four Voyages shall have been completed it being well understood, that on the return of the ;

first discovery or exploration, a pertinent Report shall be rendered to the Lords States General,

in order that their High Mightinesses may then order and determine, according to the distance and circumstances of the Countries or Places, within what time the aforesaid four voyages must be concluded and also with this understanding, that whosoever shall find, discover and explore ;

the same Countries and Places about the same time or season, shall be admitted, at the discretion and on the decision of the Lords States General, to prosecute the aforesaid voyages in company ; provided also that this concession shall not prejudice previous concessions or grants.

HOLLAND DOCUMENTS : L 5

Resolution of the States General respecting newly discovered Countries.

[ From the Register of the Resolutions of tlie Slates General in the Eoyal Arcliives at the Hague. ]

Thursday the 27"- March 1614. Foiioss. Read the petition of divers Traders, inhabitants of the United Provinces, requesting liberty freely to make use of, for the first six Voyages, the passages, countries and islands, as yet undiscovered or unfrequented, and which shall through God's Mercy and help be discovered by them without any other person, except the Petitioners, having power to sail or resort thither ;

from these United Provinces, either directly or indirectly before and until, they, the Petitioners, shall have fully completed and finished the aforesaid six Voyages, etc. After deliberation it is resolved and concluded, that this solicited charter or concession shall be, as it is hereby, granted to the Petitioners, for four voyages, on condition that the Petitioners having completed the first voyage, shall render a pertinent report to their High Mightinesses of their progress and discovery, in order that their High Mightinesses may then adjudge and declare in what time the four voyages shall be made.