Excerpt: James, by the grace of God [King of
England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith],
etc. Whereas our loving and weldisposed subjects, Sir Thomas
Gates and Sir George Somers, Knightes; Richarde Hackluit,
Clarke, Prebendarie of Westminster; and Edwarde Maria
Winghfeilde, Thomas Hannam and Raleighe Gilberde, Esquiers;
William Parker and George Popham, Gentlemen; and divers others
of our loving subjects, have been humble sutors unto us that wee
woulde vouchsafe unto them our licence to make habitacion,
plantacion and to deduce a colonie of sondrie of our people into
that parte of America commonly called Virginia, and other parts
and territories in America either appartaining unto us or which
are not nowe actuallie possessed by anie Christian prince or
people, scituate, lying and being all along the sea coastes
between fower and thirtie degrees of northerly latitude from the
equinoctiall line and five and fortie degrees of the same
latitude and in the maine lande betweene the same fower and
thirtie and five and fourtie degrees, and the ilandes thereunto
adjacente or within one hundred miles of the coaste thereof;
And to that ende, and for the more speedy accomplishemente of
theire saide intended plantacion and habitacion there, are
desirous to devide themselves into two severall colonies and
companies, the one consisting of certaine Knightes, gentlemen,
marchanntes and other adventurers of our cittie of London, and
elsewhere, which are and from time to time shalbe joined unto
them which doe desire to begin theire plantacions and
habitacions in some fitt and conveniente place between fower and
thirtie and one and fortie degrees of the said latitude all
alongest the coaste of Virginia and coastes of America aforesaid
and the other consisting of sondrie Knightes, gentlemen,
merchanntes, and other adventurers of our citties of Bristoll
and Exeter, and of our towne of Plymouthe, and of other places
which doe joine themselves unto that colonie which doe desire to
beginn theire plantacions and habitacions in some fitt and
convenient place betweene eighte and thirtie degrees and five
and fortie degrees of the saide latitude all alongst the saide
coaste of Virginia and America as that coaste lieth;
Wee, greately commending and graciously accepting of theire
desires to the furtherance of soe noble a worke which may, by
the providence of Almightie God, hereafter tende to the glorie
of His Divine Majestie in propagating of Christian religion to
suche people as yet live in darkenesse and miserable ignorance
of the true knoweledge and worshippe of God and may in tyme
bring the infidels and salvages living in those parts to humane
civilitie and to a setled and quiet govermente, doe by theise
our lettres patents graciously accepte of and agree to theire
humble and well intended desires...