Beginning.

James, by the grace of God king of England, etc. Whereas, we are credibly informed that our cozens and councellors Henry Charles Earl of Northampton, keeper of the privy seale; Charles Earl of Nottingham, admirall of England; Thomas Earl of Suffolk, chamberlain of our own household; our right trusty and well beloued cozen Henry Earl of Southampton; William Earl of Salisbury, our right trusty and well beloued Theophilus Lord Walden, Sir Thomas Smith Maunsell, Sir Walter Hope, Sir Dudley Diggs, Sir James Lancerote, Knights; Rebecca Lady Romney, Francis Jones, one of the aldermen of our city of London; John Wolstenholme, Esq., John Edred Robert Sandy, William Greenwell, Nicholas Seats, Hovet Stapers, William Russell, John Mericks, Abraham Chamberleine, Philippe Burlomathis, merchants of the cittie of London; the Muscovy Company and the East India Company of the sixth voyage, did in Aprill one thousand six hundred and tene, with great charge sett fourth a shippe called the Discoverye, and certaine persons under the command of Henry Hudson to search and find out a passage by the north-west of America to the sea of Sur, commonly called the south Sea, and have in that voyage found a streight or narrow sea by the which they hope and purpose to advance a trade to the great kingdoms of Tartaria, China, Japan, Solomons Islands, Chili, the Philippins and other countrys in or upon the said sea …