We whose names are hereunder, desirous to inhabitt in the towne of providence, do promise to subject ourselves in active and passive obedience to all such orders or agreements as shall be made for publick good of our body, in an orderly way, by the major consent of the present Inhabitants, maisters of families, Incorporated together into a towne fellowship, and others whome they shall admitt unto them,

[In many ways this "compact" recalls the Mayflower Compact (No. 46); but the notable thing here is that obedience is promised in civil things only. "Civil" is used in contradistinction with "ecclesiastical." Obedience is promised in matters that pertain to the state, not in those pertaining to the church. This was the primary force of the word "civil." Observe it in the same sense in the documents that follow.]

90. Religious Freedom Consonant with Civil Order

Arnold's History of Rhode Island, I, 254, 255.

The town of Providence had been disturbed by tumults, and some of the inhabitants reasoned loosely that their platform of freedom of conscience forbade them to punish the transgressors. Williams then wrote the following letter to the town, defining in a masterly way the limits of civil and religious freedom. This is a good point at which to review No. 84, with the Introduction thereto.

There goes many a ship to sea, with many hundred souls in one ship, whose weal and woe is common; and [this] is a true picture of a commonwealth. ... It hath fallen out sometimes that both Papists and Protestants, Jews and Turks, may be embarked in one ship; upon which supposal I affirm that all the liberty of conscience, that ever I pleaded for, turns upon these two hinges: that none of the Papists, Protestants, Jews, or Turks, be forced to come to the ship's prayers or worship, nor compelled from their own particular prayers or worship, if they practice any. I further add that I never denied that, notwithstanding this liberty, the commander of the ship ought to command the ship's course, yea, and also command that justice, peace, and sobriety be kept and practised, both among the seamen and all the passengers. If any of the seamen refuse to perform their service, or passengers to pay their freight; if any refuse to help, in person or purse, toward the common charges or defence; if any refuse to obey the common laws and orders of the ship, concerning their common peace or preservation; if any shall mutiny and rise up against their ... officers; if any should preach or write that there ought to be no commanders or officers because all are equal in Christ ... I say I never denied but in such cases, whatever is pretended, the commander or commanders may judge, resist, compel, and punish such trangressors, according to their ... merits.[87]

91. Patent of Providence Plantations, March 14/24, 1643/1644

Rhode Island Colonial Records, I, 123-146.

The Long Parliament, at the opening of its war against Charles I, created a council for colonial affairs. That body, upon petition from Williams and his friends, issued the following grant. Section I (about a page of this type) recites these facts. Practically all the rest of the document is given here. The important consideration is the repetition of the word "civil." (See note on page 267, above.)