For colonizing this
extensive region the King appointed two companies of adventurers--the
first consisting of noblemen, knights, gentlemen, and others in and about
the city of London, which, through all its subsequent modifications, was
known by the title of the London Company; the other consisted of knights,
gentlemen, merchants, and others in and about the town of Plymouth, and
was known as the Plymouth Company, though its operations were never
extensive and were at last utterly fruitless.
To the London adventurers was granted exclusive right to all the
territory lying between the thirty-fourth and thirty-eighth parallels and
running from the ocean to an indefinite extent westward into the wilds of
America, even to the waters of the Pacific. They were also allowed all
the islands, fisheries, and other marine treasures within one hundred
miles directly eastward from their shores and within fifty miles from
their most northern and most southern settlements, following the coast to
the northeast or southwest, as might be necessary. Within these limits
ample jurisdiction was conferred upon them. To the Plymouth Company were
granted in like manner the land and appurtenances between the forty-first
and forty-fifth parallels. Thus the whole region between thirty-eight and
forty-one was left open to the enterprise of both companies; but to
render angry collision impossible, the charter contained the judicious
clause above noted, by which each colony might claim exclusive right
fifty miles north or south of its extreme settlements, and thus neither
could approach within one hundred miles of the other.
Pages:
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600