166 ROYAL SUCIETY OF CANADA 
This great grant was not only of vast importance to the subse- 
quent history of this region, but it is also remarkable as being, in the 
words of Alexander himself, “the first national patent that ever was 
cleerly bounded within America by particular limits vpon the earth.” 
(Encouragement to Colonies, in Slafter’s “Alexander,” 197). From 
our present point of view, two important facts about it at once arrest 
attention. First, it establishes as the western boundary line of Nova 
Scotia, the St. Croix River and a north line from its source, the very 
line which to-day in large part separates New Brunswick from Maine, 
and the eastern part of British America from the eastern part of the 
United States. Here we have the first appearance in history of New 
Brunswick’s most important boundary line, for the present boundary is 
not a coincidence with the old Nova Scotia line, but a lineal descendant 
of it. Second, most of the Nova Scotia here granted falls within the 
grant of the preceding year to the Council for New England. We know, 
however, that the King required the latter Company to give up a part 
of its grant in favour of his favourite Alexander before his charter to 
the latter was issued. ‘The circumstances are thus referred to in the 
“ Briefe Relation ” of 1622 :— 
: the present hopefull plantation to bee made in Noua Scotia, which 
we heare his Maiestie hath lately granted to Sir William Alexander Knight, 
one of his Maiestie’s most honourable Councell of the Kingdome of Scotland, 
to bee held of the said Crowne, and that not without some of our priuities, 
as by approbation vnder writing may and doth appeare. Whereby it is 
manifest that wee are so farre from making a Monopoly of all these lands 
belonging to that coast (as hath beene scandalously by some objected). That 
we wish that many would vndertake the like. 
(Baxter's “ Sir Ferdinando Gorges,” I., 208) 
Slafter considers, and no doubt correctly (“Sir William Alexan- 
der,” 20) that there is here a reference to a willing formal transfer in 
writing (the document now unknown) of a part of their grant to Sir 
William Alexander. This is confirmed by Alexander’s own reference 
to the subject in his “ Encouragement to Colonies,” where he says :— 
ae Sir Ferdinando Gorge, and some others of the vndertakers for 
New England . . . . wisely considering that either Virginia, or New England, 
hath more bounds than all his Maiesties subjects are able to plant, and that 
this purpose of mine, by breeding a vertuous emulation amongst vs, would 
tend much to the advancement of so braue a work, did yeeld to my desire, 
designing the bounds for mee in that part, which had beene questioned by the 
French and leauing the limits thereof to be appointed by his Maiesties pleasure, 
which are expressed in the patét granted vnto me. : 
(Slafter’s “ Sir William Alexander,” 196.) 
