"Whereas Our Dear Intirely Beloved Cousin, Prince Rupert, Count
Palatine Of The Rhine, Duke Of Bavaria And Cumberland; George Duke
Of
Albemarle, William Earl of Craven, Henry Lord Arlington, Anthony Lord
Ashley, Sir John Robinson, and Sir Robert Vyner, Knights
And Baronets;
Sir Peter Colleton, Baronet, Sir Edward Hungerford, Knight of the Bath,
Sir Paul Neele, Sir John Griffith, Sir Philip Carteret, and Sir James
Hayes, Knights; John Kirke, Francis Millington, William Prettyman, John
Fenn, Esquires, and John Portman, citizen and goldsmith of London, have
at their own great costs and charges undertaken an expedition for
Hudson's Bay, in the Northwest parts of America, for the discovery of a
new passage into the South Sea, and for the finding of some trade for
furs, minerals, and other considerable commodities; and by such their
undertaking have already made such discoveries as do encourage them to
proceed farther in pursuance of their said design, by means whereof
there may probably arise great advantage to us and our kingdom:
"And whereas the said undertakers, for their further encouragement in
the said design, have humbly besought us to incorporate them, and grant
unto them, and their successors, the whole trade and commerce of all
those seas, streights, and bays, rivers, lakes, creeks, and sounds, in
whatsoever latitude they shall be, that lie within the entrance of the
streights commonly called Hudson's Streights; together with all the
lands, countries, and territories upon the coasts and confines of the
seas, streights, bays, lakes, rivers, creeks, and sounds aforesaid,
which are not now actually possessed by any of our subjects, or by the
subjects of any other Christian Prince or State."
And the adventurers were made "one body corporate and politic, in deed
and in name," by the name of "The Governor and Company of Adventurers
of England trading into Hudson's Bay."
They were granted "the sole trade and commerce" of "all those seas,"
&c., &c., "in whatever latitude they shall be;" "together with all the
lands and territories upon the countries, coasts, and confines of the
seas, bays, lakes, rivers, creeks and sounds aforesaid;" "with the
fishing of all sorts of fish, whales, sturgeons, and all other royal
fishes;" "together with the royalty of the sea upon the coasts within
the limits aforesaid, and all mines royal, as well discovered as not
discovered, of gold, silver, gems, and precious stones, to be found and
discovered within the territories, limits, and places aforesaid; and
that the land be from henceforth reckoned and reputed as one of our
plantations or Colonies in America, called Rupert's Land."
All this was to be "holden" "of us, our heirs and successors, as of our
manor of East Greenwich, in the County of Kent, in free and common
soccage, and not in capite or by knight's service; yielding and paying
yearly to us, our heirs and successors, for the same, two elks and two
black beavers, whensoever and as often as we, our heirs and successors,
shall happen to enter into the said countries, territories, and regions
hereby granted."
The adventurers were further granted "not only the whole, intire, and
only liberty of trade and traffick, and the whole, intire, and only
liberty, use and privilege of trading and traffick to and from the
territories, limits, and places aforesaid, but also the whole and
intire trade and traffick to and from all havens, bays, creeks, rivers,
lakes, and seas into which they shall find entrance, or passage by
water, or land, out of the territories, &c. aforesaid; and to and with
all the natives and people, inhabitants, or which shall inhabit within
the territories, &c."
The charter proceeds to grant the fullest powers for the government of
the countries by the adventurers; every power, in fact, provided the
laws in force in England were administered.
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