'•m

IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

I.I

1^ 12^ 1 2.5

|50 ■^" M^S

t 1^ 12.0

1.8

Photogi^pbic

Sciences Corporation

	1.25 1.4	1.6
^	6" —		►

^9)

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 1 4580

(716) 873.4503

Canadian Institut

Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques

The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below.

□ Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur

□ Covers damaged/ Couverture endommag^e

□ Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurie et/ou pellicul6e

□ Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture man<|ue

□ Coloured maps/ Cartes gdographiques en couleur

□ Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire)

D D D

Coloured plates and/or illusi/ations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur

Bound with other material/ Relit avec d'autres documents

Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/

La reliure serr6e peut causer de I'ombre on de la distortion le long de la marge intirieure

Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout6es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 filmies.

Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppltmentaires;

L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-A..e uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mithode normale de filn><ige sont indiqu6s ci-dessous.

I — I Coloured pages/

D D

Pages de couleur

Pages damaged/ Pages endommagdes

Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurtes et/ou pellicul6es

Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages dicoiordes, tachetdes ou piqutes

Pages detached/ Pages d6tach6es

I — I Showthrough/

Transparence

Quality of prir

Qualitd indgale de I'impression

Includes supplementary materii Comprend du material suppldmentaire

Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible

I — I Quality of print varies/

I — I Includes supplementary material/

I — I Only edition available/

Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6t6 filmtes A nouveau de fapon d obtenir la meilleure image possible.

This item is fiimed at the reduction ratio checked below/

Ce document est filmt au taux de reduction indiqui ci-dessous.

10X

14X

18X

22X

26X

30X

^■"^

1AM

16X

20X

24X

28X

32X

The copy to the ger

The imagi possible c of the orl| filming co

Original c beginning the last pi sion, or tf other orig first page sion, and or illustra

The last n shall cont TINUED'I whicheve

Maps, pla different ( entirely ir beginning right and required, method:

•T'^^^'^fiw^fwmBmi

tj^mmmmw i

lilini|yaiailwLiiL.i)m|p

i'.

The

May.

Cha. 11.

1669.

ChuUt,

T/^i) J<9 N's-BAr Coittpaflv.

/ ! ■

HIS late Majefy King CharUs the Secorid, by Cht^tef under the Great Seal, redtine, That Prince Rupert^ and divers other Perfons therein named, |fed, at their great Coft, undert^en an Expe- dition for Hudfon*s-Bayi in the North-weft Parts tef America, for the Difcovery of a ncW Paflkgd into the South-Seat and for finding fome Trade ftr Furs, and other Commodities i and had ther6 made fuch Difcoveries as encouraged them to proceed furthsr ; and had befought his Majefty to incorporate them, and grant them the lolc Trade and Commerce of ihofe Parts-, and his Majefty being dtfirous td' promote all Endeavours tending to the pubiick Good, did incorporate them by thfeNime of, The Governor and Company of Adventunrs of England trading into Hudfon's-By i and did give ^nd grant unto the faid Go- vernor and Company, and their Succeffors, for ever, the fol Trade and Commerce of thofe Seas, Rivers, and Lakes, m whatfoever Latitude they fhould be, that li«i within the Enwanc6 of the Streights, cdllitd Hudfon*s StreigbtSy widi ail the Lands upon the Coafts and Confines thereof, thit were not then polTeflcd bf or granted to any of his Majefty's Subjefts, or poffeffcd bvUny other Chriftian State-, and the >Vhole ahd intire Trade and Traffick to and with the Natives and People inhabiting thofe Patts, and Cdafljs ^dj^ceht.' ",

This Grant (as it appears from the Tenor thereof \ vasijiaHa irers in^ a X rade to tiudfon j-Bay ; and which they bad tl^reby

turcrs in^ a iradc to nuajonj-jsay ; ana wmcn tney oaa tifreoy merited •, and the Crown might laSiirfully grant them, and did grant, by fuch Defcriptions as the hen Knowlege of thife newly diit:overdd Pdrts would admit of : And it was for their jR*w«r</, and to encofrage them to profea^*- a Trade they had thus begun, to Parts where no civilized Inhabitants dwelt, and line but difperfed /' were to bif met with, to Parts (perhaps the moft inhofpitable) and where the greajft Extreme of Cold 3 relt, 3f any ih the known

v^Mi^nnii aujjLLiiL.

This Grant (as it appears from the Tenor therenf \ vasinaH« t« tV,o firft niijo.vn:*.. »c, ^,,a AUvcn* furcrs in, a 1 radc to HudforCs-Bay ; and which they i&tfrf tftreby merited ; and the Crown might lawfully grant them, and did grant, by fuch Defcriptions as the hen Knowlege of thife newly difcovcfcd Parts would admit of : And it was for their Rewardy and to encarage them to profecite a Trade they had thus begun, to Parts where no civilized Inhabitants dweh, and rjne but difperfed Inddns vfere to be met with, to Parts (perhaps the moft inhofpitable) and where the greajft Extreme r*" Cold i felt, )f any ih tht known Parts of the Globe, to which any Trade is carried, and tlf>ugh a Sea filled wit! Ice, of fuch Bodies, and of fuch mountainous Height, as, by the concurrent Teftin^iy of all Navigators, is notto be rrifct with in any other Parts, though nearer to the Pole : So true is iA, Obfervation, that tfe excfftive Cold oi: Heat that is met wUh in many Places, is owing to other Ci'fumftances, than ntrely :he L^itltude of its Situation.

The Company, foon after this Charter, profecuted the Tide to Hudfon* s-Ba^^ by fending (everal Ships, laden with Merchandize, into thefe Parts, and by ereft'wt Storehoufes and F.ftories there, dnd fending Perfons up into the Country to cultivate an Underftandinguith the Natives j a^ though it was attended with a great Expencc, and was a Work of Hazai-d and Ditulty, and that rcqnired Time and Pains to cf^eft and fettle a Correfpondence and Traffick with the wit diiperfed Natives there, who had never feen any Europeans before, and were Strangers to all Trade ; ydtthe Company happily brought that about, and laid the firft Foundation i which has, in Procefs of Time, l:abli(hed a confiderable Trade to thofe Parts, and which muft redound to this Company's particular Merh however they may be envied by fome late Adventurers, who having failed in another Attempt they lafiy made, would now willingly reap the Fruit of this Company's Labour, and eftablifti Fadlories, in Oppofitjn to them, upon this Company's Foundations.

This Company, befides the Difficulties and Expences thei neceflanly underwent in theOutfet of their Trade, have, in the Courfe thereof, met with others not lefs dnfiddrdsle : For irt the Year 1682. the French, who fet up a pretenued Right to fome of thofe Parts, camJw 'Hme of Pedrej'wkh a conCiderable Force, < into the Bay, and by Surprize took feveral of thj! Companyll^wies, With ^rfcit Quantities of their Gdodfi" for Trade, and Furrs therein, and committed feveral hoftile Depredations, by whidh the Company fuftained fo" great a Lois, that they were forced to take up Money upon Blind, and otherwife ; and by this ahd the fucceed- ! ing War with France were difabled from makikg any Dividend for a great m^arty Years •, viz. From 1^91 tp" 171 8. after the Treaty erf" IT/riPf A/, when fuch of the Company's Fat^tories as had been taken by the French^ being delivered upto the Company's chief O^ers, who werjappointed by her late Majefty Queen ^me, to take Fofleflion thereof, for the Ufe of the Company, and who thereby received her. Majefty's Sanftion of their Rights i and the Company being put into PbfTeflion of thofe'Faftorr^, they rtvived their Trade, and in A- few Years brought it into a flourilhingCondition, and haVfe(ffeftUilly kept thef>**^ci& from carrying on arty Trade in the Bay ever fmce.

The

2SSC6 ,

-v

]

•■*•<

The Company have not only had the Gram ^q\ Ratification of the Crown, of their Rights as aforefaid, but have alfo met with the Sanftion of the Lcgilltnc thereto •, and in an Inllance, the ftrongcft perhaps tlut could ever have happened j for in the Year 1708 the Parliament pafTing an Adt Ibr encouraging the Trade to America^ in which it being declared, It fliould .« lawful for all his Majefty's Subjeds to trade into any Part of y/w;mf^ without Interruption •, a Provifo vas jufcrted, that ** nothing in that A61 fiiould extend to " take away or prejudice any of the Eftates, Ri^ots o- Privileges of the Hudfon' s-Bay Compai^y.'* j..

The Company, befides the profecuting the faid Trade, ^Jitl not ncgleft fending, at different times, as the State of their Affairs and Abilities would permit them to a>, feveral Ships and Vefills in Search for a North- weft Paffage from FIudfon*s-Bay to the South-Seas, and were it no fmall Expence therein, not only in one, but in repeated Attempts, and loft feveral Ships, with their Ofticer. and Crews therein •, but after hiving been at the moft Jikely Places, and by all they could learn ftcra the Indians ^<\^cy could never find there was any fuch Paf- fage ; and though che Crown has been induced formerly, as well as very lately, to fend fome Ships on that Search (as likewifc have fome private Adventuren) yet has no fuch Jaflage been found, though a Reward of 20,000 /. was given by Parliament to thofe Alventurers if they hai fucceeded, as they feemed to pro- mife ; in which Way theLegiflature thought fito recom pence them, anJ not by breaking in upon this Com- pany's Rights, or wrefting from them their Trale or Comrncrce : On thfecontrary it is obfervable, That in the i\6l which gave that Reward there is containd aProvifo, that " nothing thefcin contained fhould extend " to take away or prejudice any of the Eftates, Hghts or Privileges, of or belonging to this Company.'*

Thefe late private Adventurers finding their Aitempts in Scvirch of a North-we^ Paffage had not anfwered their Expeftations, and being tired with the Expence of one Expedition, and, it is believed, fatisfied in general that there was no fuch Paffage, and being difaptiointed in their Hopes of the 20,000/. Reward they had not been able to merit, they (inftead of furtherpurfuing new Dilcoverics) turned their Thoughts towards getting Settlements in old ones, as that was mere Hire, and a ready Way to reimburfe themfelves. For this Purpofe they petitioned his Majefty in Couitil, for a Grant and Charter to fliare with this Company in their Trade to Hudfon'^ Bay^ grounding theiijMerit on the atorefaid Attempt they had made for dif- covering a North-well Panage j and that tho' tlJky had not been more fuccefsful therein than this Com- pany have been, yet, if they had a Charter, thiy fhould however be more fuccefsful in the Trade •, and, n make Way for fuch New Charter, they laid l^vcral Things before his Majefty to impeach the old Charter, and this Company's Condufl under it : Which Petition having been referred to his Majefty's Attorney and Sollicitor-General, they, oti hearing the Evideite on both Sides, have reported, *' That, confidering how long this Company had enjoyed and aded unlet their Charter, it was not advifeable for his Majefty to difturb them therein •, and, as to the particulit Charges made againft the Company, that they were either not lufficiendy fupported in Point of Fad, oi, in a great mealiire, accounted for from the Nature and ** Circumftances of the Cife.'* 1

' Thofe Adventurers, notj^btaining what they hVl fo appHedfor from the Crown, theft ^ritertafifed TliougfitS' oF making a like Applica^n to Parliament ; lit, not feeing any Profpcd of Succefs that could attend fo unreafonable a Pr(fjed, |id thus defeated in k their Expeftations, and tti6vcd by their Difappointment,. they have now cndcapoured to do this Company all the Injury in their Power, by reprefenting them to thc^ Public in a Light tney dcjnot deferve. I : - .•' - *•' v . juJs i- ...*» '

The Manner of tl^e Conjpany's carrying on Tide in thofe Parts is, by Fadories eftablif .cd on the

oF making a like Applicat^n to Parliament ; ijit, not feeing any Profpedb of Snccefs that could attend fo unreafonabie a Prijjed:, m\d thus defeated in k their Expeftations, and moved by their Difappointment,. they have now cndc^oured to do this Company kll the Injury in their Power, by reprefenting them to the' Public in a Light iey d(|not deferve.

The Manner of ti^ Codpany*s carrying on Tide in thofe Parts is, by Fa6tories eftablifhed on the mod' confiderable Rivcrj.|hat cjme into the Bay, aLwch convenient Diftancs as thofe Rivers will admit the Company's Ships (( go i> there being many and) great Falls in the Rivers in thofe Parts -, arid, at which ^ Fadories, the Company lave Officers and Serjbfits they maintain ail the Year, and where the Merchan- dize the Company f;nd ycirly from England, nl feveral Ships, is depofited for trafficking with the Indians^ and which arc well Imown to the Indians, fro> 'ti^c Rcfort they have had^ thereto for a Courfe of Years ;. and who, upon the iirft Bieaking-up of the Id in the Riveifs, come down thereto in Canoes loaden with Furrs, from all Parts of tb Country, which |ey barter with the Company for J?n/(^ Commodities they take back in Return ; and he Company alwajl taiic whatever they brings and fopply them with whatever they want ; and at Prices the Indians are nd diflatisficd with, nor can procure them elfewhere cheaper. And this Company, who hve brought the Tifle to be beneficial, would readily endeavour to make it more fo, if it was pradicable ; and their Credit is (Ih, that, if 3' greater Increale of Capital was found necef- fary for fuch Purpofe, they could eafily proc|e;tt'i but unneccfiarily to do th^t, would only be opening a Door to Frauds, to the Injury of many unwai prions j which Experience has ihewn to have been the Cafe in fome other Companies, now funk iiJiJD^ifcrcdit.' ,z'1u/'.-: . *

The principal Articles of Trade In thefe Pa^ ifHfupplyinglhfe Native' %ith Guns, and Powder and Shot, they fubfifting wholly by hunting (except th<|^«Ni<*-.^W»/riy, who are Fifhcrs), and with Cutlery-ware, Clotlj, and fpme other of die J^^^^ Manufa4m* |»d. the Company take in Return the FHirs of the" wild; Beaiis the Indians \ii% and which ^are of V^SS^^h(^

are all brought to England by the Company, anj ,lold to the Furriers here at Two publick Sales in the i ew by Audioh, to their intire Satisfadion, and w^o carry on the valuable Manufacture of Hats therewith : The Company alfo trade with the EJkimam Indians in the Streights and Northern Parts of the Bay for "Whalebone and Oil, and allow their Captains '^ I. per Cent, on the neat Produce thereof, to encourage that Traffick, thofe Indians being dextrous in tie killing Whales they meet with in thofe Parts.

-.:■>:{

From the Nature of this Trade, it is appreneji^ed, if it was laid open (but which, it is conceived, cannot be, without the greateft Violation of this Comply 's Charter), it wouW not long fubfift, nor be able to with- ftand any Injury offered by ftraggling Traders lo the Natives in thofe Parts, with whom a Confidence has

been

MHMii

[ 3 ]

been gained only by great good Ufage, and who have no Force to proted themfelves, but would foon be checked and put an End to : Neither might the Frmch be fo effedually kept out from trading in the Bay, as they have been for a Courfe of Years laft pail ; nor, perhaps, all the Furs procured there by the Englijb be brought home to England, as they are now by this Company^ to the intire Satisfadlion of all the Furriers, and tolhe great Inrichment of this Kingdom, bit be carried to other Parts, and there manufadured, as is well known to be the Cafe in New-England, with .efpect to many of the moft valuable Furs pro- cured there.

It is obvious likewife, that there muft be Faftories mairtained, or no Trade coukl be carried on with any Succefs to thefe Parts, where the Natives live difperfed, aid where theSummer-feafon is fo Ihorr, and the Ri- vers are open fo httle Time, that the Merchandize muft be in Readinefs, to difpatch them on their firft coming down •, and fo likewife muft the Loadings be got in Readinefs for the Ships to return to Europe, or they would be incapable of getting back that Year through the Streights, by reafon of the Ice •, and Fadtories cannot well be maintained, but by a Society or Company <f Men j and no particular Set of Perfons can pre- tend equal Merit to intitle them to this Trade with the preent Company, who have begun and brought it to its prelent flourilhing State ; which makes it the prefentObjed: of Envy to fome, who would willingly change Hands with the Company, and get into their PhL(S.

To fettle this Country with Colonies from England, is conceived to be impradkable ; nor does indeed the Charter feem to have had that much in View -, f)r the Snow lies here Three Parts of the Year, and the Froft is never out of the Ground -, and, in the Midftof Summer, there are frequent Iharp Frofts in the Nights i and the Country is fo unfertile, that the Englijh it the Faftories are forced to be fupplied with the greateft Part of their Provifions from England: And, as to Corn, they cannot raife nor procure any, but what is fent them from hence. No Indians thereabouts wsre ever feen with any, nor any thing like Bread j and they are often reduced to the greateft Diftrefs for want of Food.

Upon the whole, it is humbly hoped, That the Hudfon'sBay Company, who were the frjf Difcoverers of^ md Jdventurers in, this Trade ; and who, after great Exfences and Lojps, have brought the Trade to be bemfcial i will appear Deferving to be Supported therein.

-_j,p .^i—ii.».»»> iw - 4>pi»"*ftq*w|'qf,'i— -.-*'

^mmmmm

lad the Gram .id Ratification of the Crown, of their Riglits as aforefaid, )n of the Legiljj^irt- thereto •, and in an Initance, the ftrongcft perhaps that

n the dared

tne jL.egu%^ir(,- thereto •, and in an initance, me iirongeii j Year lyoStlie Parliament pafTing an Adt lor encouragin 1, It fliould le lawful for all his Majefty's Subjedls to tra

g the Trade

^._^ ^ trade into any

tion ; a Provifo vas inferted, that " nothing in that A6t Ihould extend to

the Eftates, Rights c- Privileges of the Hudforis-Bay Compai^y.

ofccutlng the f.iid Trade, tlitl not ncgleft fending, at different times, as the :s would permit them to a-», feveral Ships and Vefllls in Search for a North- to the Soulh-Seas, and were it no fmall Expence therein, not only in one, but iveral Ships, with their Officer, and Crews therein ; but after having been at the ;y could learn frora the /«^;<7WJ, 'hey could never find there was uiiy fuch Pdf- s been induced brmerly, as well as very lately, to fend fome Ships on that ivate Adventuren) yet has no fuch J^flage been found, though a Reward of lent to thofe Alventurers if they ha^ fucceeded, as they feemed to pro- ture thought fito recompence them, anJ not by breaking in upon thisCom- 1 them their Trale or Commerce : On thfecontrary it is obfervable, That in i there is containid a Provifo, that " nothing thefein contained ihould extend of the Eftates, Hghts or Privileges, of or belonging to this Company.'*

finding their A'tempts in Search of a North-we^ Paflage had not anfwered

td with the Expence of one Expedition, and, it is believed, fatisfied in general

and being difapjtointed in their Hopes of the 20,000/. Reward they had

tead of furtherpurfuing new Dilcoveries) turned their Thoughts towards

as that was mere fure, and a ready Way to reimburfe themfelves. For Vlajefty in Couicil, for a Grant and Charter to (hare with this Company grounding theiijMerit on the atorefiid Attempt they had made for dif- and that tho* tli:y had not been more fuccefsful therein than this Com- d a Charter, thiy fhould however be more fuccefsful in the Trade-, and, arter, they laid fjvcral Things before his Majefty to impeach the old Charter, der it : Whicli Petition having been referred to his Majefty's Attorney and ring the Evidctte on both Sides, have reported, '* That, confidering how ed and aifled unler their Charter, it was not advifeable for his Majefty to

to the particul^' Cliarges made againft the Company, that they were either

oint of Fad, oL in a great mealiire, accounted for from the Nature and

ling what tHcy hli To appHedFor from the Qown, theh 6fitftrtalifed TfiijillpP" 0 Parliament ; iit, not feeing any Profpeft of Succefs that could attend lus defeated in M their Expeftations, and moved by their EHfappointment,. o this Company all the Injury in their Power, by reprefenting them to thc^ deferve. . I 1 ^ Iv/ Uu , i iuJ* i* '^^u t

's carrying on Tide in thofe Parts is, by Fa6lories eftablifMod'n'n the