Honors awaited Groseillers in London.  King Charles created him a Knight de la Jarretiere, an order for princes of the royal blood.[7] In addition, he was granted a sum of money.  Prince Rupert and Radisson had, meanwhile, been busy organizing a fur company.  The success of Groseillers’ voyage now assured this company a royal charter, which was granted in May, 1670.  Such was the origin of the Hudson’s Bay Company.  Prince Rupert was its first governor; Charles Bayly was appointed resident governor on the bay.  Among the first shareholders were Prince Rupert, the Duke of York, Sir George Cartwright, the Duke of Albermarle, Shaftesbury, Sir Peter Colleton, who had advanced Radisson a loan during the long period of waiting, and Sir John Kirke, whose daughter had married Radisson.

That spring, Radisson and Groseillers again sailed for the bay.  In 1671, three ships were sent out from England, and Radisson established a second post westward at Moose.  With Governor Bayly, he sailed up and met the Indians at what was to become the great fur capital of the north, Port Nelson, or York.  The third year of the company’s existence, Radisson and Groseillers perceived a change.  Not so many Indians came down to the English forts to trade.  Those who came brought fewer pelts and demanded higher prices.  Rivals had been at work.  The English learned that the French had come overland and were paying high prices to draw the Indians from the bay.  In the spring a council was held.[8] Should they continue on the east side of the bay, or move west, where there would be no rivalry?  Groseillers boldly counselled moving inland and driving off French competition.  Bayly was for moving west.  He even hinted that Groseillers’ advice sprang from disloyalty to the English.  The clash that was inevitable from divided command was this time avoided by compromise.  They would all sail west, and all come back to Rupert’s River.  When they returned, they found that the English ensign had been torn down and the French flag raised.[9] A veteran Jesuit missionary of the Saguenay, Charles Albanel, two French companions, and some Indian guides had ensconced themselves in the empty houses.[10] The priest now presented Governor Bayly with letters from Count Frontenac commending the French to the good offices of Governor Bayly.[11]

France had not been idle.

When it was too late, the country awakened to the injustice done Radisson and Groseillers.  While Radisson was still in Boston, all restrictions were taken from the beaver trade, except the tax of one-fourth to the revenue.  The Jesuit Dablon, who was near the western end of Lake Superior, gathered all the information he could from the Indians of the way to the Sea of the North.  Father Marquette learned of the Mississippi from the Indians.  The Western tribes had been summoned to the Sault, where Sieur de Saint-Lusson met them in treaty for the French; and the French flag was raised in the presence of Pere