Attempts to Form Chartered Companies. 17 



does not appear), Ihe consideration of the differences between 

 them and the petitioners was referred to the Lord Chief Jus- 

 tice of the Common Pleas, and the Attorney General." Reports 

 from these quarters were so far favorable to Dudley's design 

 that Her Majesty in Council on July 7, 1692, ordered a warrant 

 to be prepared for the passing of letters patent.^ But again the 

 petitioners were disappointed, for, as they affirm in a subsequent 

 protest to the Queen, another petition was presented, in the 

 petitioner's name and contrary to their knowledge, by some 

 "that were strangers to the former proceedings," which "begot 

 some difficulty in the dispatch of Her Majesties Gracious in- 

 tention in favor of the Petitioners."- They therefore begged 

 for favorable action on their proposal, since it would be of great 

 service to Her Majesty's affairs "in a provision of copper, iron, 

 masts, pitch and tarr and other materials for Her ^Majesties 

 Royal Navy, as well as to the Kingdom in generall."'' Accord- 

 ing to this statement, the scope of the undertaking had been 

 enlarged to include naval stores. The increased demand, due 

 to the French wars, and the continued petitions of other per- 

 sons for contracts to furnish stores very probably account for 

 this addition. In May, 1693, heads of a charter were offered 

 by the Board of Trade to the Treasury for their consideration.* 

 The latter reported that it might be safer to defer the passing 

 of the grant until the government and council in New England 

 could be consulted. This caution was evidently the result of 

 the solicitations of Sir Henry Ashurst and Sir Stephen Evance, 

 agents for New England, who urged that the country be not 

 surprised by hasty action. 



In January of the next year, the Board of Trade was directed 

 by the Council to set a time for hearing all proposals for bring- 

 ing naval stores from the plantations, and to give fitting en- 



iMemorial from Sir M. Dudley and others to Queen Anne, begging 

 for favorable action upon their petition, B. T. New Eng., Vol. VI, C: 5. 

 ^B. T. New Eng., Vol. VI, C: 5. ^Ibid. 



*B. T. New Eng., Entry Bk. A., May, 1693. 



