88 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
INTRODUCTION. 
The story of the Foundation of the Dignity of Baronet of Nova 
Scotia, with which this essay deals, is not one of mere empty titles 
lightly won, but a record of honours bestowed by a patriotic Sovereign 
with a fixed object in view and to achieve a definite purpose, viz., the 
furtherance of a great colonial scheme, which originated in the brain 
of a wise King, who, though he did not live to see his dream realised, 
designed the establishment of a mighty colonial Empire beyond the 
seas, by means of which he foresaw that the good of the mother 
country would likewise be promoted. 
Projected by King James the First in 1624; erected by King 
Charles the First in 1625; continued and strengthened with fresh 
creations by the successors of these Sovereigns until the last of the 
Order was created by Queen Anne, in 1707; the Baronets of Nova 
Scotia are associated entirely with the Royal House of Stuart, whose 
vicissitudes and varying fortunes have found a counterpart in their 
own, accompanied, in many instances, by circumstances of the most 
interesting and romantic description. 
In this essay, which deals with the Baronetage of Nova Scotia as 
a whole, it is impossible, consistent with brevity, to refer particularly 
to the fortunes of individual members of the Order. The writer, how- 
ever, hopes in a future paper to relate the remarkable vicissitudes un- 
dergone by Baronets of Nova Scotia; vicissitudes which have come to 
his knowledge during the examination of various records, as well as 
of old manuscripts and papers communicated to him by Members of 
the Order and others; documents not only containing information of 
great genealogical and historical value to the Baronetage generally, but 
also recording incidents calculated to have a deep personal interest 
for members of the Order individually; for, “However remote may be 
the time and through whatever chaos of mouldering records the labo- 
rious search must pierce, there is a peculiar feeling of gratification in 
poring over an old ancestral document. It seems like stepping back 
into the days of our forefathers and conversing with those who have 
slept for ages in the silent dust.” * 
The ancient Baronets of Nova Scotia were not mere idle gallants 
or Court favourites of the hour, but men of weight and standing spe- 
cially chosen as fit for enterprise which called, not only for the posses- 
sion of high courage and a spirit of adventure, but also for qualities 
of an administrative and executive character, combined with a capa- 
city to endure the unaccustomed hardships and privations necessarily 
