and concluded at both Places, with becoming Cheerfulness, perfect Harmony and Decorum."

In the issue of the 21st of May, 1767, is an announcement of the Sunday Services for the coming Summer :

"On Sunday next, Divine Service according to the Use of the Church of England will be [held] at the Recollet Church, and continue for the Summer Season, beginning soon after eleven: The Drum will beat each Sunday, soon after Half an Hour past Ten, and the Recollet's Bell will ring, to give Notice of the English Service, the Instant their own is ended."

In the issue of the 25th of June, 1767, a Benedick contrasts Marriage with Celibacy from an economical standpoint,—a stupid letter, but the writer incidentally mentions the fact that he pays forty shillings a year for his seat in church.

During the summer, Dr. Brooke's connection with the parish of Quebec came to an end. One of his letters has been given in full; another, also published in the Gazette, of the issue of the 11th of April, 1765, advocates innoculation for small-pox; that of the 18th of Aug., 1766, contains his recommendation of Philip Payne; that of the 22nd of September has his testimonial to Mr. De Croix, a school master; that of the 27th of January, 1767, has this item: "On Tuesday Morning last, Daniel Durns, a Deserter from the 28th Regiment, came and surrendered himself to the Rev. Dr. Brooke, Chaplain to the Garrison. He knew nothing of the pardon proclaimed by Gen. Carleton." Dr. Brooke is supposed to have returned to England. The way was now paved for a further supply of Swiss ministers.

"On Tuesday last," we read in the Gazette of the 27th Oct., 1766, "The Reverend Mr. Veyssière, who a few Days since left the Order of the Recollets (amongst whom he was known by the Name of Father Emmanuel) and declared himself a Protestant, took the usual oaths of Allegiance to the King, Abjuration of the Power and Supremacy of the Pope, and Abjuration of the Pretender, and subscribed the Declaration against Popery. He appears to have taken this happy Determination from the laudable Motive of Conscience only, after a long and careful Consideration of the Points in Controversy between the Roman and Protestant Professions, and to have stood in reputable esteem amongst those of the former, as well as the few of the latter he has been known to. The Reverend Father Emmanuel Crespel, the present worthy Commissary of the

Order in this Province, was so just as to say of him, after he had declared his Intention: That he was a Man of very good Behaviour, and exact in all his Duties. A Testimony which does equil Honour to the Candour of the Father Commissary, and the Character of Mr. Veyssière."

Legere Jean Baptiste Noël Veyssière we are informed by members of his family, was born in France about the year 1730. The Repertoire géneral du Clerge Canadien, par Mgr. Cyprien Tanguay, (p. 131), contains the following account of him: "VEYSSIERE, LEGER, en religion frère Emmanuel, recollet, ordonné à Québec, le 27 décembre 1755, desservit les paroisses de Saint Michel et de Beaumont, de 1762 à 1766." Having decided to enter the Church of England, he embarked for London late in the autumn of 1767. On the eve of his departure he published the following card of thanks in the Gazette of the 8th of October :

Au Très Réverénd Pere EMMANUEL CRESPEL, Commissaire des R.R.PP. Recollets, aux Messieurs les Protestants, et Catholiques Romains, de la ville de Quebec, semblablement aux Habitants des paroisses, savoir, St. Michel, Beau.nont, et St. Nicolas. Alon. Très Révérend Père, Messieurs, et Habitans autre fois mes paroissiens,

Je vous fais mes très humbles remercimens des bontés, et de toutes les marques d'estime, que vous m'avez donné quelques jours avant mon depart pour l'Angleterre; je vous en aurai une éternelle reconnaissance. J'ai l'honneur d'etre, avec un profond respect. Mon Très Révérend Père, Messieurs, clc.,

Votre très humble et très obeissant Serviteur,

L. J. B. N. VEyssiere,

He was armed with strong recommendations from many of the leading residents, for the appointment to the first pastorate of the town of Three Rivers. Succeeding in his mission, Mr. Veyssière received the Bishop of London's Licence on the 26th of December, and returning to Canada the following year, he, in company with the Rev. Mr. De Montmollin, presented their Royal Mandamus to the Governor, requesting his Excellency's Commissions for the Parishes of Quebec and Three Rivers.

The difficulties Mr. Veyssière and his confrere, Mr. Montmollin, were destined to meet in the way of obtaining their com missions, will be seen in Sir Guy Carleton's letter to the Earl of Hillsborough:—

MY LORD,

QUEBEC, 21st July, 1768.

I have lately been to visit the Southwest parts of the Province up the Cataraqui, a little beyond our limits, and about forty Leagues up the Great River of the Ottawas; this journey retarded my acknowledging the Receipt of your Lordship's Letters Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, they came all safe to Hand, and shall be carefully attended to.

On my return from Montreal, a Mandamus was presented by a Mr. Montmolin, and another by a Mr. Veyssière, formerly a Recollet, directing me to admit and collate, the one to the Church and Parish of Quebec, the other to the Church and Parish of Trois Rivières, to enjoy the same during life, with all Rights, dues, profits, and Privileges as thereunto belonging, in as full and ample manner as the Ministers of Churches in any of our Colonies in America have usually held and enjoyed, or of Right, ought to hold and enjoy the same.

As I find these words in every Mandamus, I look upon it as a stile of office that has been adopted for many years for other Provinces, and, under that sanction, unnoticed, has slipped into those for this Province, though under very different circumstances.

These general and extensive expressions have occasioned no small Difficulty already in civil matters, and been the cause of many complaints, giving authority to claim Fees of office, &c., that are Burthensome; but if they be extended to ecclesiastical Property, to dispossess the People of their Parish Churches, and their Clergy of their tithes and all parochial dues, for our Lawyers are clear these words import no less, the evils must be much worse.

As I judge it impossible this could have been designed, and that your Lordship could not have failed to communicate to me if a measure of such consequence had been resolved upon, I have in the meanwhile, and till I am certain of the King's pleasure therein, granted them Commissions which leave them power to do all the good they can, or chuse to do, without authorizing them to do mischief.

I had so mean an opinion of Mr. Veyssière that I refused to recommend him, when he went to Europe last year, and had I not imagined my silence of a Person leaving the Province, notwithstanding his letters of recommendation from others, which anyone may procure, would have prevented his return with the King's

Mandamus, I should have thought myself obliged to have given a full account of his levity and folly, both before and after his renouncing the errors of the Church of Rome.

Mr. Montmoulin, notwithstanding we have in this town the use of two Churches in common with the Roman Catholics, and one entirely to ourselves,* thinks it very hard the Parish Church, which we took for a store, on our arrival, having no further occasion for it, nor money to preserve it from Ruin, it was given up to them above a year ago, and it is now almost repaired at a considerable expense. He thinks it still harder I disapprove of his taking the Tithes; I endeavoured to show him the Violence, Injustice, and Breach of Treaties with Protestants; he, therefore, sees no reason why we should keep ours with Roman Catholics.

In our present situation, we have more Church room, in common with the Roman Catholics, than we want, and if the order which prohibits the Recollets and Jesuits from recruiting their converts is continued, we shall, in a few years, without violence, or giving offence, and without appearing to depart from the general Lenity of the King's judgment, have more churches to ourselves than we can possibly occupy or keep in Repair, unless the Treasurer is pleased to assist us with money for that purpose. A copy of their commission is herewith inclosed.

I am, with much Respect and Esteem,

The quotation from the Royal Mandamus, contained in this letter, is important. Doubtless the form used in issuing these documents exists in the Colonial Office and elsewhere; but I have not been able to see a copy, and I doubt if many people in Canada are familiar with the paper. The same may be said of the clerical commissions issued by the Governors. For this reason I shall offer no apology for printing here the special commission granted by Sir Guy Carleton to Messrs. De Montmollin and Veyssière, referred to

* Presbyterian services were held in the chapel of the Jesuits, but the statement that we had one church entirely to ourselves is inexplicable.

n the above letter, and which admitted them to the pastorate of the Parishes of Quebec and Three Rivers, posts held by them till the end of the century.*

*

To the HONOURABLE GUY CARLETON, Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Quebec, Brigadier General of His Majesty's Forces, etc.

To..................Clerk. Greeting:

In obedience to His Majesty's commands, signified by his Mandamus, cated at St. James', the 12th day of February last, I do admit you to be Curate and Minister of the Gospel in the Parish of [Quebec] in the Province of Quebec, to perform the office of a Curate and Minister of the Gospel in such Church or place set apart for the performance of Divine Service as is or shall hereafter be appointed by the Governor or Commander-in-Chief of this Province, in reading the Common Prayers and performing the other services of the Church belonging to the office of a Priest, according to the Form set forth in the Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments according to the Use of the Church of England, and not otherwise, or in any other manner, you having first sworn, in some of His Majesty's Courts of Record in this Province, on the Holy Evangelists to renounce all foreign jurisdiction and to bear Faith and true Allegiance to His Majesty, King George the 3d, according to an Act of Parliament in that case made and provided, and to pay true and Canonical obedience to the Lord Bishop of London and his successors, Bishops of London, [to] Hold and enjoy the said office of Curate and Minister of the Gospel, together with all such dues as shall arise from Persons professing the Protestant Religion according to the Reformation of the Church of England, and not otherwise.

The answer of the Secretary of the Colonies to Carleton's letter is to the effect that the form of commission issued to the two clergymen is approved, that the support of the Church of England and the toleration of the new subjects in the exercise of the Roman Catholic religion will be matters of serious attention in the general regulations, that protection is to be given to the Established Church, and that care is to be taken that its offices are conducted with decency.

*These documents are contained in the Canadian Archives, Series Q, Vol. 52, pages 726-730.