one hundred associates, for
conducting the commerce of the East and West. As the due de Ventadour
had resigned the office of viceroy, the cardinal held a meeting of many
rich and zealous persons in his hotel at Paris, whose names would be a
guarantee of the success of the colonization of New France, and also of
its religious institutions. Among those present were Claude de
Roquemont, Sieur de Brison, Louis Houeel, Sieur du Petit-Pre, Gabriel de
Lattaignant, formerly mayor of Calais, Simon Dablon, syndic of Dieppe,
David Duchesne, councillor and alderman of Havre de Grace, and Jacques
Castillon, citizen of Paris.

On April 25th, 1627, the cardinal and these personages signed the act
which founded the Company of New France. In the preamble it is mentioned
that the colonization in New France shall be Catholic only, as this was
regarded as the best means of converting the Indians. The associates
pledged themselves to send two or three hundred men to New France
during the year 1628, and to augment this number to four thousand within
fifteen years from this date, i.e., by the year 1643. They agreed to
lodge, feed and entertain the settlers for a period of three years, and
after that date to grant to each family a tract of land sufficiently
prepared for cultivation. Three priests were to be maintained at each
habitation, at the expense of the company, for a period of fifteen
years.

The king granted to the company numerous privileges, the lands of New
France, the river St. Lawrence, islands, mines, fisheries, Florida,
together with the power of conceding lands in these countries, and the
faculty of granting titles, honours, rights and powers, according to the
condition, quality, or merit of the people. His Majesty also granted to
the company the monopoly of the fur and leather trade from January 1st,
1628, until December 31st, 1643, reserving for the French people in
general the cod and whale fisheries. In order to induce his subjects to
settle in New France the king announced that during the next fifteen
years all goods coming from the French colony should be free of duty.

This act was signed on April 29th, 1627, and the letters patent
ratifying the articles were signed on May 6th, 1628. The letters patent
also ratified some other provisions made on May 7th, 1627, namely:--(1.)
A capital of three hundred thousand livres, by instalments of three
thousand livres each. (2.) The society to adopt the name of the
Campagnie de