Robert Cormier vs. M. Andre Tuffet January 8th, 1644

How did the French manage to leave France for the distant land of Acadia
I recently came across an "agreement" which answered my question.
These agreements were bargains or deals, whereby one man and his family agrees to work for another man or a company for a period of two or three years, in exchange for passage aboard ship, plus payment upon completion of the said time.
This is a copy of the agreement between ROBERT CORMIER and M.TUFFET:

"Personally established Noble man M. Andre Tuffit, Parliamentary Lawyer occupying the Presidential seat of this city Honorables Auger Ducharin and Dominique de Chevery, merchants living in the city La Rochelle, France of one part and Robert Cormier, carpenter and Marie Piraude, his wife and Thomas Cormier, their son, living in this city forming the other or second part. The said parties of their own free will have made and passed between them the following:
It is to be understood that the said Cormier, Piraude, his said wife and their son shall be bound as they have promised to embark the first request of Sirs Tuffet, Descharin and de Chevery upon the Boat known as the Little St. Pierre (Peter) of whom Pierre Poiliau is Master to said Cape Breton Island in the Country of New France and to work for the said Sirs Tuffet, Ducharin and de Chevery in his trade as a carpenter and other chores they shall be commanded to perform by Sir Louis Tuffet of Fort St. Pierre on the said Islands towards those ends they shall be obliged to obey and follow entirely those orders during a lapse of the next three consecutive years, which shall begin the day they embark and shall terminate the day they embark for their return, the said three years having ended and this for the sake of the sum of one hundred and twenty three pounds for each year, for the first of the said years the said Sirs Tuffet, Ducharin and de Chevery have presently paid the advance the sum of (?) the balance shall be paid to them or to their order one month after the return of the said ship, deductions shall be made of whatever received on the said Island and it is accorded and expressly convened that the case be that the said Cormiers and his said wife, disobey or have rebelled against Sir Tuffet's clerk or other governing bodies they shall be deprived of their wages and liable for all fixed expenses, damages and interest between the said parties, for the carrying out of the present agreement the parties of the second part have obligated to one another their present and future belongings and likewise the said Cormier his person to serve prison for royal coins and have ? (etc)judged and condemned (etc.)
Signed and Sealed in the undersigned notary's study in LaRochelle before noon the eighth day of January, one thousand six hundred and fourty four before Francois Moreau, practitioner and Martin de Hanabillaque, clerk.,living in this city. The said Cormier and his wife declare not able to write.
On the twenty-sixth day of March, one thousand six hundred and fourty-four, it has been convened between the said parties that the said Robert Cormier and his said wife shall be allowed to bring with them to the Island of Cape Breton their twenty-month old son, who shall be nourished and cared for on the said island without he entitled to claim any salary.

The said Cormier declared not able to sign. X"

Young THOMAS CORMIER, son of Robert and Marie Piraude grew up and remained in Acadie. He married Madeleine Girouard, daughter of Francois Girouard and Jeanne Aucoin.Thomas died in 1693.
They had 10 children: Madeleine, 1669; Francois,1670; Alexis, 1672; Anne-Marie,1674; Germain,1676; Pierre, 1682; Claire, 1684; twins Marie and Agnes, 1686; and Jeanne, 1688.
Anne-Marie married in 1693 to Michel Hache dit Gallant.

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