And you are also with the assistence of the Council and Assembly to find out the best means to facilitate and encourage the conversion of Negroes and Indians to the Christian Religion ; more especially you are to use your endeavours with the Assembly that they make provision for the maintenance of some Ministers to inhabit amongst the five Nations of Indians in order to instruct them, and also to prevent their being Seduced from their Allegiance to us, by French i)riests and Jesuits.

In the instance not only of Cornbury but of each (lOvernor, it must be remend)ered that these " Instructions " were, not merely directions to him personally, but were the binding constitutions of the Province in all things civil, military, and ecclesiastical, during each Governor's period of office. They were the law of the land both for the (Jovernor and the jieople, which was to be obeyed by both. They were laid down, and set forth, by each Sovereign, in his Kingly capacity, under the law of England for the government of his or her Province of New York. This fact has not been considered by American historians, or by English ones either, in treating of the civil and religious,-- especially the religious -- aspects and conditions of the Royal Provinces in America in general, and of New York in particular.

What then was the Kingly authority in these respects? Whence came the monarch's legal right to govern his Royal Provinces by " Instructions " to his representatives the Governors? AVhat were the powers then vested in the Crown by the laws of England ?