And we are further of Opinion, that no
Power on Earth can justly give either temporal or
spiritual Jurisdiction within this Province, except
the Great & General Court. We think there-
fore tht every design for establishing the Juris-
diction of a Bishop in this Province, is a design
both against our civil and religious Rights:
And we are well informed, that the more can-
did & judicious of our Brethren of the Church
of England in this and the other Colonies, both
Clergy and Laity, conceive of the establishing
an American Episcopate both unnecessary and
unreasonable.
12thly. Another Grievance under which
we labour is, The frequent Alteration of the
Bounds of the Colonies by Decisions before
the King and Council, explanatory of former
Grants and Charters. This not only subjects
Men to live under a Constitution to which they
have not consented, which in itself is a great
Grievance; but moreoever under Color, that the
Right of Soil is affected by such Declara-
tions, some Governors, or Ministers, or both in
Conjunction, have pretended to grant in Con-
sequence of a Mandamus many Thousands of
Acres of vacant and appropriated Lands near a
Centry past, and rendered valuable by the
Labors of the present Cultivators and their
Ancestors. There are very notable In-
stances of Settlers, who having first purchased