THE Kings of England, by Right of Diſcovery, and premier Occupancy, for above 100 Years ſince, have the ſole Rightful Title and Soveraignty of all the Seas, Lakes, Bays, Rivers, Creeks, &c. as well as the Countries, Confines and Territories within the Entrance of the Straits of Hudſon; and that the ſame was never Navigated but by Engliſh Ships and Engliſh Subjects, till the late Encroachments of the French, many Years ſince the Incorporation of this Company.

Though the Navigation was diſcovered ſo long ſince, yet no Trade was Eſtabliſhed with the Native Indians till about Twenty Years paſt, when ſeveral Perſons of Quality, and others, having made ſome private Voyages, and finding that a conſiderable Trade for Beavor, and other Furrs, might be ſetled with the Savage Indians, His late Majeſty King CHARLES the Second, was pleaſed by His Letters Patents bearing date the Second of May, 1670. to Incorporate the Adventurers; and in purſuance of the aforeſaid Inherent Right in the Crown of England, did by His Royal Charter make a Free Grant to his Highneſs Prince Rupert, Chriſtopher Duke of Albemarle, William Earl of Craven, and others His Subjects and their Succeſſors for ever, of all thoſe Seas, Straits, Bays, Rivers, Lakes and Creeks in whatſoever Latitude, from the Entrance of the Straits, commonly called Hudſons Straits; together with all the Lands and Territories upon the Countries, Coaſts and Confines, and that the ſame ſhould be reckoned and reputed as one of His Majeſties Plantations and Colonies in America, by the Name of Ruperts Land. And did further Make and Conſtitute the ſaid Company and their Succeſſors, the True and Abſolute Lords and Proprietors thereof, to hold in free and common Soccage, as of His Mannor of East-Greenwich in Kent, reſerving an Acknowledgment or Rent for the ſame to His Majeſty, His Heirs and Succeſſors; and Granting to the ſaid Company the ſole Trade thereof with Prohibition to all others from Trading within their Limits, without their Licenſe, upon Forfeiture of Ship and Goods ſo offending, which hath alſo by Proclamation been publiſhed and made known: By which Inherent Right of Dominion and Propriety in His Majeſty to the Country and Places, it is humbly conceived His Majeſties ſaid Grant doth extreamly differ from His Charters to the Eaſt-India-Company, or the African-Company.

The ſaid Company ſince their Incorporation have Erected Forts, Setled ſeveral Factories, Built Ships, Imployed many Seamen, and conſiderably Exported the Manufacturies of this Nation; and in the courſe of their Trade for ſo many Years, have not only actually loſt Thirteen Ships, but been at above Two Hundred Thouſand Pounds Charge: Which makes it evident that nothing but a Company and a Joynt Stock could have laid the Foundation of ſo conſiderable a Trade amongſt Infidels, and have been able to ſupport ſo great a Charge, and ſo many incident Loſſes which naturally attend that Voyage.

In particular, this Company hath ſuffered more by the French than any Company in England, the French having even in time of Peace committed many Outrages againſt them, taken their Ships at Sea, Invaded their Factories by I and, Robbed them of their Goods, Burnt their Houſes, Murdered ſeveral of Their Majeſties Subjects, and carried others Priſoners to Quebeck: That the French have had the Inſolence not only to juſtifie thoſe their unjuſt Invaſions, but (according to the Method of that Nation to Encroach upon all the World) have pretended a Right to Hudſons-Bay, and by a ſtrange Confidence againſt all Engliſh Diſcoveries of almoſt Two Hundred Years ſince, and all Maps that ever were extant, to make it a Dependence upon Canada, and to give out that in a ſhort time they would not only have that, but New York and New England too: But this Company will undertake to make out, That the Crown of France hath no Right to Canada it ſelf, but that it, and ſome other Territories, were not only many Years in the Engliſh Poſſeſſion, but that it is unjuſtly detained by the French, upon pretext of Terms and Conditions (according to the Faith of that Nation) never performed to this Day.

Some particular Men of our own Nation alſo, who have diſturbed this Company in their Trade, and diſputed the Powers of their Grant and Charter, have never attained any Benefit to themſelves, but either given Advantage to the French, or periſhed in the Voyage, which is extream hazardous through the Mountains of Ice which muſt be paſſed; as about Eighteen Months ſince the Companies Ships ſailing in Hudſons-Bay, met an Engliſh Ship Interloping there, and in diſtreſs in the Ice juſt ready to ſink, the Companies Ship ſeaſonably (by GOD's Providence) ſaved all the Mens Lives, and the Ship ſunk immediately. Nor is the Beavor Trade to be Maintained or improved by a ſingle or ſudden Voyage of any Undertaker, but by the publick Charge of Fortified Forts and Eſtabliſhed Factories to abide there, with a conſtant Correſpondency with the Indians, that they may be aſſured where ſetled Factories are, to reſort to at the time of Year, to Trade with for their Beavor.

All which Extraordinary Loſſes ſuſtained from the French, and incurred by the Natural Hazard of the Voyage to and from ſuch a Climate, is the more largely inſiſted upon, to Demonſtrate that this Trade (which Twenty Years ago was not one Penny Benefit to this Kingdom, and is now above Twenty Thouſand Pounds per Annum Advantage) could never have been well begun, nor effectually proſecuted, but by a Company in a Joynt Stock; and all the Undertakings by ſingle Perſons, (who would have regarded their ſeveral and diſtinct Intereſts) muſt have been rendred fruitleſs, through the many Diſaſters and Loſſes which would have befallen moſt of them, if not all, it being impracticable to raiſe any conſiderable Trade in a remote Country, amongſt Savage Indians, without Forts and Factories erected and ſetled amongſt them, and furniſhed with ſtore of all Trading Goods for their conſtant ſupply; and more eſpecially againſt thoſe Potent Rivals the French, who manage that particular Trade of Beavor under the Counſels of the Jeſuits, to whom it is Granted by the French King.

All which is humbly ſubmitted to this Honourable Houſe.