The  governor  knew,  that  the  signification  of  his
majesty's  pleasure,  by  his  secretary  of  state,  was,
in  this  case,  as  obligatory  as  if  it  had  been  under
his  sign  manual

And,  for  the  execution  of  his  order,  it  could  not
have  beeti  in  a  way  more  indulgent.  His  friends
thought  exception  would  be  taken  in  England  to
his  delay.  He  waited  eight  or  nine  days  for  an
answer,  which  he  might  have  expected  m  two  or
three.  That  the  people  might  suffer  as  little  as
possible,  he  informed  the  house  that  he  should  not
think  himself  at  liberty  to  call  another  assembly

without


MASSACHUSETTS   BAY.  ^99

without  leave  from  the  king,  and,  therefore,  recom*  1768
mended  to  them  to  complete  such  business  as  was
then  in  their  power.
-  The  clamour  against  him  was  as  great,  notwith-
standing, as  if  all  had  been  owing  to  him  alone.
r  The  governor  was  required  by  the  king  to  afford
the  commissioners  of  the  customs  every  protection
in  his  power.  He  was  censured,  however,  by  the
people,  for  receiving  them  and  their  families  into
the  castle,  and  for  allowing  them  the  use  of  his
own  and  the  lieutenant-governor's  apartments  there.
