No. II. Page 420.

Extract from the Copy of Royal Instructions to the Governor of Newfoundland, July 26, 1832; and ordered by the House of Commons to be printed August 7, 1832. They are given also in the Appendix to Clark's Summary of Colonial Law, &c. pp. 435-449.

49. AND whereas by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster the 10th day of May, 1825, the Island of Newfoundland was constituted to be part of the See of the Bishop of Nova Scotia, and the said Bishop w s thereby duly authorized to exercise jurisdiction, spiritual and ecclesiastical, in the said Colonies, it is Our will and pleasure, that in the administration of the government of our said island you should be aiding and assisting to the said Bishop, and to his commissary or commissaries, in the execution of their charge and the exercise of such ecclesiastical jurisdiction, excepting only the granting licences for marriages and probates of wills.

50. We do enjoin and require that you do take especial care that Almighty God be devoutly and truly served throughout your government, the Book of Common Prayer, as by law established, read each Sunday and holiday, and the Blessed Sacrament administered according to the rites of the Church of England. You shall be careful that all orthodox churches already built there be well and orderly kept, and that more be built, as Our island shall, by God's blessing, be improved. And that, besides a compe

tent maintenance to be assigned to the minister of each orthodox church, a convenient house be built at the common charge for each minister, and a competent portion of land for a glebe be allotted to him. And you are to take care that the parishes be so limited and settled as you shall find most convenient for the accomplishing this good work: and in all matters relating to the celebration of Divine Worship, the erection and repair of churches, the maintenance of ministers, and the settlement of parishes throughout your government, you are to advise with the Right Reverend Father in God the Bishop of Nova Scotia for the time being.

51. Upon the vacancy of any ecclesiastical benefice in Our said island, you will present to the said Bishop of Nova Scotia for the time being, for institution to such vacant benefice, any clerk in holy orders of the United Church of England and Ireland, who shall have been actually resident within the said diocese, and officiating there as a clerk in holy orders for six calendar months at the least next before such benefice shall have become vacant, whom the said Bishop may certify to you to be a fit and proper person to fill such vacancy, and to be a person of good life and conversation, and conformable to the doctrine and discipline of the said United Church. But if at the time of any such vacancy occurring there shall not be resident within the said diocese any clerk in holy orders of the Isaid United Church who shall have been resident and officiating therein as aforesaid, in whose favour the said Bishop shall think proper so to certify to you, or if no such certificate shall be received by you from the said Bishop within three calendar months next after such vacancy shall occur, then, and in either of such cases, you shall forthwith report the circumstances to Us, through one of Our Prin

cipal Secretaries of State, to the intent that We may nominate some fit and proper person, being a clerk in holy orders as aforesaid, to fill the said vacancy. And We do enjoin and command you to present to the said Bishop for institution to any such vacant ecclesiastical benefice, any clerk who may be so nominated by Us through one of Our Principal Secretaries of State.

52. You are to inquire whether there be any minister within your government, who preaches and administers the Sacrament in any orthodox church or chapel without being in due orders, and to give an account thereof to the said Bishop of Nova Scotia.

53. And whereas doubts have arisen whether the powers of granting licences for marriages and probates of wills, commonly called the Office of Ordinary, which We have reserved to you, Our Governor, can be exercised by deputation from you to any other person within Our said island under your government, it is Our express will and pleasure, and you are hereby directed and required not to grant depu tations for the exercise of the said powers, commonly called the Office of Ordinary, to any person or persons whatsoever in Our said island under your government.

54. And you are to take especial care, that a table of marriages established by the canons of the Church of England be hung up in every orthodox church and duly observed.

55. The Right Reverend Father in God, Edmund, then Lord Bishop of London', having presented a petition to his Majesty King George the First, humbly beseeching him to send instructions to the governors of all the several colonies

1 Bishop Gibson, who presided over the See of London from 1723 to

and plantations in America, that they cause all laws already made against blasphemy, profaneness, adultery, fornication, polygamy, incest, profanation of the Lord's day, swearing, and drunkenness, in their respective governments to be rigorously executed; and We, thinking it highly just that all persons who shall offend in any of the particulars aforesaid should be prosecuted and punished for their said offences, it is therefore Our will and pleasure that you take due care for the punishment of the afore-mentioned vices; and that you earnestly recommend that effectual laws be passed for the restraint and punishment of all such of the afore-mentioned vices against which no laws are as yet provided. And also you are to use your endeavours to render the laws in being more effectual, by providing for the punishment of the afore-mentioned vices, by presentment upon oath to be made to the temporal courts by the churchwardens of the several parishes, at proper times of the year to be appointed for that purpose; and for the further discouragement of vice, and encouragement of virtue and good living, you are not to admit any person to public trusts or employments in the island under your government whose ill-fame and conversation may occasion scandal.

56. It is Our further will and pleasure, that you recommend to the Legislature to enter upon proper methods for the erecting and maintaining schools, in order to the training up of youth to reading, and to a necessary knowledge of the principles of religion. You are not, however, to give your consent to any act respecting religion, without a clause suspending its operation, until Our pleasure shall have been signified thereupon, unless a draft thereof shall have been previously transmitted by you for Our consideration and approval.

57. And We do further direct, that in all matters arising

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within your government, connected with the education of youth in the principles of the Christian religion, according to the doctrine of the said United Church of England, or connected with the prevention of vice and profaneness, or the conversion of negroes and other slaves, or connected with the worship of Almighty God, or the promotion of religion and virtue, you be advising with the Bishop for the time being of the said diocese of Nova Scotia, and be aiding him in the execution of all such designs and undertakings as may be recommended by the said Bishop for the promotion of any of the objects before-mentioned, so far as such designs and undertakings may be consistent with the law and with your said commission, and these Our instructions.