For this they appeared very thankful and when I thought they were retiring, Cole requested that the Council would add one good Deed to another and let them have these Lands without paying any Fees of office I took upon me to assure them both in the presence of the Board, that their request should be granted and their Patents made out to them without paying any Fees; This seemed to have such an effect on them that not satisfied with making their acknowledgments to me at that time they wanted in the Hall till the Council broke up, and afterwards came into my Parlour to thank me again for what I had done, declaring they should ever retain the most gratefull remembrance for two pael acts of favor conferred on them that morning.

This is a bare relation of the whole Transaction, and the grateful remembrance they retain of it has, it seems, been productive of nothing but a chain of Falsities invented to serve private-purposes by endeavoring to blacken my Character as well as those of others; This was all that passed, and I am ready to attest upon Oath the truth of what I have here asserted, and hope your Lordship will give me leave to assure you that

600 CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE

so far from ever having made a demand for fees of any kind either from Robinson or any Person living, that it has always been my Maxim not only in this Province but whilst I had the honor of commanding in Jamaica, on any Fees being due to me by those who I apprehended would be distressed in paying them, to enquire into their circumstances & have thought myself happy in having an opportunity of remitting them. I have signed but six Patent since I came into the Province for which I have received Fees and five are now preparing on which I have the same Rights, but have promised to give them up for the reasons I have just mentioned; I do not speak of this from ostentation, for I think that no Parade should be made of acts of this kind, as the satisfaction they give is a sufficient reward in itself and am only concerned that this Relation should be extorted from me in this manner which nothing but the defence of my own Reputation, and the hopes of making it appear how little I deserve the Character the Petitioners are pleased to draw of me, could have effected.