Page:The Life of George Washington, Volume 1.djvu/54

 24 INTRODUCTION. chap, i. too, fitted out a vessel which is supposed to have 1602. entered the bay of Chesapeak, but to have returned, without having penetrated into and explored the country. 1 The English historians say, that Richard Hackluyt, prebendary of Westminster, a man of distinguished learning and intelligence, con- tributed more than any other, by his able and judicious exertions, to form, an association sufficiently extensive, influential, and wealthy, to execute the so often renewed, and so often disappointed project, of establishing colonies in America. 1606. At length, such an association was formed; and a petition was presented to James I. who, on the death of Elizabeth had succeeded to the crown of England, praying the sanction of the royal authority, to the execution of the plan they proposed. Greatly pleased with it, he commended and immediately acceded to the wishes of its projectors. patent to On the 10th of April, letters patent were sir Thomas r r issued, under the great seal of England, to the petitioners sir Thomas Gates and his associates ; granting to them those territories in America tying on the seacoast, between the 34th and 45th degrees of north latitude, and which either belonged to that monarch, or were not then possessed by any other christian prince 1 Robertson. Gates and others