292 HISTORICAL ACCOUNT [BOOK n. 



Popular discourses here as well as in England; and I find a few men's 

 notions have taken such place with the leading men of the assembly, that 

 they rather set themselves to frame arguments against the present consti- 

 tution, than to accommodate things under it. I cannot yet tell you what 

 course I shall take to remove this difficulty j but I will do the best I can. 

 I find one of the council more faulty in this than any man in the island, 

 but am unwilling to name him till I have tried the utmost to reclaim him. 



Whilst we are here busy about small matters, I doubt your hands are 

 full of greater, and may therefore forget us.' We hear the French and 

 Dutch are agreed. 



I am, Sir, 



Your most humble servant, 



CARLISLE. 



NUMBER VII. 



Extract of a Letter from the Earl of Carlisle to the Committee, 



1678. 



MY LORDS, 



I have met with the difficulties here I foresaw, but could neither avoid 



nor prevent, in England. The general assembly meeting on the ad of 



September last, I recommended and sent to them the several bills I brought 



over under the great seal of England, for their consent to be enacted j 



but being much dissatisfied at the new frame of government, and their 



losing their deliberative part of power in altering and amending laws, 



they would not pass any one of them, but threw them all out j but prepared 



an address, with a bill of impost upon wines and other strong liquors for 



one year, without giving me notice thereof, in such terms and form as 



was not fit for me to pass it : but afterwards changing the style of enact- 



ing, as directed in my instructions, with some other amendments to this 



bill, the public necessities of the island, having contracted many debts 



from new fortifications and salaries already due, requiring it, I gave the 



royal assent; and then, on the tath this instant October, I dissolved 



them. My earnest suit to all your lordships is, that you'll please to 



have me in your thoughts, and the present state of this colony under your 



lordship's consideration, for some expedient which may be elucidatory to 



the power given me by my commission and instructions, which may quiet 



the minds of persons generally dissatisfied in this island, which is most 



