298 HISTORICAL ACCOUNT [BOOK, n, 



5t-h. The method which has been afways used, both in this island and 

 all other colonies, in the making of laws, was a greater security to his 

 majesty's prerogative than the present form; for a governor durst not 

 consent to any thing against his interest; and if he did, the signification 

 of the king's pleasure determined the laws, so that his majesty had there- 

 by a double negative. 



Thus sir, we have truly laid before your excellency our real sense; and 

 do hope that your excellency, being thoroughly satisfied of the mischiefs 

 \vhich will certainly arise to this place fom the reasons we have given, will 

 in that manner represent our condition to his majesty, that he may be 

 thereby induced to give an instruction to your excellency to pass such 

 laws as are municipal and fit for us, and in the same manner which has 

 ever been practised in this island and other his majesty's colonies ; we 

 having no other claim in it than to express our duty to the king, and our 

 unfeigned service and gratitude to your excellency 7 for mediating that 

 which is so much for his majesty's and the island's interest. 



And we do here likewise present unto your excellency a bill for the rai- 

 sing a public impost unto his majesty, his heirs and successors, for the 

 support of this his government ; and do hereby beg your excellency to ac- 

 cept of it as a real demonstration of our loyalty to our prince and ser- 

 vice to your excellency, with assurance that we shall, upon all occasions, 

 be ready to express such further testimonies of the same as may be suit- 

 able to our duty and allegiance. 



No. XI. 



At tbe Court at Whitehall, $th of April, 1679.. 

 PRESENT, the King's Most Excellent Majesty in Council. 



Whereas the right honourable the lords of the committee for Trade and 

 Plantations did this day make Report unto his Majesty in Council. 



That having, in pursuance of his majesty's order, considered the pre 

 sent state and constitution of Jamaica, and the government thereof, as it 

 is settled by his majesty's command, their lordships see no reasons why 

 any alterations should be made in the method of making laws according 

 to the usage of Ireland, for which their lordships are preparing reasons to 

 evince the necessity and legality of the same. And that whereas a ship is 

 ,%w lying in the Dovrns 3 bound for that island, their lordships advise^. 





