The Colony was attacked by an epidemic which took over twenty lives, including that of Samuel Fuller, their physician and surgeon who “had been a great help and comfort to them.”
1636
In 1636 owing to the growth of the original plantation and the establishments of separate settlements at Scituate and Duxbury, the purely democratic rule which had obtained under the Mayflower Compact, wherein matters pertaining to the interests of the colony were settled in general assembly, was superseded by a law passed providing for government by deputies representing the several towns.
1639
In 1639 the first legislative body brought together representatives from the towns of Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Taunton, Scituate, Duxbury and Plymouth. Thus we have representative government in its formative state.
Boundaries Established
1640
In 1640 the boundaries of the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies were established. In the several patents there had been some overlapping of territory. This resulted in considerable controversy. “The Court of Massachusetts appointed some to range their lines according to the bounds of their patent, and (as they went to work) they made it to take in all Scituate and I know not how much more. Again, on the other hand, according to the line of the patent of this place, it would take in Hingham and much more within their bounds.”
After much discussion it was finally settled on the 9th of April and subscribed to by William Bradford and Edward Winslow for Plymouth and John Endicott and Israell Stoughton for Massachusetts Bay.
1643