APPENDIX.] OF JAMAICA. 311 



But, lest our silence should argue our guilt, \ve shall in all humility, 

 endeavour to make appear we have always demeaned ourselves as bt.x:o- 

 meth good and obedient subjects, and those who acknowledge and arc- 

 truly sensible of the many favours received from his majesty j the truth 

 of which resting only on matter of fact being related, and the false co- 

 lours which hitherto have been thrown on- tis being washed off, we shall 

 not doubt but his majesty will soon entertain a belter opinion of his sub- 

 jects of this island. 



We must therefore, humbly beg that his majesfy will with patience be 

 pleased to hear the account of our proceedings ; which truly to manifest 

 w must be forced ;o look back so far as Sir Charles Lyttleton's and Sir 

 Thomas Modyford's entra'nce upon their government : 



At which time, we humbly conceive, the island began really to take 

 up the form of a civil government, and wholly to lay aside that of 

 an army, which, until that time, was deemed the supreme authority; 

 when after, upon their several arrivals, by order from his majesty, and 

 according to the method of his majesty's most ancient plantations, they 

 called assemblies, and settled the government of the island in such good 

 form, tint, until his excellent- y the earl of Carlisle's first arrival, his 

 majesty thought not fit to alter it, though several governors in that time 

 were changed, which must necessarily infer the goodness and reason cf it, 

 as well as the satisfaction of the people, (since, from that time, they be- 

 took themselves to settle plantations), especially the merchants, by which 

 means the estates here are wonderfully increased, as is evident by the great 

 number of ships loaden here by the industry of the planter j and the sa- 

 tisfaction they received by those wholesome laws then began, and until 

 that time continued the change of which laws we had no reason to expect, 

 being done on such mature deliberation from home. 



But to return to answer: the first thing their lordships are pleased to 

 accuse us of is, presuming to question his majesty's power over the mili- 

 tia ; which, how much they are misinformed in it, will hereunder appear : 

 but we must first repeat the clause against which, we humbly conceive, 

 we had just reasons to. take exceptions, which clause is as followeth : 



e< Provided always, and it is hereby further enacted and declared by 

 " the authorky aforesaid, that nothing in this act contained be expounded, 

 ft construed, or understood, to dlmish, alter, or abridge, tke power of 

 " the governor or commander in chief for the time being ; but that in all 

 " things he may, upon all occasions or exigencies, act as captam-gencral 

 " and governor in chief, according to auti in pursuance of r<l! the posv- 



