But there was a lion in the path. The revolt of the
Huguenots of La Rochelle had led to war between France
and England, and this gave Sir William Alexander (Earl
of Stirling) the chance he desired. In 1621 Alexander
had received from James I a grant of Nova Scotia or
Acadia, and this grant had been renewed later by Charles
I. And it was Alexander's ambition to drive the French
not only from their posts in Acadia but from the whole
of North America. To this end he formed a company under
the name of the Adventurers of Canada. One of its leading
members was Gervase Kirke, a wealthy London merchant,
who had married a Huguenot maiden, Elizabeth Goudon or
Gowding of Dieppe. Now when war broke out the Adventurers
equipped three staunch privateers. Captain David Kirke,
the eldest son of Gervase, commanded the flagship Abigail,
and his brothers, Lewis and Thomas, the other two ships.
The fleet, though small, was well suited for the work in
hand. While making ready for sea the Adventurers learned
of the much larger fleet of the One Hundred Associates;
but they learned, too, that the vessels were chiefly
transports, of little use in a sea-fight. David Kirke
was, on the other hand, equipped to fight, and he bore
letters of marque from the king of England authorizing
him to capture and destroy any French vessels and 'utterly
to drive away and root out the French settlements in Nova
Scotia and Canada.' The omens were evil for New France
when, early in the spring of 1628, the Kirkes weighed
anchor and shaped their course for her shores.