34. Hence what government for an Englishman but an hereditary, successive, King, the son of Nobles, well counselled and assisted?
I thank God, now I understand by experience, that there is no such government for Englishmen, or any Nation, as a Monarchy; nor for Christians, as by a lawfull Ministrie, under godly Diocesan Bishops....
86. A Presbyterian Demand for the Franchise, 1646
Hutchinson's Collection of Original Papers (1769), 188-194. Less than half the document is given here.
To the worshipful the Governor, the Deputy Governor, and the rest of the Assistants of the Massachusets Bay in New England, together with the Deputyes of the Generall Court now assembled at Boston.
The Remonstrance and humble Petition of us whose names are underwritten, in behalfe of ourselves and divers others within this jurisdiction, humbly sheweth.
That we cannot but with all thankfulness acknowledge your indefategable paines, continuall care, and constant vigilancy, which, by the blessing of the Almighty, hath procured unto this wilderness the much desired fruits of peace and plenty ... And further, that you whom the Lord hath placed at the helm ... are best able to foresee the clouds which hang over our heads ... Notwithstanding, those who are under decks ... may perceive those leaks which will inevitably sink this weake and ill compacted vessell, if not by your wisdoms prevented ... Not to trouble you ... with many words, we shall briefly referre them to their heads....
1. Whereas this place hath been planted by the incouragement, next under God, of letters patents given and granted by his Majesty of England to the inhabitants thereof, with many privileges and immunities, viz., ... Notwithstanding, we cannot, according to our judgments, discerne a setled forme of government according to the lawes of England, which may seeme strange to our countrymen, yea to the whole world, especially considering we are English. Neither do we understand and perceyve our owne lawes or libertyes, or any body of lawes here so established, as that thereby there may be a sure and comfortable enjoyment of our lives, libertyes, and estates, according to our due and naturall rights, as free borne subjects of the English nation. By which, many inconveniences flow into plantations, Viz. jealousies of introducing arbitrary government, which manny are prone to beleeve, construing the procrastination of such setled lawes to proceed from an overgreedy spirit of arbitrary power (which it may be is their weaknes) such proceedings being detestable to our English nation, and to all good men, and at present the chief cause of the intestine warre in our deare country.[83] Further, it gives cause to many to thinke themselves hardly dealt with, others too much favored, and the scale of justice too much bowed and unequally balanced. From whence also proceedeth feares and jealousies of illegall committments, unjust imprisonments, taxes, rates, customes, levyes of ungrounded and undoing assessments, unjustifiable presses, undue fynes, unmeasurable expences and charges, of unconceyvable dangers through a negative or destructive vote unduly placed, and not well regulated,—in a word, of a non-certainty of all things we enjoy, whether lives, liberties, or estate; and also of undue oaths, being subject to exposition, according to the will of him or them that gives them, and not according to a due and unbowed rule of law....