COMBINATION OF SETTLERS AT EXETER
Whereas it hath pleased the Lord to move the Heart of our dread Sovereign Charles by the Grace of God King etc. to grant Licence and Libertye to sundry of his subjects to plant themselves in the Westerne parts of America. We his loyal Subjects, Brethren of the Church in Exeter, situate and lying upon the River Pascataqua, with other Inhabitants there, considering with ourselves the holy Will of God and our own Necessity that we should not live without wholesom Lawes and Civil Government among us, of which we are altogether destitute; do in the name of Christ and in the Sight of God combine ourselves together to erect and set up among us such Government as shall be to our best discerning agreeable to the Will of God, professing ourselves Subjects to our Sovereign Lord King Charles according to the Libertyes of our English Colony of Massachusetts, and binding ourselves solemnly by the Grace and help of Christ, and in his Name and fear, to submit ourselves to such Godly and Christian Lawes as are established in the realm of England to our best Knowledge, and to all other such Lawes which shall upon good grounds be made and enacted among us according to God, that we may live quietly and peaceably together in all godliness and honesty. Mo. 8. D. 4. 1639, as attests our Hands.
John Wheelwright [and thirty-four other names].
47. The Peirce Charter, June, 1621
Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, Fourth Series, II, 158 ff.
Finding themselves within the jurisdiction of the newly reorganized Plymouth Council (or New England Council), the Pilgrims secured from that body the following grant through their London partners. Peirce was intended to act as trustee while the partnership lasted. Cf. American History and Government, § 55, and (for the documents regarding Peirce's later attempt to steal the colony) Arber's Story of the Pilgrim Fathers, 259, 260.
This Indenture made the First Day of June, 1621, Betwene the President and Counsell of New England of the one partie, And John Peirce Citizen and Clothworker of London and his Associates of the other partie, Witnesseth that whereas the said John Peirce and his Associates have already transported and undertaken to transporte at their cost and chardges themselves and dyvers persons into New England and there to erect and build a Towne and settle dyvers Inhabitantes for the advancement of the generall plantacion of that Country of New England, Now the sayde President and Counsell, in consideracion thereof and for the furtherance of the said plantacion and incoragement of the said Undertakers, have agreed to graunt, assigne, allott, and appoynt to the said John Peirce and his associates and every of them, his and their heires and assignes, one hundred acres of grownd for every person so to be transported, besides dyvers other pryviledges, Liberties, and commodyties hereafter mencioned....
The same land to be taken and chosen by them, their deputies or assignes, in any place or places wheresoever not already inhabited by any English....
And forasmuch as the said John Peirce and his associates intend and have undertaken to build Churches, Schooles, Hospitalls, Toune houses, Bridges, and such like workes of Charytie, As also for the maynteyning of Magistrates and other inferior Officers (In regard whereof and to the end that the said John Peirce and his Associates, his and their heires and assignes, may have where withall to beare and support such like charges), Therefore the said President and Councell aforesaid do graunt unto the said Undertakers, their heires and assignes, Fifteene hundred acres of Land moreover and above the aforesaid proporcion of one hundred the person for every undertaker and Planter, to be imployed upon such publique uses as the said Undertakers and Planters shall thinck fitt....