OF THE

[Council of Plymouth Established, Nov. 3, 1620.]

[Masonian Papers, Vol. 1, p. 1.]

James by the Grace of God of England Scotland France & Ireland defender of the Faith &

To all to whom these presents shall Come Greeting

Whereas upon the humble petition of diverse of our well disposed subjects that Intend to make plantations in the Parts of America between the Degrees of thirty four & forty five We According to our princely Inclinations favoring their worthy dispossitions in hope thereby to advance the Inlargm' of Christian Religion to the Glory of Almighty God as also that by that means to stretch out the bounds of our Dominions and to replenish those deserts with People Governed by Laws and Magistrates for the more peaceable Commerce of all that in time to come shall have Occasion to Traffique into those Territories; Granted unto Sr Thomas Gates, Sr Geo: Summers Knights, Thomas Haman Raleiyl Gilbert Esq & other their asociats for ye more speedy Accomplishm' thereof, by Our Letters Pattents being dated ye 10th day of April in the fourth year of our Reign of England france & Ireland & of Scotland the Fortieth, free Liberty to devide themselves into two several Collonies ye one called ye first Collony to be undertaken & advanced by Certain Knights Gentlemen & Merchts in & about our City of London; the other called the second Collony to be undertaken & advanced by Certain Knights Gentlemen & Merchts & their associats, in or about our Citties of Bristol Exon & our Town of Plymouth & other places as in & by our Letters pattents amongst other things it Doth & May more at large appear

And whereas since that time upon the humble petition of the sa Adventures & planters of the sd first Collony we have been graciously pleased to make them one distinct & Intire Body by themselves giving unto them their distinct Lymetts and bounds, and have upon their like humble request Granted unto them diverse Liberties priviledges Enlargmt & Immunities as in & by our several Letters

pattents it doth & may more at Large appear, Now for as Much as we have been in Like manner humbly petition'd unto by our Trusty & well beloved Servant Sr fferdenando Gorges Knight Capt of our ffort & Island by Plymouth & by Certain the principle Knighs & Gentlemen Adventurers of the sd second Collony & by diverse other persons of Quallyty, who now Intend to be their Associats diverse of wch have been at great & Extraordinary Charge & sustained Many Losses in seeking & discovering a plase fitt & Convenient to Lay the ffoundation of a hopefull plantation, & have diverse years past by Gods Assistance & ther own Endeavours, taken actual possesion of the Contenent hereafter mentioned in our Name & to our use as Sovereign Lord thereof, & have settled already some of our people in places agreeable to there desires in those parts, & in Confidence of Prosperous success therein by the Continuance of Gods divine blessing & our Royall permission have resolved in a more plentiful and Effectual Manner to prosecute the same-And to that Purpose and Intent have desired of us for their better Incouragmt and satisfaction therein, and that they may Avoyde all Confusions, questions or differences between them selves & those of the said first Collony, that we would likewise be Graciously pleased to make Certain adventurers intending to Erect and & Establish Fishery trade & Plantations within the Territories, presincts & Lymmits of the said second Collony, & their Successors one several distinct & intire body, & to grant unto them such Estate Liberties, priviledges, Enlargmts & Immunities there as are in these our Letters pattents hereafter particularly Expressed & Declared; & for as much as we have been Certainly given to understand by diverse of our good subjects ytt have for these Many years past Frequented these Coasts & Territories, between the Degrees of forty and forty Eight yt there is no other ye Subject of any Christian King or state by any authority from their sovereign Lords or princes actually in Possession of any of the Lands or presincts whereby any right Claim Intrest or title may might or ought by y' means accrue belong or appertain unto y" or any of yTM & also for yt we have been further given Certainly to know yt wthin these late years there hath by Gods visitation reign'd a wounderfull pleague together wth Many Terrible slaughters & Murders committed amongst ye savage & brutish people there heretofore Inhabiting in a manner to ye utter devastation distruction & depopulation of yt whole Territory, so yt there is not left for many Leagus together in a manner any yt do claim or Challenge any kind of Intrest therein nor any other Sup' Lord or sovereign, to make Claim there unto whereby we in our Judgm' are perswaded & satisfied yt ye appointed times come in wch Almighty God in his Great goodness & bounty towards us & our

people hath Thought fit & determined yt those Large & goodly Territories deserted as it were by their natural Inhabitants should be possessed & Enjoyed by such of our subjects & people as heretofore have & hereafter shall be by his mercy & favor & by his powerfull Arm be directed & Conducted thither: In Contemplation and serious Consideration whereof we have thought it fit according to our Kingly duty so much as in us Lyeth to second & follow Gods sacred will rendering reverend thanks to his divine majte for his Gracious favour, in Lying open and revealing ye same unto us before any other Christian prince or State by wch means without offence & as we trust to his Glory we may wth boldness go on to the settleing of so hopefull a work which Tendeth to ye reduceing & Conversion of such Savages as remain wandering in disolation & distress to Civil Soceity & Christian Religion, to ye Inlargmt of our own Dominions & y advanem of ye fortune of such of our good subjects as shall willingly Intrest them selves in the s Employm to whom we Cannot but give singuler Commendations for their so worthy Intentions and Interprise, we therefore of our Especial grace meer motion & Certain Knowledge by ye advise of ye Lords & others of Our privy Council have for us our heirs & successors granted ordained & Establish'd & in & by these presents do for us our heirs & Successors grant ordain & Establish yt all Circuit Contenent presinets & Lymmits in america lying & being in the breadth from forty degrees of Northerly Latitude from the Equanoctial Lyne, to forty Eight degrees of ye sd Northerly Latitude, & in Length by all the Breadth afores thro' The Main Land from sea to sea with all the seas rivers Islands Creeks Inletts ports & havens within the Degrees presincts and Lymmitts of the said Latitude & Longetude shall be the Lymmitts and bounds & presincts of the second Collony & to the End y' the said Territories may forever hereafter be more particularly & Certainly knowen & Distinguised our will & pleasure is that ye same shall from hence forth be nominated term'd & called by ye Name of New England in America & by y name of New England in America the s Circuits presincts Lymmits Continent Islands & places in America aforesaid We do by these presents for us our heirs Successors Name call Erect found & Establish & that by that Name to have Continuance forever, and for the better Plantation ruling & Governing of the aforesaid New England in America we will Ordain Constitute Assign Lymmit & Appoint for us our heirs & successors. We by the advise of the Lords & others of the said Privy Councill do by these presents ordain Constitute Lymmit & appoint that from henceforth there shall forever hereafter in our Town of Plymouth in the County of devon on body Pollitick & Corporate wch shall have perpetual Suc

cesion which shall Consist of the Number of forty persons & no more which shall be & shall be Called & knowen by the Name of the Council Established at Plymouth in the County of Devon for planting ruling ordering and Governing of New England in America and for that purpose we have at and by the Nomination & Request of the Said Petitioners; Granted Ordained Establish'd & Confirm'd and by these presents for us our heirs & successors do Grant Ordain Establish & Confirm our right Trusty & right well beloved Cozens & Councellors Lodowick Duke of Lenox Lord Steward of our house hold George Lord Marquis Buckinham our high admiral of England James Marquis Hambleton William Earl of Pembrook Lord Chamberline of Our houshold Thomas Earl of Arrundell & our right Trusty & right well beloved Cozen William Earl of Bath And Our right trusty & right well beloved Cozen & Councillor Henry Earl of south hampton and our right trusty & right well beloved Cozen William Earl of Salsbury & Robt Earl of Warwick & our right Trusty and well beloved John Viscount Haddington & our right Trusty & well beloved Councellor Edward Lord Zouch Lord Warden of our Cinque ports and our Trusty and well beloved Edmond Lord Shieffeild Edwd Lord Gorges and our well beloved Sr Edwd Seymore Knt and Barront St Rob" Mansfeild S Edwd Zouch our Knight Marshal S Dudley Diggs Sr Thomas Row S Fardenando Georges, St Francis Popham St Jn° Brooks St Thomas gates St Rich Haukings S Rich Edgcom s Allen Apsly S Warwick Hales S Rich Catchway St Jn° Boucher Sr Nathan Rich St Edw: Giles s' Giles Mompasson, Sr Tho: Worth Knt & our well beloved Mathew Sutcliffe dean of Exeter Rob' heath Esq' recorder of our Citty of London Henry Bourcher Jn° Drake Ranleigh Gilbert Geo: Chidly Tho: Hammon & John Argal Esq" to be in & by these presents, We do appoint them to be the first Modern & present Council, Established at Plym° in the County of Devon, for the planting ruling ordering And Governing of New England in America & y they and the Survivours of them & such of the survivours & survivor of them shall from time to time Elect & Choose to make up the afores Number of forty sons when & as often as any of the mor any of their successors shall happen to decease, or to be remov'd from being of the sd Council shall be in & by these presents Incorporated to have a perpetual succession forever in Deed ffact & Name & shall be one body Corporate & pollitique & that those & such sa persons & their successors & such as shall be Elected & Chosen to succeed them as afores shall be & by these presents are & be Incorporated Named & called by the name of the Council Established at Plymouth in the County of Devon for the planting ruling & Governing of New Eng

land in America and them the sd Duke of Lenox Marquis Buckingham, Marquis Hambleton Earl of Penbrook Earl of Arundel Earl of Bath Earl Southampton Earl of Salsbury Earl of Warwick Viscount Haddington Lord Zouch Lord sheffeld Lord Georges St Edwd seymore s Rob Mansfeild St Edw: Zouch S Dudly Diggs s' Tho: Row Sfferdenando Gorges St Francis Popham Sr Jn° Brooks s Tho Gates S Rich Haukings S Rich" Egcom St Allen Apsly S Warwick Heale S Rich Catchway s Jn° Boutcher S Nathn' Rich: s' Edw: Giles St Giles Mompesson s' Tho: Worth Knts Math Sutclife Robert Heath Henry Bourcher Jn° Drak Ranleigh Gilbert Geo: Chidly Tho: Haman & Jn Argal Esq" & their Successors one body Corporate and pollitique in Deed & in Name by the Name of the Council Establish'd at Plym° in y County of Devon for planting ruling & Governing of New England in America We do by these presents for us our heirs & successors really and fully in Corporate Erect ordain Name Constitute & Establish & yt by ye same name of the sd Council they & their successors forever hereafter be incorporated Named & Called & shall by the same Name have p'petual Succession And further We do hereby for us our heirs & successors grant unto the said Council Establish'd at Plym° that they & their Successors by the same Name be & shall be & shall Continue sons, able & Capable in the Law from time to time & shall by that Name of Council afores" have full power & authority & Lawfull Capacity & ability as well to purchase take hold, receive, Enjoy & to have to them & their successors forever any Lands Mannors, Tenements, Rents, royalties, p'viledges, Immunities, Reversions, annuities hereditaments, Goods & Chattles whatsoever of or from us our heirs & successors & of or from any other person or persons whatsoever as well in & within this our Realm of England as in & within any other place or places whatsoever or wheresoever & the same Mannors, Lands, Tenements & hereditaments, Goods or Chattles or any of them by the same Name to allien & sell or to do Execute ordain & perform all other matters & things whatsoever to the s Incorporation & plantation Concerning & belonging; and further our will & pleasure is, yt the sd Council for the time being & their successors shall have full power & Lawful Authority by the name aforesaid to sue & be sued, to Impleade & be Impleaded answer & to be answered unto, in all Manner of Courts or places that now are or hereafter shall be within this our realm & else where as well Temporal as Spiritual in all Manner of Suits and matters whatsoever and of what nature or kind whatsoever such suits or Actions be or shall be And our will & Pleasure is y' the said forty persons or the Greater Number of them, shall & may from time to time, and at all times hereafter, at their own will & pleasure Accord