The Anglican Parish of St Andrew

Letters Patent

His late Majesty King George the Third by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain bearing date the Twenty Eighth day of June in the Thirty Third year of his reign, did Erect, found, ordain, make and Constitute the Povinces of Lower Canada and Upper Canada and their dependencies to be a Bishops See to be called from thenceforth the Bishopric of Quebec and whereas the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England being professed and observed by a very considerable part of our Loving Subjects resident at the Seigniory of Argenteuil in the County of York in the District of Montreal in our said Province of Lower Canada. We have judged it to be Expedient to Constitute and Erect a parsonage or Rectory within the said Seigneury of Argenteuil according to the Establishment of the Church of England.

Now therefore Know Ye that We have ordained, made, Constituted and declared, and by these our Letters Patent do Ordain, make, Constitute and Declare all that precinct included within the Bounds and Limits of the said Seigniory of Argenteuil to be and the same shall be from henceforth forever an Ecclesiastical Division and Parish of the aforesaid Bishopric of Quebec and be called by the name of the Parish of Saint Andrew.

And within the said Parish We have constituted and Erected and by these our Letters Patent do Constitute and Erect one Parsonage or Rectory according to the Establishment of the Church of England to be called from henceforth, the parsonage or Rectory of the Parish Church of Saint Andrew.

And We Do hereby ordain, make, constitute and declare the Precinct contained within the Limits and Bounds of the said Seigneurie of Argenteuil to be the precinct of the said Parsonage or Rectory of the Parish Church of Saint Andrew.

And having great confidence in the learning, piety, moral probity and prudence of Joseph Abbott Clerk, a Minister of the Church of England duly ordained, according to the Rites of the said Church, We have nominated, presented and Collated and by these our Letters Patent do nominate, present and Collate, the said Joseph Abbott to the said Parsonage or Rectory and Parish Church of Saint Andrew to be the Incumbent thereof and to have hold and Enjoy the same, and all rights, Profits and Emoluments thereunto belonging or Granted as fully and amply and in the same Manner and on the same Terms and Conditions and liable to the same performance of the same Duties, as the Incumbent of a Parsonage or Rectory in that part of our Dominion called England, and to the End that all the Matters and things aforesaid may have their due Effect, We by these our Letters Patents do Signify unto the Right Reverend Father in God, Jacob Lord Bishop of Quebec that We in manner aforesaid have ordained, made, constituted and Declared the aforesaid Parish of Saint Andrew to be an Ecclesiastical Division and Parish of the aforesaid Bishopric of Quebec, have Erected and Constituted within the said Parish the aforesaid Parsonage or Rectory and do present unto him the said Lord Bishop of Quebec the said Joseph Abbott, requiring and by the faith and Love by which he is bound to us, commanding him to admit the said Joseph Abbott to the said Parsonage or Rectory and Parish Church of Saint Andrew and to Cause him to be instituted and inducted unto the same with all its rights, members and appurtenances and to do and Execute all other things in this behalf which shall belong to his Episcopal offce.

And We do hereby Will and Grant that the Rector of the said Parsonage or Rectory and Parish Church of Saint Andrew and his Successors, Rectors of the said Parsonage or Rectory and Parish Church be and shall continue a Body Corporate with perpetual Succession by the name of the Rector of the Parsonage or Rectory and Parish Church of Saint Andrew.

And We do further Will and Grant that he and his Successors by the name aforesaid shall be able and capable in the Law and have full power to purchase, have, take hold and Enjoy such Messuages, Lands, Rents, tenements, Annuities, hereditaments, heritages, and real Estates of what Nature and kind soever, in fee and in perpetuity, or for term of life or Years, or by grant or Licence under the Great Seal of our said Province he or they shall at any time be authorized to take hold and enjoy, and also all manner of Goods, Chattels, and things personal whatsoever of what nature, or value soever, and also to determine any of the said Messuages, Lands, Tenements, hereditaments, heritages and real Estates whereof or wherein he or they shall have any Estate or interest as aforesaid in such manner, as by Licence under the Great Seal of our said Province he or they shall at any time be authorized for that purpose and that he and his successors by and under the same name, may prosecute, claim, plead and be Impleaded, defend and be Defended, Answer and be answered in all manner of Courts of Us our Heirs and Successors and elsewhere in and uopn all and singular Causes, suits, Writs and demands real, personal and Mixed and in all other things, causes and matters, whatsoever.

And moreover We will and ordain by these presents that the said Joseph Abbott rector of the said Parsonage or Rectory and Parish Church of Saint Andrew and his Successors Rectors of the said Parsonage or Rectory and Parish Church, shall be subject to the authority and Jurisdiction of the Right Reverend Father in God Jacob Lord Bishop of Quebec and his Successors, Bishop of the Bishopric of Quebec in the same manner as any Rector of any parsonage or Rectory or Parish Church within that part of Great Britain called England is under the authority and Jurisdiction of the Bishop of the Diocese within which such Parsonage or Rectory or Parish Church is situated.

And Know Ye further that We have allotted and appropriated, ordained, made, constituted and appointed and declared, and by these Our Letters Patent do allott and appropriate, ordain, make, Constitute, appoint and Declare the Church Erected on Lot Number fifteen situate on the East side of the North River below the Village of Saint Andrew in the said Seigniory to be the Parochial or Parish Church of the said Parish of Saint Andrew and the said Parsonage or Rectory of the said Parish of Saint Andrews with the said Church have and by these our Letters Patent do Endow and the Freehold and Inheritance of the said Church and of all the Appurtenances thereunto belonging have and by these our Letters Patent do grant and Vest for ever to and in the said Joseph Abbott rector of the said Parsonage or Rectory and Parish Church of Saint Andrew and his Successors, rectors of the said Parsonage or Rectory and Parish Church and the same is hereby declared to be for ever Dedicated to the service of God to be therein more especially applied to the use and behoof of our Loving Subjects, professing the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England, now Inhabiting and from time to time hereafter to Inhabit the said Parish Church of Saint Andrew.

In Testimony Whereof We have caused these our Letters to be made patent and the Great Seal of our said Province of Lower Canada to be hereunto affixed. Witness our Trusty and Well Beloved George Earl of Dalhousie, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath, Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over our said Province of Lower Canada, Vice Admiral of the same, &c, &c, &c, at our Castle of Saint Lewis, in our City of Quebec in our said Province, the Tenth Day of May in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and Twenty two, and in the Third Year of our reign.

The letters are signed by Lord Dalhousie and by I. Ready, Acting Provincial Secretary.

* Note: His Majesty's Trusty and Well Beloved servant, George Earl of Dalhousie, notwithstanding his Trustiness, erred in describing the Glebe as the Church. The Glebe and original rectory (or Parsonage) was in Lot 15 below the village on the East side of the North River. The church was and is within the village on the West side of the North River. (back)