 In the King's "Letter of Instructions" to Governor Bernard, the name of John Reading appears at the head of the council.Reading was still determined to retire from public life.On 28 July 1758, he waited upon Governor Bernard at Burlington, and informed him that "his great age and infirmities rendered him uncapable to perform the duty of one of his Majesty's Council and desired that his Excellency would be pleased to accept of his resignation and dismiss him from his Majesty's service."