The reasons for these their pretensions are, that about the year 1694 [sic], twenty-two years ago, having entered that great gulf [322 i.e., 324] of the American sea which was formerly called Mocosa, and there having found a river and country which pleased them, they made attempts at settlement, giving it the name of Virginia; but, having been opposed by the natives, and other accidents having overtaken them, they were at last obliged to give it up entirely, not having lived there more than two or three years. Nevertheless since the Most Serene King James, now reigning, came to the throne, they resolved to reconquer and cultivate it. The King, favoring this project, granted some important Privileges to those who undertook this colony, and, among other things, extended their right of occupation from the 33rd degree of north latitude up to the 45th, giving them power to attack all foreigners whom they might find within [323 i.e., 325] these limits, and fifty miles out into the sea. These patents of the King were drawn up during the fourth year of his reign, and in the year of grace 1607 on the 10th of April, seven years ago, for I am writing this in 1614.[11]
Voyla ce que i'en ay peu apprendre de toutes les parchartes & enseignements, que nos contendants apportent [102]pour se maintenir en droict, & cause; & nous confiner dans le destroict de la vieille Canada, eux se tenants au large, & à franches coudées, nous faisants la part à leur bon plaisir. Voicy ce que nous leur repartissons legalement.
So that is what I have been able to learn from all the charters and instructions which our contestants bring forth to support them in their rights and claims; and, while we are being confined within the limits of old Canada, they are holding themselves at large with plenty of elbow room, giving us our share at their good pleasure. Now this is how we would answer them according to law:
1. En premier lieu, que par vne prouidence admirable de Dieu leurs propres lettres Royaux sur lesquelles ils se fondent, les desdisent de leur pretention: Parce qu'il est dit expressement dans [324 i.e., 326] icelles auec exception specifique: Nous leur donnons toutes les terres iusques au 45. degré, lesquelles ne sont point actuellement possedées par aucun Prince Chrestien. Or est-il, que lors de la datte de ces lettres, le Roy de France actuellement & reellement possedoit pour le moins iusques au 39. degré desdictes terres. Tout le monde le sçait par les voyages de Champlain: car il conste par iceux, que l'an 1607. le sieur de Mõts estoit à port Royal, & par ses gens, & authorité gouuernoit tout iusques au 39. degré, comme Lieutenant de sa Majesté tres-Chrestienne.
1. In the first place, as by an admirable providence of God, their own Royal patents, upon which they found their claims, contradict them in their pretensions. Because it is said expressly in these, [324 i.e., 326] with specific exception: We give them all the lands up to the 45th degree, which do not actually belong to any Christian Prince. Now it happens that at the time of the date of these letters, the King of France actually and really possessed the said lands at least up to the 39th degree. Every one knows this through the voyages of Champlain, for he relates in these that, in the year 1607, sieur de Monts was at port Royal, and, through his people and authority, ruled all the country to the 39th degree as Lieutenant of his most Christian Majesty.
2. En apres, si les Anglois veulẽt dire, qu'ils n'ont pas commencé de posseder leur Virginie dés l'an seulement 1607, ains dés l'an 1594. qu'ils la trouuerent (comme nous auons dit:) Nous respondõs, que la riuiere, laquelle ils commencerent [325 i.e., 327] lors à posseder est au 36. degré, & que ceste leur allegation à l'auenture pourroit valoir, s'il n'estoit question, que de retenir ceste dicte riuiere, & sept ou huict lieües de l'vn, & l'autre costé d'icelle: car autant loin se peut porter nostre veuë pour l'ordinaire; mais que subitement vn vaisseau pour entrer dans vn fleuue enjambe par dominatiõ trente fois plus loin, qu'il ne peut estendre sa veuë; c'est vouloir auoir les bras, ou plustost la conuoitise bien monstrueuse, mais posons que cela se puisse faire.
2. Again, if the English wish to say that they did not begin to take possession of their Virginia from the year 1607 only, but from the year 1594, when they discovered it (as we have said), we answer that the river, which they began [325 i.e., 327] then to possess [the James river], is in latitude 36 degrees, and that this their claim might perchance be of some value, if it were only a question of retaining this said river, and seven or eight leagues on either side of it, for our eyes can generally reach as far as that; but that a ship, merely because it had entered a river, should claim dominion thirty times farther than the eye can reach—this is wishing to have arms, or rather greediness, indeed monstrous. But let us suppose it could be done.
[104] Il s'ensuiura donc, que Ribaud & Laudoniere estans allez à la Floride en tres-bel arroy, par authorité du Roy Charles IX. l'an 1564. 1565. & 1566. pour cultiuer le païs; & y ayant edifié la Caroline au 30. degré d'eleuation: ils prindrent possession iusques au 38. & [326 i.e., 328] 39. degré, & par ainsi voila les Anglois hors de leur Virginie, suiuãt leurs propres maximes.
It will follow, then, that Ribaud and Laudoniere,[12]—having gone to Florida in fine array by the authority of King Charles IX., in the years 1564, 1565, and 1566, to cultivate the land, and there having extended Carolina to the 30th parallel of north latitude,—took possession as far as the 38th and [326 i.e., 328] 39th parallels; and so behold the English out of their Virginia according to their own maxims.
3. Quoy que, si pour estre en vn lieu, lon possede aussi tost (selon la presupposition des Anglois) huict ou neuf degrez plus auant; Pourquoy est-ce, qu'eux estants au 36. auanceront plustost iusques au 45. que nous (comme ils confessent) estans ja au 46. ne descendrons iusques au 37. Quel droict y ont-ils plus que nous? Voila donc ce que nous respondons aux Anglois.