These preliminaries are necessary to a full understanding of our subject which naturally begins, in point of time, with the settlement
In New Plymouth Colony.
Strictly speaking, Plymouth was not a New England Colony. It was without a Charter, and the functions of its government were those of a Corporation. The power of the Oath of Allegiance their leaders had assented to always seemed to hang over them, and paralyze the initiative they should have taken. Their attempts to increase their circumscribed boundaries at New Plymouth were futile; and, in the case of their attempted settlement in Maine, disastrous both to the business reputation of their leaders, and to the Corporation. They could spare neither the men nor the means from the parent settlement to form permanent settlements elsewhere. They seemed doomed to failure. And yet hardly that, when we consider the impress upon our Nation made by their sterling qualities of mind and heart, their patience and fortitude under severe trials, the hopes and ambition of their teachings, and their never-failing trust in God’s Providence. These high qualities still animate and live in the great and growing number who proudly claim their ancestry from the Pilgrims at New Plymouth.
Combination for Foundation of Government
known as
The Mayflower Compact
In ye name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwriten, the loyall subjects of our dread soveraigne Lord, King James, by ye grace of God, of Great Britaine, Franc, & Ireland, king, defender of ye faith, &c. haveing undertaken, for ye glorie of God, and advancement of ye Christian faith, and honour of our king and countrie, a voyage to plant ye first colonie in ye Northerne parts of Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly & mutualy in ye presence of God, and one of another, covenant & combine our selves togeather into a civill body politick, for our better ordering & preservation & furtherance of ye 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 ye generall good of ye Colonie, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witnes wherof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cap-Codd ye 11 of November, in ye year of ye raigne of our soveraigne lord, King James, of England, France, & Ireland ye eighteenth, and of Scotland ye fiftie fourth. Ano: Dom. 1620. [Forty-one names.]
The Mayflower Compact has received full and adequate treatment in the paper read before this Society in October, 1920, by Arthur Lord, LL.D.
The exact date of the two forms of Oaths first given has not been determined, but they are certainly later than the formation of the first Council in 1624.
Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity
The forme of Oath … which liue in this Colonie … the Oth of alegance to his maj … fidelity to the same.
You shall sweare by the name of the Great God … & earth & in his holy fear, & presence that you shall not speake, or doe, deuise, or aduise, anything or things, acte or acts, directly, or indirectly, By land, or water, that doth, shall, or may, tend to the destruction or ouerthrowe of this present plantation, Colonie, or Corporation of this towne Plimouth in New England.
Neither shall you suffer the same to be spoken, or done, but shall hinder, & oposse the same, by all due means you can.
You shall not enter into any league, treaty, Confederac̄ or combination, with any, within the said Colonie or without the same that shall plote, or contriue any thing to the hurte, & ruine of the growth, and good of the said plantation.
You shall not consente to any shuch confederation, nor conceale any known vnto you certainly, or by conje but shall forthwith manifest & make knowne the same, to the Gouernours of this said towne for the time being.
And this you promise & swear, simply, & truly, & faithfully to performe as a true christian [you hope for help from God, the God of truth & punisher of falshoode.]
The forme of the Oath which … of the Gouernour, & Counsell at euery Election of any of them.
You shall swear, according to that wisdom, and measure of discerning giuen vnto you; faithfully, equally & indifrently without respect of persons; to administer Justice, in all causes coming before you. And shall labor, to aduance, & furder the good of this Colony, & plantation, to the vtmost of your power; and oppose any thing that may hinder the same. So help you God.
The words, “a true Christian” were afterwards crossed out, and the form used later: “as you hope for help from God, the God of truth and punisher of falsehood” was substituted.
By the Laws of 1636, every freeman was required to take the following Oath:
The Oath of a Ffreeman
You shall be truly loyall to our Sov Lord King Charles, his heires & successors, [the State & Governt of England as it now stands.] You shall not speake or doe, devise or advise any thing or things act or acts directly or indirectly by land or water, that doth shall or may tend to the destrucc̄on or overthrow of this pr̄nt plantac̄ons Colonies or Corporac̄on of New Plymouth, Neither shall you suffer the same to be spoken or done but shall hinder oppose & discover the same to the Govr̄ & Assistants of the said Colony for the time being or some one of them. You shall faithfully submit unto such good & wholesome laws & ordnanc & as either are or shall be made for the ordering & governmt of the same, and shall endeavor to advance the growth & good of the severall Colonies plantations wth in the limit & of this Corporac̄on by all due meanes & courses. All wch you promise & sweare by the name of the great God of heaven & earth simply truly & faithfully to pforme as you hope for help frō God who is the God of truth & punisher of falsehood. [1636]
Following the outbreak of civil war in England in 1638, the words “our sovereign lord King Charles his heirs and successors” were erased, and loyalty to “the State and Government of England as it now stands” substituted. The modern rendering intermixed is probably an attempt by the transcriber to fill out missing or undecipherable paragraphs or sentences.
According to Francis Baylies’ “Historical Memoir of New Plymouth,” (I: 235,) the following Oath was prescribed to be taken by any residing in the government of New Plymouth:
The Oath of a Resident
You shall be truly loyal to our sovereign lord King Charles, his heirs and successors, and whereas you choose at present to reside within the government of New Plymouth, you shall not do or cause to be done any act or acts directly or indirectly, by land or water, that shall tend to the destruction or overthrow of the whole or any of the several plantations or townships within the said government that are or shall be orderly erected or established, but shall contrariwise hinder, oppose, and discover the same, and such