THE Company now called of FRENCH MERCHANTS: of their Creating, Incorporating, and Patents granting, no intelligence hath been given me, and therefore I am the less able to speak of them: only I hear them to be a Company of worthy Gentlemen; and let that honest Title at this time suffice them. [Extinct.]

THE Company of Merchants, called MERCHANTS of VIRGINIA, BERMUDAS, or SUMMER-ISLANDS: for (as I hear) all these additions are given them. I know not the time of their incorporating, neither by whom their Arms, Supporters, and Crest were granted, and therefore am compelled to leave them abruptly.

[These Merchants were never incorporated.]

But besides these Companies, there are others; which must not be omitted. As,

THIS Company is called the Royal Adventurers of England trading into Africa, which by their Charter granted to them by King Charles the Second, bearing Date the 20th of January in the 14th Year of his Reign, have very large Immunities granted them; as Power to call and keep Courts, to make By-Laws, so as not repugnant to the Law of the Land, and to punish Transgressors by Fine or Imprisonment; to set forth Men of War, to defend their Factories and Forts, that at any time after shall be erected and settled in any Part of Africa, within the Limits of their Charter; which is from Sally in South Barbary inclusive, to Cape de Bonna Esperanza. And within the said Limits all English Ships are prohibited to trade, except those of this Royal Company, and such as are authorized under them. They have Power to appoint Governours over their Plantations, Forts and Factories, to raise Arms, to train and muster Military Forces, and to execute Martial Law against Invasions or Rebellions in their said Factories; but the Sovereign Right and Dominion over the same is reserved to his Majesty and his Successors. Furthermore, they have the Freedom of enjoying all the Privileges in the City of London, as fully as any Company of Merchants whatsoever.

The Atchievment belonging to this Company is thus blazoned, Or, an Elephant Sable, a Quarter, quarterly France and England; for their Crest, out of a Crown Ducal an Anchor erected, wreathed about with a Cable, all Or, between two Wings expanded Argent, each charged with a Cross of England. And for their Supporters, two Blackamoors proper, with Arrows in their Hands Or, headed, and feathered Argent. And for their Motto, Regio floret, Patrocinio Commercium, Commercioque Regnum.

Their Seal is double; one, the Elephant supported by two Blackamoors; the other, the Effigies of King Charles II. enthroned. The Voyage Out and Home is usually within a Year, which is but short: and many Ships and Seamen are employed by this Company, who, for the Security of their Trade, have at a very great Expence erected several Forts and Factories along the Coast of Guinea, without which the Trade could not be preserved to this Nation; and for that very reason this Trade cannot be managed but by a Company and joint Stock; for no private Person will be at the Charge of Forts and Factories. Besides, such as venture one Voyage, and perhaps no more, do usually consult the cheapest way in their Expences and Exports; neither will they take care to send such good and merchantable Commodities to trade with, as a Company will, whose Interest obligeth them to send such as are