arts were
claimed by the English as their territory. The king of France had
granted to the Hundred Associates "in all property, justice and
seigniory, the fort and habitation of Quebec, together with the country
of New France, or Canada, along the coasts ... coasting along the sea
to the Arctic circle for latitude, and from the Island of Newfoundland
for longitude, going to the west to the great lake called Mer Douce
(Lake Huron), and farther within the lands and along the rivers which
passed through them and emptied in the river called St. Lawrence,
otherwise the great river of Canada, etc."

Quebec was considered as the centre of these immense possessions of the
king of France, and included the islands of Newfoundland, Cape Breton
and St. John (Prince Edward).

The king of England had granted to Sir Thomas Gates and others, in 1606,
three years after the date of de Monts' letters patent, "this part of
America commonly called Virginia, and the territories between the
thirty-fourth and forty-fifth degrees of latitude, and the islands
situated within a space of one hundred miles from the coasts of the said
countries."

In the year 1621, James I granted to Sir William Alexander, Count of
Sterling, certain territory, which under the name of Nova Scotia was
intended to comprise the present provinces of Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick, the islands of St. John and Cape Breton, and the whole of
Gaspesia. Charles I granted to Sir William Alexander in the year 1625
another charter, which revoked the one of 1621.

It is evident that the king of England and the king of France had each
given charters covering about the same extent of territory, and it is
therefore easy to understand that tedious correspondence of a
complicated nature thereby arose between the two countries. The treaty
of St. Germain-en-Laye did not determine the question of the boundaries
of the territory, and each power reserved its rights in this respect.

The inhabitants of Quebec at this time were in a state of suspense, for
they had no knowledge of the progress made with the negotiations between
the two countries. They had no reason to complain of the English,
however, who treated them well, but the Huguenots, their own countrymen,
who seemed prepared to serve under the English flag, were, as usual,
troublesome and fanatical on religious questions. The settlers were so
much distressed at not having the benefit of the ministration of a
priest of their church,