These people the petitioners are but the Tools of this Machiavil 'tis he that is their only support, he presides in all their Councils, Appears publickly for them, at almost all Coiu'ts to Abett tlieir Actions ; 'tis he that occasioned and perswaded M^' David Wriglit late a Justice of peace here (but Justly Displaced by your Excellency for this very reason) to take upon Mm to Judge of a Warrant Given by Eight of us for raiseing the Minister's Salary, and to adjudge it void ; and tliat the people ought not at all to regard the same. 'Twas before this Justice Wright and in the presence of above an hundred people of the parish of Jamaica, that this fomenter of Differences Averred, that the Act for the Explaining of the Act for the Ministry, was no Act of Assembly, or of any manner offeree in this province ; for that it was never past into an Act, nor was ever published, neither to be found in the Secretary's Office, and though an Exemplification of tlie Act was tlien produced in parchment under the Broad Seal of the province ; his Accomplices M^ John Coe (one of the petitioners) av^erred (we believe very untruly) That the Deputy Secretary had told him tliat he never gave any Exemplication tliereof. And not to trespass to much upon your Excellency's patience, We Immbly

302 PAPERS RELATING TO CHURCHES IN QUEENS COUNTY.

pray Leave to say That we have very gi-eat reason to believe, it was Chiefly by this Gentleman M'' M^Nish his practices, that was the Occasion of the Late Riot Committed here, a Riot so very flagitious that nearly Border'd upon RebelUon ; for it appears by a Deposition relating to that matter, that he Diswaded some persons from Assisting the Officers to quell that Riot ; And lie liimself has Confessed before us, that he had been present at near twenty private Meetings with the people (those of his own Congregacon we supose) and had always perswaded them not to pay the Minister's Rate, wliich has been order'd to be Levyed. by Warrant under the hands and Seals of 8 Justices of the peace j and though indeed he ^vould soften tlie matter by saying at the same time (when the people talkt of resistance) That he would not have tliem to use force, for that a good Cause might be lost by bad management.