I.--JAMES, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland ... etc. =_Whereas_= our loving and well-disposed Subjects, Sir _Thomas Gates_, and Sir _George Somers_, Knights, _Richard Hackluit_, Clerk, Prebendary of _Westminster_, and _Edward-Maria Wingfield_, _Thomas Hanham_, and _Ralegh Gilbert_, Esqrs., _William Parker_, and _George Popham_, Gentlemen, and divers others of our loving Subjects, have been humble Suitors unto us, that We would vouchsafe unto them our Licence to make Habitation, Plantation, and to deduce a Colony of sundry of our People into that Part of _America_, commonly called VIRGINIA, ... situate, lying, and being all along the Sea Coasts, between four and thirty Degrees of _Northerly_ Latitude from the Equinoctial Line, and five and forty Degrees of the same Latitude,... II.--AND to that End, and for the more speedy Accomplishment of their said intended Plantation and Habitation there, are desirous to divide themselves into two several Colonies and Companies; The one consisting of certain Knights, Gentlemen, Merchants, and other Adventurers, of our City of _London_ and elsewhere, ... which do desire to begin their Plantation and Habitation in some fit and convenient Place, between four and thirty and one and forty Degrees of the said Latitude, alongst the Coasts of _Virginia_ and Coasts of _America_ aforesaid; And the other consisting of sundry Knights, Gentlemen, Merchants, and other Adventurers, of our Cities of _Bristol_ and _Exeter_, and of our Town of _Plimouth_, and of other Places, ... which do desire to begin their Plantation and Habitation in some fit and convenient Place, between eight and thirty Degrees and five and forty Degrees of the said Latitude,... III.--WE, greatly commending and graciously accepting of their Desires for the Furtherance of so noble a Work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, in propagating of _Christian_ Religion to such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and Worship of God, and may in time bring the Infidels and Savages living in those Parts to human Civility, and to a settled and quiet Government; DO, by these our Letters Patents, graciously accept of, and agree to, their humble and well-intended Desires;