finding themfelves without the bounds of the Maffachusetts charter, formed a government of their own, in imitation of that which they had feen obferved in the colony they had left. They afterwards received an ample charter from the King of England, and became a flourishing colony. But what extended this colony more, and made it more confiderable was, Meffrs Davenport and Eaton, two of the first fettlers in Maffachusetts bay, defired their friends that were now gone to Connecticut, to purchafe for then, derfey, John Ven, Matthew Craddock, George Harwood, Increafe Nowell, Richard Perry, Kichard Bellingham, Nathaniel Wright, Samuel Vaffal, Theophilus Eaton, Thomas Goffe, Thomas Adams, John Browne, Samuel Browne, Thomas Hutchins, William Vaf fall, William Pinchon, and George Foxcroft, to be fpeedily fett upon, cannot but chiefly depend, next under the bleling of Almighty God, and the fupport of our royal authority, upon the good government of the fame, to the end that the affairs and bufinefs which from time to time fhall happen and arife concerning the faid lands and the plantation of the fame, may be the better managed and ordered. We have further hereby of our especiall grace, certain knowledge and meere. motion, given, granted and confirmed, and for us, our heires and fucceffours, do give, grant and confirme unto our faid truftie and well-beloved fubjects Sir Henry Rofewell, Sir John Younge, Sir Richard Saltonftall, Thomas South, cott, John Humfrey, John Eude cott, Symon, Whetcombe, Ifaac Johnfon, Samuel Alderfey, John Ven, Matthew Craddock, George Harwood, Increafe Nowell, Richard Perry, Richard Belli gham,' Nathaniell Wright, Samuel Vaifal, Theophilus Eaton, Thomas Goffe, of Thomas Adams, John Browne, Sa muel Drowne, Thomas Hutchins, William Vaffall, William Pinchon, and George Foxcroft, and for us, our heires and fucceffours, wee will and ordaine, That the faid Sir Henry Rofewell, Sir John Younge, Sir Richard Saltonftall, Thomas Southcott, John Humtrey John Endecott, Symon Whetcombe, Ifaac Johnfon, Samuel Alderley, John Ven, Matthew Craddock, George Harwood, Increase Nowell, Richard Perry, Richard Bellingham, Nathaniel Wright, Samuel Vafall, Theophilus Eaton, Thomas Goffe, Thomas Adams, John Browne, Samuel Browne, Thomas Hutchins, William Vaffall. William Pinchon, and George Foxcroft, and all fuch others as fhall hereafter be admitted and made free of the companie and fociety hereafter mentioned fhall from time to time and at all times forever hereafter be by virtue of thefe pretents one body corporate politique in fact and name, by the name of the Governor and Companie of the Maffachusetts Bay in NewEngland: "And them by the name of the Governor and Companie of the Massachusetts Bay in New-England, one body politique and corporate in deed, fact, and name, wee doe, for us, our heirs, and fucceffours, make, ordaine, conftitute, and con firme of the native proprietors, all the lands that lay between them and Hudfon's river. This accordingly done, and the purchasers in the year 1637 removed thither, and planted a beautiful colony, in a pleafant bay along the fea coaft, where they built the towns of New Haven, Guildford, Milford, Stampford, and BrainSoon after the colony of Long Island was fettled, an Island of 18 miles in breadth, and 120 miles in length. This is a very pleafant Ifsland, stretching itfelf along Fairfield county, in New-England, near the mouth tree. firme by these prefents; and that by that name they hall have perpetuall fucceffion; and that by the fame name they and their fuc ceffors fhall and may be capable and enabled, as well to impleade and to be impleaded, and to profecute, demand, and anfwer, and be answered unco, in all and fingular fuits, caufes, quarrells, and actions of what kind and nature foever; and alfo to have, take, poffeffe, acquire, and purchase any lands, tenements, or hereditaments, or any goods or chattels, the fame to leafe, grant, demife, alien, bargain, fell, and difpofe of, as other our l'ege people of this our realime of England, or any other corporation or body politique of the fame, may lawfully doe. And further that the faid Governor and Companie and their fucceffors may have forever one common feale to be used in all caufes and occafions of the faid Companie, and the fame feale may alter, change, break and new make from time to time at their pleasures. And our will and pleafure is, and we do hereby, for us, our heirs, and fucceffors, ordaine and grant, that from henceforth for ever there fhall be one Governor, one deputy Governor, and eighteen Afliftants of the fame Companie to be from time to time couftituted e locted and chofen out of the freemen of the faid Companie for the time being, in fuch manner and forme as hereafter in thefe prefents is expreffed. Which faid officers fhall apply themselves to take care for the beft difpofing and ordering of the generall bufinefs and affairs? of for and concerning the faid lands and premiffes hereby mentioned to be granted, and the plantation thereof and the government of the people there, And for the better execution of our royall pleasure and grant in this behalfe, we do by these presents, for us, our heires, and fucceffors, nominate, ordaine, make, and conftitute our well beloved the faid Matthew Craddock, to be the first and prefent Governor of the faid Companie, and the faid Thomas Goffe to be deputy Governor of the faid Companie, and the faid Sir Richard Saltonftall, Ifaac Johnfon, Samuel Alderfey, John Ven, John Humfrey, John Endecott, Symon Whetcombe, Increase Nowell, Richard Perry, Nathaniel Wright, Samuel Vaflall, Theophilus Eaton, Thomas Adams, Thomas Hutchins, John Browne, ' George Foxcroft, William Vaffall, and William Pinchon to be the prefent Affiftants of the faid Companie, to continue in the faid feverall offices refpectively for fuch time and mouth of Hudfon's river, and is well furnifted every where with convenient harbours. The fourth colony was called New-Haven, which being Londoners, intended to pursue trade, but failed in their enterprise; their fortunes funk fo faft, that they lost all hope, and many of them in returning to England, perifhed at sea, and never more faw their native country. As many, however, ftill remained as fupported the colony, which afterwards became confiderable, and was joined in one charter with Connecticut, in the reign of Charles the fecond, 1664; it i fuch manner as in and by these prefents is hereafter declared and appointed. And further we will and by thefe prefents, for us our heires and fucceffors do ordaine and grant that the Governor of the faid Companie for the time being, or in his ab fence, by occafion of ficknefs or otherwife, the deputy Governor for the time being hall have authority from time to time upon all occafions to give order for the affem bling of the faid Companie, and calling them together to confult and advife of the bufinefs and affaires of the faid Companie. And that the faid Governor, de puty Governor and Affiftants of the faid Companie for the time being fhall or may once every month or oftener at their pleasures affem. ble and hould and keep a court or affembly of themfelves for the bet ter ordering and directing of their affairs. And that any feven or more perfons of the Affiftants together with the Governor or deputy Governor fo affembled shall be faid, taken, held, and reputed to be, and fhall be a full and fufficient court and affembly of the faid Com. panie, for the handling, ordering, and dispatching of all fuch bufineffes and occurrents, as fhall from time to time happen, touching or concerning the faid Companie or is plantation. And that there shall or may be held and kept by the Governor or deputy Governor of the faid Companie, and feven or more of the faid Afliftants for the time being upon every last Wednefday in Hillary, Eafter, Trinity and Michaelmas Terms refpectively for ever, one great generall and folemn affembly, which four general affemblies fhall be ftyled and called the foure greate and generall courts of the faid Company: In all or any of which faid greate and genez rall courts fo affembled, We do, for us, our heires and fucceffers, give and grant to the faid Goyernor and Companie and theire fucceffors, that the Governor, or in his abuce the deputy Gover nor of the faid Companie for the time being, and fuch of the Affinants and freemen of the faid Companic as fhall be prefent or the greater number of them fo affembled, whereof the Governour or deputy Governour and fix of the Alliftants at the leaft to be feven, fhall have full power and authori ty to choose, nominate and appoint fuch and fo many others as they fhall thinke fitt, and that fhall be willing to accept the fame, to be free of the said Company and Body, and them into the fame to ad mit: And to elect and constitute fuch officers as they hall thinke A is the capital of a country of the fame name, and was in a very flourishing condition before the prefent war. In all thefe colonies, the first fettlers were careful to form independent churches; which, though they did confider themfelves as accountable to each other for their conduct, yet lived in full fellowship and communion, walking in love with one another, and in the fear of God. Their strictnefs and feverities to thofe that offended or differed from them, in more enlightened times, may have the appearance of a real want of cha-rity; fitt and requifite for the ordering, managing and difpatching of the affaires of the faid Governor and Companie and theire fucceffours: And to make laws and ordinances for the good and welfare of the faid Companie, and for the government and ordering of the faid lands and plantation, and the people inhabiteing and to inhabite the lame, as to them from time to time fhall be thought meete. So as fuch lawes and ordinances be not contrary or repugnant to the laws and ftatutes of this our realme of England. And our will and pleafure is, and we do hereby for us, our heires and fucceffours, eftablifh, and ordaine, That yearely once in the yeare forever hereafter, namely the Jaft Wednesday in Eafter terme yearely, the Governor, deputy Governor and Afliftants of the faid Companie, and all other officers of the faid Companie fhall be in the generall court, or affemblie, to be held for that day or time, newly chofen for the yeare enfueing by fuch greater part of the faid Conpanie for the time being, then and there prefent, as is aforefaid. And if it fhall happen the prefent Governor, deputy Governor and Alliftants by thefe prefents appointed, or fuch as fhall hereafter be newly chofen into their rooms, or any of them or any other of the officers to be appointed for the faid Companie, to dye, or to be remov ed from his or their feverall offices or places before the faid generall day of election (whom we do hereby declare for any mifdemeanor or defect to be removeable by the Governor, deputy Governor, Affiftants and Companie, or fuch greater part of them in any of the publick courts to be affembled as is aforefaid) that then and in every fuch cafe it fall and may be lawful to and for the Governor, de puty Governor, Alifiants, and Companie aforefaid, or fuch greater part of them fo to be affembled as is aforefaid, in any of their affemblies' to proceed to a new election of one or more others of their Companic in the room or place rooms or places of fuch officer or officers fo dyeing or removed, according to their difcretions. And immedi ately after and upon fuch election and electious made of fuch Gover nor, deputy Governor, Affistant or Affiftants or any other officer, of the faid Companie in manner and forme aforefaid, the authority, office, and power before given to the former Governor, deputy Governor, other officer, and officers fo removed, in whofe ftead and place new fhall be chofen, fhall as to him and them and rity; but fuch were the manners of thofe times, that there was little forbearance among profeffors of any denomination. Whatever may have been their various defects and imperfections, they had, notwithstanding, a fenfe of religion upon their minds, which fhews at least they were in earnest in what they profeffed. Their follies, weakneffes, and extravagances, when compared with their virtues, bear lefs proportion, than perhaps may he found in the cafe of their fucceffors either in the mother country or in the colonies. every of them ceafe and determine. Provided alfo, and our will and pleasure is that as well fuch as are by thefe prefents appointed to be the prefent Governour, deputy Governour and Affiftants of the faid Companie, as thofe that fhall fucceed them, and all other officers to be appointed and chofen as a forefaid thall, before they undertake the execution of their faid of fices and places refpectively, take their corporall oathes for their due and faithful performance of their duties in their several offices and places, before fuch person or perfons as are by these presents hereunder appointed to take and receive the fame, that is to fay, the faid Matthew Craddock, who is hereby nominated and appointed the prefent Governour of the faid Companie, fhall take faid oathes before one or more of the Mafters of our court of chancery for the time being unto which Mafter or Mafters of the Chancery we do by thefe prefents give full power and authority to take and adminifter the faid oath to the faid Governour accordingly. And after the faid Governour fhall be fworne, then the faid deputy Governour and Affistants before by these prefents nominated and appointed fhall take the faid feveral othes, to their offices and pla Juft ces refpectively belonging, be fore the faid Matthew Craddock the prefent Governour fo fworne as aforefaid. And every fuch perfon as fhall at the time of the an nuall election, or other wife upon Death or removall, be appointed to be the new Governour of the faid Companie, fhall take the oaths to that place belonging before the deputy Governour or two of the Affiftants of the faid Companie at the leaft for the time being. And the new elected Deputy-Governour and Affiftants, and all other offcers to be hereafter chosen as a forefaid from time to time fhall take the oaths to their places refpectively belonging before the Governour of the faid Companie for the time being, Unto which faid Governour, Deputy-Governour, and Afliffants, we do by thefe prefents give full power and authority to give and adminifter the faid oathes respectively, according to the true meaning herein before declared, without any commiflion or further warrant to be had and obtained of us, our heirs and fucceffors in that behalfe. And we do further of our efpest ciall grace, certain knowledge, andt meere motion, for us, our lieires, and fucceffours, give and grant to the faid Governour and Compante and their fucceffours for ever by thefel |