During the few weeks when illness confined him to his bed, Laval had leisure to reflect on the difficulties of his task.  He understood that his age and the infirmities which the Lord laid upon him would no longer permit him to bring to so arduous a work the necessary energy.  “His humility,” says Sister Juchereau, “persuaded him that another in his place would do more good than he, although he really did a great deal, because he sought only the glory of God and the welfare of his flock.”  In consequence, he decided to go and carry in person his resignation to the king.  But before embarking for France, with his accustomed prudence he set his affairs in order.  He had one plan, especially, at heart, that of establishing according to the rules of the Church the chapter which had already existed de facto for a long while.  Canons are necessary to a bishopric; their duties are not merely decorative, for they assist the bishop in his episcopal office, form his natural council, replace him on certain occasions, govern the diocese from the death of its head until the deceased is replaced, and finally officiate in turn before the altars of the cathedral in order that prayer shall incessantly ascend from the diocese towards the Most High.  The only obstacle to this creation until now had been the lack of resources, for the canonical union with the abbeys of Maubec and Lestrees was not yet an accomplished fact.  Mgr. de Laval resolved to appeal to the unselfishness of the priests of the seminary, and he succeeded:  they consented to fulfil without extra salary the duties of canons.

By an ordinance of November 6th, 1684, the Bishop of Quebec established a chapter composed of twelve canons and four chaplains.  The former, among whom were five priests born in the colony, were M. Henri de Bernieres, priest of Quebec, who remained dean until his death in 1700; MM.  Louis Ange de Maizerets, archdeacon, Charles Glandelet, theologist, Dudouyt, grand cantor, and Jean Gauthier de Brulon, confessor.  The ceremony of installation took place with the greatest pomp, amid the boom of artillery and the joyful sound of bells and music; governor, intendant, councillors, officers and soldiers, inhabitants of the city and the environments, everybody wished to be present.  It remained to give a constitution to the new chapter.  Mgr. de Laval had already busied himself with this for several months, and corresponded on this subject with M. Cheron, a clever lawyer of Paris.  Accordingly, the constitution which he submitted for the infant chapter on the very morrow of the ceremony was admired unreservedly and adopted without discussion.  Twenty-four hours afterwards he set sail accompanied by the good wishes of his priests, who, with anxious heart and tears in their eyes, followed him with straining gaze until the vessel disappeared below the horizon.  Before his departure, he had, like a father who in his last hour divides his goods among his children, given his seminary a new proof of his attachment:  he left it a sum of eight thousand francs for the building of the chapel.