The Combination of the People of Dover to Establish a Form of Government

Whereas sundry Mischiefes and inconveniences have befaln us, and more and greater may in regard of want of Civill Government, his Gratious Matie haveing hitherto settled no Order for us to our knowledge:

Wee whose names are underwritten being inhabitants upon the River Piscataquack have voluntarily agreed to combine our selves into a Body Politique that wee may the more comfortably enjoy the benefit of his Maties Lawes. And do hereby actually ingage our Selves to Submit to his Royal Maties Lawes together with all such Orders as shalbee concluded by a Major part of the Freemen of our Society, in case they bee not repugnant to the Lawes of England and administered in the behalfe of his Majesty.

And this wee have mutually promised and concluded to do and so to continue till his Excellent Matie shall give other Order concerning us.

In Witness wee have hereto Set our hands the two & twentieth day of October in the sixteenth yeare of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles by the grace of God King of Great Brittain, France & Ireland Defender of the Faith &c. Annoq Domi, 1640. [John Follett, and forty-one others.]

Under these forms the administration of the affairs of Exeter, and Dover, went on satisfactorily until, together with Hampton and Portsmouth, they came under the sway of Massachusetts-Bay in 1643; a part of the price the latter were ready to pay for the extension of their jurisdiction was that the citizens of the New Hampshire towns were to be allowed the elective franchise without reference to their being church members. This arrangement continued under the Laws of Massachusetts-Bay, as a part of Norfolk County, until New Hampshire became, in 1680, a Royal Province.

In the Generall Lawes and Liberties of the Province of New Hampshire, made by the Generall Assembly in Portsm^o the 16th of March, 1679/80 and Aproved by the Presid^t and Councill. The following is given as the status of