By the treaty of St. Germain-en-Laye (1632) the English had resigned to the French Crown all interest in New France. The Treaty of Ryswick (1697), moreover, confirmed French right to the country. Hence Charles's gift to his cousin, Prince Rupert, and to those associated with him in the organization of the Hudson Bay Company, was gratuitous, if not illegal. The subsequent retransfer of the country to Britain by the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) may be said, however, to have given the company a right to its possessions, a right that was practically confirmed by the Conquest, and by the Treaty of Paris, in 1763.

FROM TREATY OF ST. GERMAIN EN LAYE, 29 MARCH, 1632:

III. On the part of his Majesty of Great Britain, the said Lord Ambassador, by virtue of the Power granted to him, which shall be inserted at the end of these Presents, hath promis'd, and doth promise, for and in the name of his said Majesty, to render and restore to his most Christian Majesty all the Places possess'd in New France, Acadia and Canada, by the Subjects of his Majesty of Great Britain, and cause them to depart from those Places. And for their effect the said Lord Ambassador shall presently, upon passing and signing these Presents, deliver to the Commissioners of the most Christian King, in good Form, the Power which he hath receiv'd from his Majesty of Great Britain, for the Restitution of the said Places, together with the Orders of his said Majesty to such as command in Port Royal, Port Quebec and Cape Breton, to give up the said Places and Fort, and deliver them into the hands of those whom it shall please his most Christian Majesty to appoint, in eight days after the said Orders shall have been notify'd to those who do command, or shall command in the said Places; the said space or eight days being given them to remove, in the mean time, out of the said Places and Fort, their Arms, Baggage, Merchandizes, Gold, Silver, utensils, and in general every thing that belongs to them: to whom, and to all who live in the said Places, is granted the space of three Weeks after the expiration of the said eight days, for entering (during the said time, or sooner if possible) into their Ships, with their Arms, Ammunition, Baggage, Gold, Silver, Utensils, Merchandizes, Furs, and in general everything belonging to them, in order to depart thence into England, without any longer stay in the said Countries.