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and duty to his governor, which, with our daily prayers for the profper ous and long continuance of your grace's government over us in this fland, concludes the fignal teftimony of our thoughts and intentions, and is subscribed by

Your grace's

Moft obedient and humble fervants,

THOMAS CHURCHILL, Chief paftor of his majesty's catholic
Jubjects of this ifland.

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THAT you confirm the choice of the affembly in their fpeaker, I conclude the reafon is, becaufe your grace is willing to acquiefce in their opinion, rather than question their judgment. I fhould have hardly prefumed to speak to your grace in this capacity, which I efteem as the greatest honour of my life, could I have convinced myself whether filence or an ill speech had been the more pardonable crime; for, in this cafe, my lord, it is not enough to lay, in magnis voluife fit eft..

My Lord,

Amongst the multitude of favours conferred on us by his moft facred majefty, whofe goodness, like the fun, extends to the utmoft corners of his dominions, this laft hath tranfcended them all, in permitting your grace to condefcend to accept of this government, who could have no other inducement but what the famous Roman faith, that a great fortune can have nothing greater, nor a good nature nothing better, in itself, than to do good in abundance; and that no way can be better done than by establishing wholefome laws on a firm foundation; for those extend to our pofterity, and your grace remembers, that your glorious predeceffors are no lefs renowned for being good legiflators than great warriors, for both which your grace is eminent at home and in foreign

nations.

I fhould never forgive myself, fhould I omit to mention that great example of conjugal affection, your most noble confort, who, contemning the danger of the seas and the alteration of climates to accompany your grace, hath made it evident that God hath endued her with a foul equal

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to that of illuftrious birth and hufband. It is an honour done by you both to us which the opulent kingdoms of Mexico and Peru could never arrive at, and even Columbus his ghost would be appeafed for all the injuries he endured here from the feverity of the Spaniards, could it but know that his own beloved foil was hallowed by fuch footsteps: but this, my lord, is too fublime a theme for me to expatiate on.

I fhall not longer detain your grace, but hope you believe our hearts are full of loyalty to his majefty, duty to your grace, and ftudious for the welfare of this island.

I do therefore, in the name of thefe gentlemen, humbly beg the prefervation of their privileges, freedom of debate, and acceffion to your perfon, as your more arduous affairs will admit; and in particular, my lord, your pardon of the errors of me their speaker, who wholly fubmits himself to your grace's clemency.

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KING WILLIAM'S INSTRUCTIONS TO THE

EARL OF INCHIQUIN.

WILLIAM REX,

Inftructions for our right trufty and right well-beloved coufin, William, earl of Inchiquin, our lieutenant and governor-general in and over our island of Jamaica, and other the territories depending thercon in America: Given at our court at Whitehall, the 5th day of December, 1689, in the first year of our reign.

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ITH thefe our inftructions you' receive our commiffion, under our great feal of England, conftituting you our lieutenant and governor-general in and over our inland of Jamaica, and other our territories depending thereon in America; whereupon you are to fit yourself with all convenient speed, to repair to our faid ifland; and, being arrived there, you are to take upon you the place and truft we have reposed in you, and forthwith to call together the members of our council in that ifland, viz.-Sir Francis Watfon, knight, Thomas Freeman, Thomas Ballard, Thomas Fuller, William Ivy, John White, James Walker, John Burdem, George Needham, Peter Beckford, Peter Heywood, Thomas Ryves, efqrs.

And you are, with due and ufual folemnity, to caufe our faid commiffion, under our great feal of England, conftituting you our lieutenant and governor-general as aforefaid, to be read and publifhed at the faid meeting; which being done, you are to administer unto each of the members of our faid council, as well the oaths appointed by act of parliament to be taken, inftead of the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy, and the teft, as an oath for the due execution of their places of trust; and alfo, as foon as conveniently may be after your arrival, you are to caufe proclamation to be made in the feveral parts of our faid ifland of your being commiffionated by us our lieutenant and governor-general as aforefaid.

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You are to communicate, from time to time, fuch and fo many of our inftructions to our faid council, wherein their advice and confent is mentioned to be requifite, as likewife all fuch others as at any time you fhall find convenient for our fervice to be imparted unto them. Our will and pleasure is, that the members of our faid council fhall and may have and enjoy freedom of debate and vote in all affairs of public concern; and, that we be always informed of the names of the perfons fit to fupply the vacancies that shall happen in our faid council, you are to tranfmit unto us, and to the lords of our committee of trade and foreign plantations, the names and characters of twelve perfons inhabitants of our faid ifland, whom you fhall efteem the best qualified for that trust; and fo, from time to time, when any of them fhall depart out of our faid ifland or become otherwife unfit, you are to fupply the firft number of twelve perfons by nominating others to us in their ftead; and, in the choice of members of our faid council, as alfo of the chief officers, judges, affiftants, and juftices, you are always to take care that they be men of good life and well affected to the government, of good eftates and abilities, and not neceffitous people and much in debt; and you are not to augment nor diminish the number of our faid council, as it is hereby established, nor to fufpend any of the prefent members thereof without good and fufficient caufe; and, in cafe of fufpenfion of any of them, you are forthwith to tranfmit unto us, and to our committee for trade and plantations, the reafons for your fo doing, together with the charges and proofs against the faid perfons, and their answers thereunto; and you are to fignify our pleasure to our faid council, that if any of them fhall hereafter abfent themselves without leave from you, or from the commander-in-chief for the time being, firft obtained, or remain abfent for the fpace of two years, or the greater part of them, without leave given under our royal fignature, their place or places in our faid council fhall immediately thereupon become void, and that we will forthwith take care that others be appointed in their stead; and are, from time to time, to fend us, and our faid committee of trade and plantations, the names and qualities of any members by you put into the faid council, by the first conveniency after your fo doing.

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You are to observe, in paffing of laws, that the title of enacting the fame by the governor, council, and affembly, be henceforth ufed, and no other.

And our will and pleasure is, that you transmit authentic copies, unEe 2

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