The Letters Patent granted by the King of France to M. Crozat.
Louis, by the Grace of God, King of France and
Navarre: To all who shall see these present Letters,
Greeting. The Care we have always had to procure the
Welfare and Advantage of our Subjects having induced
us, notwithstanding the almost continual Wars which we
have been obliged to support from the Beginning of our
Reign, to seek for all possible Opportunities of enlarging
and extending the Trade of our American Colonies, We
did in the Year 1683 give our orders to undertake a Discovery
of the Countries and Lands which are situated in
the Northern Part of America, between New France and
New Mexico: And the Sieur de la Sale, to whom we committed
that Enterprize, having had Success enough to confirm
a Belief that a Communication might be settled from
New France to the Gulph of Mexico by Means of large
Rivers; This obliged us immediately after the Peace of
Ryswick to give Orders for the establishing a Colony there,
and maintaining a Garrison which has kept and preserved
the Possession, we had taken in the very Year 1683 of the
Lands, Coasts and Islands which are situated in the Gulph
of Mexico, between Carolina on the East, and Old and New
Mexico on the West. But a new War having broke out
in Europe shortly after, there was no Possibility, till now,
of reaping from that new Colony the Advantages that might
have been expected from thence, because the private Men,
who are concerned in the Sea Trade, were all under Engagements
with other Colonies, which they have been obliged
to follow: And whereas upon the Information we have
received concerning the Disposition and Situation of the
said Countries known at present by the Name of the
Province of Louisiana, we are of Opinion that there may
be established therein a considerable Commerce, so much
