[MACKENZIE] THE BARONETS OF NOVA SCOTIA 103 
be made to them, to constitute their respective qualifications and to en- 
able them to further out the intention of colonizing the plantation and 
of sustaining their title and dignity” * was dated 12th of July, 1625. 
“ But though the inducement to the establishing the order was obviously 
to benefit the then infant colony it was not stated what quantity or pro- 
portion of land should constitute or form the qualification, this omission 
was therefore supplied seven days after the date of the charter by the 
letter of his majesty king Charles to the privy council of Scotland, dated 
July 19 1625.”* His Majesty in this Letter stated that “ We being will- 
ing to accomplishe that whiche wes begun by our said deare father haif 
preferred some to be Knight Baronetis and haif grantit unto thame Sig- 
natouris of the said honour Togither with thrie mylis in breadth and 
sex in lenth of landis within Neu Scotland for their several propor- 
tionis.” Each of these grants of land was erected into a Free Barony 
and Regality of the Crown, with plenary baronial rights and jurisdictions, 
“and infeftment was ordered by the charter to be taken on the Castle 
Hill of Edinburgh,” ® by reason that the Royal Province of Nova Scotia 
was held of the Kingdom of Scotland and formed part of the County of 
Edinburgh.* 
The Precept for a Charter to each Baronet of Nova Scotia was 
granted in the name of Sir William Alexander, His Majesty s Lieu- 
tenant, who in each instance surrendered to the Crown a portion of his 
Lordship of Nova Scotia which then became attached to the Baronetcy 
with all privileges of Regality therein which Sir Wm. himself enjoyed 
as Lord Paramount of the Royal Province, 
The description of the grant made to Sir James Sibbald, Baronet 
of Nova Scotia, creation 1630, defines the extent of land comprising a 
Barony in the Royal Province : 
“ All and whole that part and portion of the country and Lordship 
of Nova Scotia in America beginning at the north part of the lands, 
barony, and regality of Arnot, lying in Anticosti, belonging heritably to 
Sir Michael Arnot of that Ilk, knight-baronet, and from thence extend- 
ing south the space of three miles northward by the sea-shore, and from 
thence proceeding eastward for the space of six miles, keeping altogether 
the space of three miles in breadth always, and until it extends to the 
number of sixteen thousand acres of land, with castles, towers, fortalices, 
etc., with all rights, privileges, etc. united and annexed into one free 
and entire barony and regality to be called in all time to come the barony 
and regality of Rankeillor Sibbald.” 
The powers vested in a Baronet of Nova Scotia were very consider- 
able. As a feudal Baron upon his own lands, he held high and even 
* Vide Sir R. Broun, Bart. 
Scotland and Nova Scotia. 

N.S., Case of the Honourable Baronets of 
