Power and Authority, to minister and give the Oath and Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy . . . to all . . . Persons, which shall att any Time . . . goe or pass to the said Collony in New-England. [The same officers may also administer oaths in matters touching the business and interests of the Company.] And to the End that no lewd or ill-disposed Persons, Saylors, Soldiers, Artificers, Labourers, Husbandmen, or others, which shall receive Wages, Apparel, or other Entertainment from the said Councill, or contract and agree with the said Councill to goe, and to serve, and to be imployed, in the said Plantation, in the Collony of New-England, do afterwards withdraw, hide, and conceale themselves, or refuse to go thither, after they have been so entertained and agreed withall; and that no Persons which shall be sent and imployed in the said Plantation. . ., upon the Charge of the said Councill, doe misbehave themselves by mutinous Seditions, or other notorious Misdemeanors, or which shall be imployed, or sent abroad by the Governour of New-England or his Deputy, with any Shipp or Pinnace, for Provision for the said Collony, or for some Discovery, or other Business or Affaires concerninge the same, doe from thence either treacherously come back againe, or returne into the Realme of Englande by Stealth, or without Licence of the Governour of the said Collony. . or be sent hither as Misdoers or Offendors; and that none of those Persons after theire Returne from thence, being questioned by the said Councill heere, for such their Misdemeanors and Offences, do, by insolent and contemptuous Carriage in the Presence of the said Councill shew little Respect and Reverence, either to the Place or Authority in which we have placed and appointed them and others, for the clearing of their Lewdness and Misdemeanors committed in New-England, divulge vile and scandalous Reports of the Country of New-England, or of the Government or Estate of the said Plantation and Collony, to bring the said Voyages and Plantation into Disgrace and Contempt, by Meanes whereof, not only the Adventurers and Planters already engaged in the said Plantation may be exceedingly abused and hindered, and a great Number of our loveing and well-disposed Subjects, otherways well affected and inclined to joine and adventure in so noble a Christian and worthy Action may be discouraged from the same, but also the Enterprize itself may be overthrowne, which cannot miscarry without some Dishonour to Us and our

Kingdome: [the President, or other duly authorized representative of the Company, is empowered to cause such persons to be apprehended; and, upon examination and proof before the Council, such persons shall either be bound over with sureties for their good behavior, according to the law of England, or be returned to New England to be dealt with by the Company. Any persons, whether members of the colony or acting under the authority of the Council, who shall commit any robbery or other hostile act, by sea or land, against a subject of England or of any other friendly power, shall, upon royal proclamation, make full restitution and satisfaction, under penalty of outlawry. English subjects settling in the colony, and their children there born, shall have all the rights of natural born Englishmen. None are to be permitted to go to New England except such as shall first take the oaths of supremacy, to be administered by the President of the Council.] And Wee also . . . do covenant and grant to and with the said Councill, . . . that if the Councill . . . shall at any time or times heereafter, upon any Doubt which they shall conceive concerning the Strength or Validity in Law of this our present Grant, or be desirous to have the same renewed and confirmed by Us..., with Amendment of such Imperfections and Defects as shall appeare fitt and necessary to the said Councill

to be reformed and amended on the Behalfe of Us . . ., and for the furthering of the Plantation and Government, or the Increase, continuing, and flourishing thereof, that then, upon the humble Petition of the said Councill . . ., to Us . . ., Wee . . . will forthwith make and pass under the Great Seale of England to the said Councill. such further and better Assurance, of all and singular the Lands, Grounds, Royalties, Priveliges, and Premisses aforesaid granted, or intended to be granted, according to our true Intent and Meaneing. as by the learned Councill of Us . . . and of the said Company . shall, in that Behalfe, be reasonably devised or advised. [In case of doubt, the grant to be construed in favor of the Company.] And Wee do further . . . charge and comand all and singular Admirals, Vice-Admirals, Generals, Comanders, Captaines, Justices of Peace, Majors, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Customers, Comptrollers, Waiters, Searchers, and all the Officers of Us..., in all Things aiding, helping, and assisting unto the said Councill..., ..., upon Request... by them to be made, in all Matters

and Things, for the furtherance and Accomplishment of all or any the Matters and Things by Us, in and by these our LettersPattents, given, granted, and provided, or by Us meant or intended to be given, granted, and provided, as they our said. Officers... do tender our Pleasure, and will avoid the contrary att their Perills. [Privileges formerly granted are confirmed, save as altered by the present charter.]

No. 5. Mayflower Compact

November 11/21, 1620

THE Mayflower Compact, drawn up on shipboard, was intended not only as a basis for the government of the colony in the absence of a patent, but also, according to Bradford, as an offset to the "discontented and mutinous speeches" of some of the company, to the effect that when they landed “they would use their own liberty; for none had power to command them, the patent they had being for Virginia, and not for New England, which belonged to another government, with which the Virginia Company had nothing to do." For the efforts of the colony to obtain a charter, see note to No. 11.

REFERENCES. - Text in Bradford's History of Plymouth Plantation, Mass. Hist. Coll., Fourth Series, III., 89, 90. Bradford does not give a list of signers. On the early history of the Plymouth Colony, see Mourt's Relation (Dexter's ed., 1865); Morton's New England Memorial; Young's Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers, 1602-1625; Arber's Story of the Pilgrim Fathers; Winsor's Narrative and Critical History, III., chap. 8; Doyle's Puritan Colonies, I., chap. 2. The laws of the colony, 1623-1682, are in the Plymouth Colony Records, XI.

In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwriten, the loyall subjects of our dread soveraigne Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britaine, Franc, & Ireland king, defender of the faith, &c., haveing undertaken, for the glorie of God, and advancemente of the Christian faith, and honour of our king & countrie, a voyage to plant the first colonie in the Northerne parts of Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly & mutualy in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant & combine our selves togeather into a civill body politick, for our better ordering & preservation & furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by vertue hearof to enacte, constitute, and frame such just & equall lawes, ordinances, acts, constitutions, & offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meete & convenient for the generall good of the Colonie, unto which we promise all due sub

D

mission and obedience. In witnes wherof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cap-Codd the 11. of November, in the year of the raigne of our soveraigne lord, King James, of England, France, & Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fiftie fourth. Anno: Dom. 1620.

No. 6. Ordinance for Virginia
July 24/August 3, 1621

THE first assembly in Virginia, and the first representative assembly in America, was convened July 30/Aug. 9, 1619, by Governor Yeardley, under authority of a commission executed by the Virginia Company in November, 1618; and the ordinance of 1621, probably of similar tenor, granted to the colony for the future the same form of government. The model here outlined was closely followed by the later English colonies.

REFERENCES. Text in Stith's History of Virginia (Sabin's ed., 1865), Appendix IV. The records of the assembly of 1619 are in Hening's Statutes at Large, I. The "Orders and Constitutions" of 1619-1620 are in Force's Tracts, III. See also W. W. Henry's First Legislative Assembly in America, in Report of Amer. Hist. Assoc., 1893, pp. 301-316; Brown's First Republic in America, 308-324.

An Ordinance and Constitution of the Treasurer, Council, and Company in England, for a Council of State and General Assembly.

I. To all People, to whom these Presents shall come, be seen, or heard, The Treasurer, Council, and Company of Adventurers and Planters for the city of London for the first Colony of Virginia, send Greeting. KNOW YE, that we, the said Treasurer, Council, and Company, taking into our careful Consideration the present State of the said Colony of Virginia, and intending, by the Divine Assistance, to settle such a Form of Government there, as may be to the greatest Benefit and Comfort of the People, and whereby all Injustice, Grievances, and Oppression may be prevented and kept off as much as possible from the said Colony, have thought fit to make our Entrance, by ordering and establishing such Supreme Councils, as may not only be assisting to the Governor for the time being, in the Administration of Justice, and the Executing of other Duties to this Office belonging, but also, by their vigilant Care and Prudence, may provide, as

well for a Remedy of all Inconveniences, growing from time to time, as also for the advancing of Increase, Strength, Stability, and Prosperity of the said Colony:

II. We therefore, the said Treasurer, Council, and Company, by Authority directed to us from his Majesty under the Great Seal, upon Mature Deliberation, do hereby order and declare, that, from hence forward, there shall be Two SUPREME COUNCILS in Virginia, for the better Government of the said Colony aforesaid.

III. THE one of which Councils, to be called THE COUNCIL OF STATE (and whose Office shall chiefly be assisting, with their Care, Advice, and Circumspection, to the said Governor) shall be chosen, nominated, placed, and displaced, from time to time, by Us, the said Treasurer, Council, and Company, and our Successors: Which Council of State shall consist, for the present, only of these persons, as are here inserted, viz. Sir Francis Wyat, Governor of Virginia, Captain Francis West, Sir George Yeardley, Knight, Sir William Neuce, Knight Marshal of Virginia, Mr. George Sandys, Treasurer, Mr. George Thorpe, Deputy of the College, Captain Thomas Neuce, Deputy for the Company, Mr. Pawlet, Mr. Leech, Captain Nathaniel Powel, Mr. Christopher Davison, Secretary, Dr. Pots, Physician to the Company, Mr. Roger Smith, Mr. John Berkeley, Mr. John Rolfe, Mr. Ralph Hamer, Mr. John Pountis, Mr. Michael Lapworth, Mr. Harwood, Mr. Samuel Macock. Which said Counsellors and Council we earnestly pray and desire, and in his Majesty's Name strictly charge and command, that (all Factions, Partialities, and sinister Respect laid aside (they bend their Care and Endeavours to assist the said Governor; first and principally, in the Advancement of the Honour and Service of God, and the Enlargement of his Kingdom amongst the Heathen People; and next, in erecting of the said Colony in due Obedience to his Majesty, and all lawful Authority from his Majesty's Directions; and lastly, in maintaining the said People in Justice and Christian Conversation amongst themselves, and in Strength and Ability to withstand their Enemies. And this Council, to be always, or for the most Part, residing about or near the Governor.

IV. THE other Council, more generally to be called by the Governor, once Yearly, and no oftener, but for very extraordinary and important Occasions, shall consist, for the present, of the