Voyages of Peter Esprit Radisson | Page 7

Gate House, London, "to take into custody the person of Touret for
corresponding with the King's enemies." On the 23d of December
Touret sent in a petition to Lord Arlington, bitterly complaining of the
severity of his treatment, and endeavored to turn the tables upon his
accuser by representing that Groseilliers, Radisson, and a certain priest
in London tried to persuade him to join them in making counterfeit coin,
and for his refusal had persecuted and entered the accusation against
him.
To Des Groseilliers and Radisson must be given the credit of
originating the idea of forming a settlement at Hudson's Bay, out of
which grew the profitable organization of the Hudson's Bay Company.
They obtained through the English Ambassador to France an interview
with Prince Rupert, and laid before him their plans, which had been
before presented to the leading merchants of Canada and the French
Court. Prince Rupert at once foresaw the value of such an enterprise,
and aided them in procuring the required assistance from several
noblemen and gentlemen, to fit out in 1667 two ships from London, the
"Eagle," Captain Stannard, and the "Nonsuch," ketch, Captain
Zechariah Gillam. This Gillam is called by Oldmixon a New Englander,

and was probably the same one who went in 1664/5 with Radisson and
Groseilliers to Hudson's Strait on the unsuccessful voyage from Boston.
Radisson thus alludes to the two ships that were fitted out in London by
the help of Prince Rupert and his associates. The third year after their
arrival in England "wee went out with a new Company in two small
vessels, my brother in one and I in another, and wee went together four
hundred leagues from the North of Ireland, where a sudden greate
storme did rise and put us asunder. The sea was soe furious six or seven
hours after, that it did almost overturne our ship. So that wee were
forced to cut our masts rather then cutt our lives; but wee came back
safe, God be thanked; and the other, I hope, is gone on his voyage, God
be with him."
Captain Gillam and the ketch "Nonsuch," with Des Groseilliers,
proceeded on their voyage, "passed thro Hudson's Streights, and then
into Baffin's Bay to 75 deg. North, and thence Southwards into 51 deg.,
where, in a river afterwards called Prince Rupert river, He had a
friendly correspondence with the natives, built a Fort, named it Charles
Fort, and returned with Success." [Footnote: Oldmixon, _British
Empire_, ed. 1741, Vol. I. p. 544] When Gillam and Groseilliers
returned, the adventurers concerned in fitting them out "applied
themselves to Charles II. for a patent, who granted one to them and
their successors for the Bay called Hudson's Streights." [Footnote:
_Ibid._, Vol. I. p. 545.] The patent bears date the 2d of May, in the
twenty-second year of Charles II., 1670.
In Ellis's manuscript papers [Footnote: Ibid., Vol. V. p.319] has been
found the following original draft of an "answer of the Hudson's Bay
Company to a French paper entitled Memoriall justifieing the
pretensions of France to Fort Bourbon." 1696/7.
"The French in this paper carrying their pretended right of Discovery
and settlement no higher then the year 1682, and their being
dispossessed in 1684. Wee shall briefly shew what sort of possession
that was, and how those two actions were managed. Mr. Radisson,
mentioned in the said paper to have made this settlement for the French
at Port Nelson in 1682, was many years before settled in England, and
marryed an English wife, Sir John Kirke's daughter, and engaged in the
interest and service of the English upon private adventure before as
well as after the Incorporation of the Hudson's Bay Company. In 1667,

when Prince Rupert and other noblemen set out two shipps, Radisson
went in the Eagle, Captain Stannard commander, and in that voyage the
name of Rupert's river was given. Again in 1668 and in 1669, and in
this voyage directed his course to Port Nelson, and went on shore with
one Bayly (designed Governor for the English), fixed the King of
England's arms there, & left some goods for trading. In 1671 three
ships were set out from London by the Hudson's Bay Company, then
incorporated, and Radisson went in one of them in their service, settled
Moose River, & went to Port Nelson, where he left some goods, and
wintered at Rupert's River. In 1673, upon some difference with the
Hudson's Bay Company, Radisson returned into France and was there
persuaded to go to Canada. He formed severall designs of going on
private accounts for the French into Hudson's Bay, which the Governor,
Monsr. Frontenac, would by no means permitt, declaring it would
break the union between the two Kings."
Oldmixon says [Footnote: Oldmixon, Vol. I. p. 549.] that the
above-mentioned Charles