88 EEV. GEOEGE PATTEESON ON 



treasury of ^225,000. Aud it now occurred to Sir William that the expenses of his 

 colony might be provided for by establishing a new order — tire barouets of New Scotland, 

 — in which the Scottish land-owners and the sons of the Scottish nobility might be 

 induced to become members on terms less costly. Accordingly, on his recommendation, 

 a royal letter was issued, informing the Privy Council of Scotland that the King had 

 resolved to make the colonizition of New Scotland a work of his own, and in connection 

 therewith to establish a new order of baronets, and inviting them to assist in carrying out 

 the royal intention. 



Under the influence of Sir "William the council approved the royal order, and on the 

 23rd of November, 1624, addressed a letter to the King, in which they indicate a scheme 

 for carrying out His Majesty's intentions : " We are given to understand that the country 

 of New Scotland, being dividit into twa Provinces and eache Province into several 

 Dioceises or Bishoprikis, and each Diocese in thrie Counteyis, aud eache Countey into ten 

 Baroneyis, every baronie being three myle long vpon the coast and ten myle up into the 

 countrie, dividit into sax paroches, aud eache paroche conteniug sax thousand aikars of 

 land ; and that every Baronett is to be ane Barone of some one or other of the saidis 

 Barroneis, and is to half therein ten thousand aikars of propertie, besidis his sax thousand 

 aikars belonging to his bur' (burgh) of baronie, to be holden free blanshe, and in a free 

 baronie of His Majesty as the baronies of the kiugdome." The only conditions required 

 were " the setting furth of six men towardis His Maiestie's Eoyall Colonie, armed, 

 apparelld and victualled for two yeares, and every baronet paying Sir William ane 

 thousand markis Scottis money only toward his past charges and eudevouris." 



Accordingly, on the 30th was issued a proclamation intimating His Majesty's 

 pleasure to create one hundred baronets of the kingdom of Scotland, '• who, and their 

 airis maill, sail half plaice and precedencie nixt and immediatlie after the youngest sones 

 of the Vicountes and Lordis Barrouis of Parliament, and the addition of the word Sir to 

 be prefixed to their propper name, and the style and title of Baronett subjoined to the 

 surname of everie ane of thame, aud their airis maill, Togither with the appellation 

 of Ladie, Madame and Dame to their Wyfiis in all time coming, with precedencie befoir all 

 otheris knights als weil of the Bath as Knights Bachelouris aud Bannarettis." 



The two documents from which we have quoted were doubtless drawn up by 

 Sir William. They depict in glowing terms the importance of the undertaking, aud the 

 honours and advantages to be derived by those who should engage in it. But the parties 

 addressed were slow to respond. The payment to be made Sir William for his past 

 expenses was not encouraging, while the failure of the late expedition proved quite a 

 discouragement, and it was feared that the undertaking would collapse. This would have 

 been an overwhelming disaster to Sir William, and on the 23rd of March, 1624-5, he 

 renewed his appeal, on this occasion in the form of a royal mandate. In this document 

 he informs all candidates for baronetcies that they could negotiate with him personally ; 

 or, in his absence, with his deputy. Sir John Scott, Knight. The proposal that each 

 undertaker should pay a thousand mcrks to meet his past losses was omitted, and the sum 

 of two thousand merks, spoken of as commutation for the services of Sir William was to 

 be applied strictly to the purposes of the colony. And, for the satisfaction of the 

 applicants, it was promised that the barouets, or undertakers, might appoint certain of 

 their number to superintend the expenditure of their money. Four days after King James 

 died, and the project was again interrupted. 



