Tillotson, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Stillingfleet, Bishop of Worcester, helped him much.

The King and Queen inclined a favorable ear, and, though he met with opposition in certain quarters, Blair at last obtained his charter.

There was to be built in Virginia and to be sustained by taxation a great school, "a seminary of ministers of the gospel where youths may be piously educated in good letters and manners; a certain place of universal study, or perpetual college of divinity, philosophy, languages and other good arts and sciences." Blair sailed back to Virginia with the charter of the college, some money, a plan for the main building drawn by Christopher Wren, and for himself the office of President.
The Assembly, for the benefit of the college, taxed raw and tanned hides, dressed buckskin, skins of doe and elk, muskrat and raccoon.

The construction of the new seat of learning was begun at Williamsburg.

When it was completed and opened to students, it was named William and Mary.
Its name and record shine fair in old Virginia.