"4. Which being done, you shall yourself take, and also administer to each of the members of our said council so appointed by us, the oaths appointed by act of parliament to be taken instead of the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, and the oath mentioned in an act, entitled, An act to declare the alteration in the oath appointed to be taken by the act, entitled, An act for the further security of his majesty's person, and the succession of the crown in the protestant line, and for extinguishing the hopes of the pretended prince of Wales, and all other pretenders, and their open and secret abettors, and for declaring the association to be determined; as also the test mentioned in an act of parliament made in the twenty-fifth year of the reign of king Charles the second, entitled, An act for preventing dangers which may happen from popish recusants; together with an oath for the due execution of your and their places and trusts, as well with regard to the equal and impartial administration of justice in all causes that shall come before you, as otherwise, and likewise the oath required to be taken by governors of plantations, to do their utmost, that the laws relating to the plantations be observed.

6. "And whereas the inhabitants of our said province have of late years been unhappily divided, and by their enmity to each other, our service and their own welfare has been very much obstructed; you are therefore in the execution of our commission, to avoid the engaging yourself in the parties which have been form'd amongst them, and to use such impartiality and moderation to all, as may best conduce to our service, and the good of the colony.

"51. You are to permit a liberty of conscience to all persons (except papists) so they may be contented with a quiet and peaceable enjoyment of the same, not giving offence or scandal to the government.

"52. And whereas we have been informed, that divers of our good subjects inhabiting those parts, do make a religious scruple of swearing, and by reason of their refusing to take an oath in courts of justice and other places, are or may be liable to many inconveniences; our will and pleasure is, that in order to their ease in what they conceive to be matter of conscience, so far as may be consistent with good order and government, you take care, that an act be passed in the general assembly of our said province, to the like effect as that passed here in the seventh and eighth years of his majesty's reign, entitled, An act, that the solemn affirmation and declaration of the people called Quakers,

shall be accepted, instead of an oath in the usual form, and that the same be transmitted to us, and to our commissioners for trade and plantations as before directed.

"69. You shall take especial care, that God Almighty be devoutly and duly served throughout your government, the book of common prayer as by law established, read each sunday, and holyday, and the blessed sacrament administered according to the rites of the church of England.

"70. You shall be careful that the Churches already built there, be well and orderly kept, and that more be built, as the colony shall by God's blessing be improved; and that besides a competent 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 proportion of land assigned to him, for a glebe and exercise of his industry.

"71. And you are to take care, that the parishes be so limitted and settled, as you shall find most convenient for the accomplishing this good work.

72. You are not to prefer any minister to any ecclesiastical benefice in that our province, without a certificate from the right reverend father in God the lord bishop of London, of his being conformable to the doctrine and discipline of the church of England, and of a good life and conversation: And if any person already prefer'd to a benefice, shall appear to you to give Scandal either by his doctrine or manners, you are to use the best means for the removal of him, and to supply the vacancy in such manner as we have directed.

"73. You are to give order, that every orthodox minister within your government, be one of the vestry in his respective parish, and that no vestry be held without him, except in case of sickness, or that after the notice of a vestry summon'd, he omit to come.

"74. You are to enquire 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 account thereof to the said lord bishop of London.

"75. And to the end the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the said lord bishop of London, may take place in our said province so far as conveniently may be, we do think fit that you give all countenance and encouragement to the exercise of the same, excepting only the collating to benefices, granting licences for marriages, and probate of wills, which we have reserved to you our governor and the commander in chief of our said province for the time being.

"76. And you are to take especial care, that a table of marriages established by the cannons of the church of England, be hung up in every orthodox church, and duly observed, and you are to endeavor to get a law passed in the assembly of our said province, (if not already done) for the strict observation of the said table.

"77. You are to take care, that drunkenness and debauchery, swearing and blasphemy, be discountenanced and punished: And for the further discountenance of vice, and encouragement of virtue and good living, (that by such example the infidels may be invited and desire to partake of the christian religion) you are not to admit any person to publick trusts and employments in our said province under your government, whose ill fame and conversation may occasion scandal.

"89. You shall endeavor to get a law passed for the restraining of any inhuman severity, which by ill masters or overseers, may be used towards their christian servants, and their slaves, and that provision be made therein, that the wilful killing of Indians and Negroes may be punished with death, and that a fit penalty be imposed for the maiming of them.

90. You are also with the assistance of the council and assembly, to find out the best means to facilitate and encourage the conversion of Negroes and Indians, to the christian religion.

"99. Forasmuch as great inconveniencies may arise by the liberty of printing in our said province, you are to provide by all necessary orders, that no person keep any press for printing, nor that any book, pamphlet or other matters whatsoever be printed without your especial leave and license first obtained." -Smith's History, pp. 230-259.

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GREAT NEED OF A BISHOP.

Mr. John Talbot to Mr. Richard Gillingham.

"MY DEAR FRIEND:

"New York, 24 November, 1702.

"I take all opportunities to let you know that I live, and shall be glad to hear as much of you. Friend Keith and I have been above 500 miles together visiting the churches in these parts of America, viz., New England, New Hampshire, N. Bristol, N. London, N. York, and the Jerseys as far as Philadelphia. We preached in all churches where we came, and in several Dissenters' meetings such as owned the Church of

England to be their mother church, and were willing to communicate with her and to submit to her Bishops if they had opportunity; I have baptized severall persons, whom Mr. Keith has brought over from Quakerism, and indeed in all places where we come, we find a great ripeness and inclination amongst all sorts of people to embrace the Gospel. Even the Indians themselves have promised obedience to the Faith, as appears by a conference that my Lord Cornbury the Governor here has had with them at Albany: five of their sachems or kings told him they were glad to hear that the sun shined in England again since King William's Death; they did admire at first what was come to us, that we should have a squaw sachem, viz.: a woman-king, but they hoped she would be a good mother and send them some to teach them religion, and establish Traffick among them that they might be able to purchase a coat, and not go to church in Bear Skins, and so they send our Queen a present, ten Bear Skins to make her fine, and one for a muff to keep her warm; after many Presents and Compliments they sigued the treaty and made the Covenant so sure that they said Thunder and Lightning should not break it on their part, if we did not do as the Lord Bellamont did, throw it into the sea. The papists have been zealous and diligent to send priests and Jesuits to convert these Indians to their superstitions; 'tis wonderfully acted, ventured and suffered upon that design; they have indeed become all things, and even turned Indians as it were to gain them, which I hope will provoke some of us to do our part for our holy faith and mother the Church of England. One of their Priests lived half a year in their wigwams i. e. houses) without a shirt, and when he petitioned my Lord Bellamont for a couple, he was not only denyed but banished; whereas one of ours, in Discourse with my Lord of London, said, who did his Lordship think would come hither that had a dozen shirts.' If I had their language or wherewith to maintain an Interpreter, it should be the first thing I should do, to go amongst the thickest of 'em. Mr. Keith says if he were younger he would learn their language and then I'm sure he might convert them sooner than the Heathen called Quakers. Indeed he is the fittest man that ever came over for this province,

he is a well study'd divine, a good philosopher and Preacher, but above all an excellent Disputant, especially against the Quakers, who use to challenge all mankind formerly. Now all the Friends (or enemies rather) are not able to answer one George Keith; he knows the Depths of Satan within them and all the Doublings and Windings of the Snake in the Grass. In short he has become the best champion against all Dissenters, that the Church ever had, and he's sett up such a Light in their Dark places, that by God's blessing will not be put out. The Clergy here have had a sort of Convocation at the Instance and Charge of his Excellency Col. Nicholson Governor of Virginia; we were but seven in all; and a week together, we sat considering of ways and means to propagate the Gospel, and to that End we have drawn up a scheme of the present state of the Church in these provinces which you shall see when I have time to transcribe it, and I shall desire you to send it afterwards to my good brother Kemble. We have great need of a Bishop here to visit all the churches to ordain some, to confirm others, and bless all. We pray for my good Lord of London, we cannot have better than he whilst he lives, therefore in the mean time we shall be very well content with a suffragan. Mr. Keith's mission will be out about a year hence; by that time I hope to get some tokens for my good friends and Benefactors. But as for myself I am so well satisfied with a prospect of doing good that I have no inclination to return for England; however be so kind as to let me know how you doe, which will be a comfort to me in the wilderness. You know all my friends, pray let them, especially my mother and my sister Hannah, know that I am well, God be praised, and shall be glad to hear so much of them. I cannot write many letters, much less one two or three times over as when I had nothing else to do. I pray God bless you and all my Friends, I desire the Benefit of their prayers, though I cannot have that of their good Company. I know you'll take all in good part that comes from

"Your old Friend,

"JOHN TALBOT.

"P. S.-I have many places offered me but I know not where I shall settle, in mean time you may direct your letters