded "Compagnies du Canada".

Thus started an epic worthy of the best.

As said before, Nicholas Marsolet lived three totally different lives.

Nicholas' first 21 years were lived in France getting his "barat",

then he moved to "la Nouvelle-France" having Etienne Brule ,
for one of his few European friends...

with the gun, Étienne Brulé (1592-1632)
Samuel de Champlain on the left

Nicholas lived in Tadoussac for 27 years being an Interpreter for the Fur trade, forging agreements between peoples/nations and for the Recollets' evangelization drive, living near the Montagnais in Tadoussac

and finally he lived 42 years in Quebec City, married to a French girl, Marie Le Barbier, and raising 6 European children.

* * * * * * *

1608-1635

Nicolas Marsolet, was born in Rouen in 1587 and came to Canada in 1608 with Champlain.  They did not get along well together.  For one thing, Champlain was peeved off by the fact that Nicolas was answerable only to the King, ... but Champlain had enough power to make sure Nicolas Marsolet would not be in his way.

TADOUSSAC, Quebec

So, Nicolas was set down in Tadoussac, (it was, after all, one of the busiest traditionnal gathering/meeting place of the First Nations, making it a desirable trading post...), while the others continued on to Quebec, with orders to stay there. Mind you, several times, he would cross to France for short periods, but none were the wiser for it. He had a serious meeting with the head of the Jesuits in Paris during the winter of 1626.

In 1629, when the English took Canada and sent the Early settlers home, he was one of the thirteen Europeans who stayed behind (7 were interpreters to the various Nations). This adventure with the three French-speaking English brothersKirkeKerth), with whom he was fast friends, left, at the time, a temporary un-founded taint on his loyalty. It had its taste of piracy, and knowing him, he must have enjoyed it... The daughter of one of the brothers (who were considered French by birth by the English) would eventually be married to the famous Radisson ... !

Stay in Tadoussac Nicholas did, a whole 27 years. Later on, his loyalty to the Kings of France would procure him several land grants (he probably was the largest land owner actually residing in New France), but for now his life in Tadoussac and in the Saguenay saw him enjoying a healthy lifestyle while he developed deep friendships with the Montagnais people, even fathering children; he thought of the Montagnais as "his people" and they loved him as much as he loved them. He was known then as "le petit roi de Tadoussac" (Tadoussac's little king).

Until his death, years later, he would still come to their help whenever they needed him, which was often. At the age of 75 years old it is recorded that he went on a mission during the middle of winter to aid them and had no problem keeping up with the party.

When Nicolas was 48 years old, in 1635, Champlain died. Nicolas immediatly handed-in his resignation as Interpreter and left Tadoussac to live in Quebec city.  But first he crossed the water from the US, with the earliest ship of the year, and went to Europe to find himself a French bride.(see below:  European Women in Quebec City in 1636)

At this time, Nicolas was already the Eldest of the Europeans amongst his own companions.  More than half his life had been lived, but the healthy life habits adopted while residing with his native friends had made him stronger than an ox, and he would outlive the next generation. 

Shooting the Rapids
Painting by Frances Anne Hopkins
from Ms Chapman website: ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/MarjChapman

From 1645 to 1660, Nicholas Marsolet owned such a barque,
similar to this one, and earned a living bringing travellers to their destinations.

1636-1677

Nicolas had many adventures (see Recollets, Jesuites, Montagnais, Kirke chapters in "We were there! Quebec, Canadian, French, American, Amerindian, Acadian, European Roots, a Genealogy & a History" by Danielle Duval LeMyre) in the early years of the Colony. It is the best recorded period of Nicholas'life.

TEXTE FRANCAIS