The prospect of profits was gone; the hope of an overseas empire survived.

The London Company, with a greatly improved charter, appealed to the public through sermons, broadsides, pamphlets, and personal canvassing, with such success that subscriptions to its stock poured in from "lords, knights, gentlemen and others," including the trade guilds and the town corporations.

In lieu of cash dividends the company promised that after a period of seven years, during which the settlers were to work on the company's account and any surplus earnings were to be spent on the colony or funded, a dividend in land would be issued.

In this the settlers were to be embraced as if instead of emigrating each of them had invested L12 10s.

in a share of stock.