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step would t popular even among Dissenters, except the Presbyterians, and that the Presbyterians had so unanimously joined the Republicans that there would be none of them in Nova Scotia.

The Clergy also represented that the expense and March 26, 1785. danger of sending young men to England for instruction and ordination (nearly one-fourth of those sent having perished on the voyage, or otherwise)* was a most serious impediment to the advancement of the Church and of religion.

Representative institutions had been established in the Colony since 1758.

This correspondence was submitted in 1787 to the Committee of the Privy Council for Trade and Plantations--the then Colonial Department-backed by representations from the Archbishop of Canter. bury and Bishop of London.

The Committee recommended that the King should comply with these requests, "by sending a proper person duly consecrated and appointed by commission from your Majesty, to the Province of Nova Scotia, to be Bishop of the said province and its dependencies, without any civil authority whatever, except what may be necessary for the discharge of his jurisdiction in clerum." That is to say, the Bishop was to have no jurisdiction in cases of tuatrimony, or probates, or ecclesiastical dues, nor any jurisdiction in salutem anime in cases of incon- tinence, brawling, defamation, &c.

By another Commission the Bishop was to be authorized to exercise "a like authority and juris- diction" in Quebec, New Brunswick, and New- foundland.

The Committee further submitted for the Royal consideration drafts of Episcopal Letters-Patent which had been prepared under their direction by the Law Officers of the Crown, Sir W. Wynn, King's Advocate, Sir R. P. Arden, Attorney- General (afterwards Lord Alvanly), and Sir A. Mac- donald, Solicitor-General.

These Letters-Patent, after erecting "the Bishop- Annexure 2,

ric of Nova Scotia and its dependencies," conferred, No. 6.

or assumed to confer, upon the Bishop "full power and authority," by himself or his commissaries, "to exercise jurisdiction, spiritual and ecclesiastical, in and throughout the said diocese, according to the Laws and Canons of the Church of England which

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are lawfully made and received in England" in the cases thereinafter expressed, ie., "to give institution

to benefices, to grant licenses to Curates, and to visit all Rectors, Curates, &c., and all Priests in with Holy Orders of the Church of England

all and all manner of jurisdiction, power, and coercion ecclesiastical that may be requisite in the premises... to inquire (into their morals and beha- viour) by witnesses to be sworn in due course of law," by himself or his commissary, and “to punish and correct the Clergy according to their demerits, whether by removal, deprivation, suspension, or other ecclesiastical censure or correction as they may be liable to according to the Canons and Laws Ecclesiastical aforesaid.”

The Report of the Committee was approved by His Majesty in Council, and Letters Patent were issued in the terms above quoted.

In 1791 an Act of Parliament was passed (31 George III, cap. 31.) establishing representative institutions in the two Canadas.

The 40th clause of this Act contained the following notice of the Bishopric of Nova Scotia, which it will be observed refers to and, subject to the qualifying adverb "lawfully," adopts some of the language of the above Letters Patent :-

"Provided always

that every such presentation, &c., shall be subject and liable to all right of institution, and all other spiritual and ecclesiastical jurisdiction and authority, which have been lawfully granted by His Majesty's Royal Letters Patent to the Bishop of Nova Scotia, or which may hereafter be lawfully granted or appointed to be administered and executed within the said provinces

or either of them respectively by the said Bishop of Nova Scotia or by any other person or persons according to the laws and Canons of the Church of England, which are lawfully made and received in England."

In 1793 the Bishopric of Quebec was founded with jurisdiction over the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, the Canadian Commission to the Bishop of Nova Scotia being of course revoked. There is nothing to show that the matter was again referred to a Committee of Privy Council, or that the proceedings were sanctioned by Order in Council. But the Draft Letters Patent, containing