do or cause to be done any act or acts directly or indirectly by Land or Water that shall or may tend to the destruction or overthrow of the whole or any the several Plantations or Townships within the said Government that are or shall be orderly Erected and Established but shall contrarywise hinder oppose and discover such Intents and Purposes as tend thereunto to the Governour for the time being or some of the Assistants with all convenient speed You shall also submit unto and obey such good and wholsome Laws Ordinances and Officers as are or shall be established within the Limits thereof So help you God who is the God of Truth and Punisher of Falshood The Oath of a Freeman YOu shall be truly Loyal to our Soveraign Lord the King his Heirs and Successors You shall not speak nor do devise or advise any thing or things Act or Acts directly or indirectly by Land or Water that doth shall or may tend to the destruction or overthrow of these present Plantations or Townships of the Corporation of New-Plimouth neither shall you suffer the same to be spoken or done but shall hinder or oppose and discover the same to the Governour and Assistants of the said Colony for the time being or some one of them You shall faithfully submit unto such good and wholsome Laws and Ordinances as either are or shall be made for the Ordering and Government of the same and shall endeavour to advance the good and growth of the several Townships and Plantations within the limits of this Corporation by all due means and courses All which you Promise and Swear by the Name of the Great God of Heaven and Earth simply truly and faithfully to perform as you hope for help from God who is the God of Truth and the punisher of falshood The Secretaries Oath YOu shall faithfully Serve in the Office Secretary of the General Court and Council of this Colony of New-Plimouth for this present year and till another be chosen You shall faithfully preseve and keep all such Books Records Files and Writings as shall be committed to your Custody You shall truly Enter and Record all Acts Graunts and Orders of the General Court and whatever you shall receive Order and Direction from the said Court to do you shall give true Copies of all such publick Records Graunts or Writings which shall be in your custody under your hand at any persons Request you shall not disclose the secrets of the General Court or Councils you shall Extort no other Fee for doing any thing concerning your Office but what you shall be allowed by Law you shall give your attendance at all such Courts and Councils and shall faithfully do all things Appertaining to your Office So c. The Oath of the Recorder of the Court of Assistants YOu shall faithfully Serve in the Office of Recorder of the Court of Assistants you shall faithfully preserve and keep all such Books Records Files and Writings as shall be committed to your custody You shall truely Enter and Record all Acts Judgments Verdicts Fines and Sentences of the said Court And whatsoever you shall Receive Order and Direction from the said Court or Order of Law to do you shall Issue out and deliver all Executions Orders of the said Court warrants summonses in all such cases as by Law you ought you shall give true Copies of all such Publick Records Files and Writings which shall be in your custody under your hand at any Persons Request You shall Record and File all such Returns of Executions of Marshals or Constables which Issued out of the said Court and shall faithfully do all things Appertaining to your Office You shall Extort no other Fee for doing any thing Appertaining to your Office but what you shall be allowed by Law c. The Oath of the Clerk of the County Court YOu shall faithfully Serve in the Office of a Clerk of the County Court You shall faithfully preserve and keep all such Books and Records Files and Writings as shall be committed to your custody you shall timely Enter and Record all Acts Judgments Verdicts Fines Sentences and Orders of the said Court and all such Deeds Evidences Instruments and Writings which shall be brought to you for that End which by Law you may or ought to Record and also what you shall Receive Order or Direction from the said Court so to do you shal give true Copies under your hand of all such publick Records or VVritings as shal be in your custody at any Persons Request You shal Issue out and Deliver all Executions and Orders of the said Court and Warrants and Summonses in all such Cases as by Law you ought You shall Record and File all such Returns of Executions of Marshals and Constables which Issued out of the said Court and shal faithfully do all things appertaining to your Office You shal Extort no Fee for doing any thing appertaining to your Office but what you are allowed by Law c. The Select mens Oath YOu being Chosen Select Men of the Town of Plimouth you shall do equal Right to all Persons after your Wisdom Skil and power in all such Cases as shall come before you concerning your Office according to the Laws here Established You shall endeavour the due Execution of all such Laws as are committed to your Inspection as Select Men so help you c. The Oath of the Grand Jury YOu shall faithfully Inquire into and true presentment made of all things given you in charge you shall present nothing of Malice or ill will your own counsel and your Fellows in reference to this Oath you shall well and truly keep so help c. The Oath of the Chief Marshal YOu shall be truly Loyal to our Soveraign Lord the King His Heirs and Successors You shall carefully endeavour the conservation of the Peace of our said Lord the King as the head Marshal of the Colony of New-Plimouth You shall Arrest all Traitors Felons and Perturbers of the Peace that you shall know or be informed of and carry them before the Governour or some of his Assistants and there attend such Order therein as shall be given you You shall personally attend all General Courts Courts of Assistants Commissioners Courts and the Governours person especially at such Courts You shall readily Serve all Attachments Summons's Precepts and Warrants whatsoever which you shall receive from the Governour Assistant or others Authorized thereunto You shall faithfully Levy Collect and Gather all such Rates Fines Forfeitures Wrecks and other dues whatsoever belonging to this Colony or which by Order of Law and Warrant from Authority you shall be required to do and the same deliver unto the Treasurer or his Order or party concerned You shall truly Levy and Serve all Executions you shall receive from Authority and the Money Goods Chattels or Lands you shall Levy by such Execution deliver to the party or parties to whom due or belonging You shall carefully
keep all persons which shall be committed to your Custody You shall readily obey and execute all such Commands and Sentences of the Governour or any of the Courts as according to your Office you ought to do by Law You shall deal justly and uprightly and without partiality in the Discharge of your Office You shall extort no Fee Gift or Reward for doing your Office but only what you may take by order of Law The Oath of the Under-Marshall or Goal-Keeper YOu shall well and truly serve in the Office of Under-Marshall and Goal-Keeper for the Colony of New-Plimouth you shall readily Receive into your Custody all such persons as by Warrant or Mittimus from Authority or Order of Law shall be brought to you and them in safe Custody shall keep till they shall thence be delivered by due Course of Law You shall personally attend all such Courts of Assistants and General Court as shall be holden at Plimouth You shall Execute and Inflict all such Sentences and Punishments as by Authority shall be adjudged to be Inflicted upon any Delinquents or Offenders without favour or partiality and shall take only such Fees for doing your Office as by Law are allowed So c. The Oath of a Constable YOu shall Swear to be Truly Loyal to our Soveraign Lord the King His Heirs and Successors You shall faithfully serve in the Office of Constable in the Award of Plimouth for this present year during which time you shall carefully endeavour the Conservation of the Peace of our said Lord the King You shall Arrest all Traitors Fellons Perturbers of the Peace and all other Suspicious Persons that you shall know or be informed of and carry them before the Governour or some one of his Assistants and there attend such Order therein as shall be given You shall readily and truly Serve all Attachments Summons and Warrants whatsoever you shall receive from the Governour Assistants or others Authorized thereunto You shall faithfully Levy Collect and gather all Executions Rates Fines Forfeitures which you shall Receive or have Order for and the Money Goods Chattels or Lands so levyed gathered or distrained you shall deliver to the Party or Parties concerned or to whom it is due You shall readily Obey and Execute all such Commands and Sentences of the Governours Assistants or any of the Courts as according to your Office you ought to do by Law and shall faithfully endeavour the Execution of those Laws which refer to your Office and in all things you shall deal justly and uprightly in the Execution of your Office So c. The County Marshalls Oath YOu shall be Truly Loyal to our Soveraign Lord the King his Heirs and Successors you shall carefully endeavour the Conservation of the Peace of our said Lord the King as the Marshal of the County of Plimouth You shall Arrest all Traitors Fellons and Perturbers of the Peace that you shall know or be informed of and carry them before the Governour or some one of his Assistants and there attend such Order therein as shall be given you You shall attend Personally at all County-Courts you shall readily serve all Attachments Summons Presentments and Warrants whatsoever which you shall Receive from the Governour Assistants or others Authorized thereunto You shall faithfully Levy Collect and Gather all such Rates Fines Forfeitures and other dues whatsoever belonging to the County or such as you shall by Order of Law or Warrant from Authority be required to do and the same deliver unto the County-Treasurer or Party concerned therein You shall truly Leavy and Serve all Executions you shall Receive from Authority and the Money Goods Chattels or Lands you shall Leavy by such Execution you shall deliver to the Party or Parties to whom due or belonging You shall carefully keep all persons which shall be Committed to your Custody you shall readily Obey and Execute all such Commands and Sentences of the said Authority as according to your Office you ought to do by Law You shall deal justly and uprightly and without partiality in the discharge of your Office You shall Extort no Fee Gift or Reward for doing your Office but what you are allowed by Law The Oath of the Jury of Trials between the King and Prisoner YOu shall well and truly try and true deliverance make between our Soveraign Lord the King and the Prisoner at the Bar whom you shall have in Charge and true Verdict give according to your Evidence So help c. The Oath of a Jury of Trials between Party and Party YOu shall well and truly Try the issue between Party and Party and true Verdict give therein according to your Evidence So help c. The Oath of a Jury to inquire of the Death of any Person YOu shall faithfully inquire how or by what means and in what manner and when and where R. K. came by his Death and if you find he was murdered that you inquire by whom and who were Accessaries and that you shall true Verdict give according as you find So help you c. To the Marshal of the County of P. Greeting WHereas A. B. of P. at the County Court held at P. the third tuesday of March last by the Judgment of the said Court Recovered Debt Damage and Costs to the value of Pounds Shillings in Money against C. D. of M. as by Record of said Court appeareth These are therefore in His Majesties Name to Require you on Receipt hereof to repair to the House or Place of usual abode of the said C. D. and there demand the said Sum and two shillings for this Execution and your allowed Fees and upon Refusal or Non-payment that you Levy the same by Distress on the Goods and Chattels and for want thereof upon the Lands of the said C. D. according to Law and for want of Estate that you Levy it on his Body and deliver him to the Keeper of His Majesties Goal at P. there to remain till satisfaction be made of the said Debt Damages and Charges and that you make a true Return hereof and doings hereupon to the Clerk of the said Court Dated c. Per Curiam R. B. Clerk TO the chief Marshal or Marshals of the County of P. or Constable of S. c. you may put in only one of them as the case may be Whereas A. B. of P. Complaineth ahainst C. D. of M. in an Action of Debt to the Damage of five Pounds in Money for Non-payment of fifty shillings in Money due to the said A. B. by Bill Dated c. or by Book or by Account or by Covenant or Contract or for Money Lent or the like which the faid C. D. unjustly detaineth THese are therefore in his Majesties Name to Require you on Receipt hereof to Summon the said A. B. to make his Appearance at the County-Court to be holden at P. the third Tuesday in March next to answer the said Complaint Hereof fail not and make a true Return
The BOOK of the General LAWS OF the INHABITANTS of the JURISDICTION of New-Plimouth Collected out of the RECORDS of the GENERAL COURT And lately Revised And with some Emendations and Additions Established and Disposed into such Order as they may readily Conduce to General Use and Benefit And by the Order and Authority of the GENERAL COURT of New-Plimouth Held at Plimouth June 2d Anno Dom. 1685 Reprinted and Published Nathaniel Clerk Secrt ' SIGILLVM SOCIETATIS PLIMOVTII NOV-ANGLIA 1620 Be subject to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake 1 Pet. 2.13 BOSTON In NEW-ENGLAND Printed by Samuel Green 1685. A PREFACE Declaring the Warrantable Grounds and Proceedings of the first ASSOCIATES of the Government of New Plimouth In their Laying the first Foundation of this Government in their Making of LAWS and Disposing of the LANDS within the same VVHereas John Carver William Bradford Edward Winslow William Brewster Isaac Allerton and divers others the Subjects of our late Soveraign Lord JAMES by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. Did in the eighteenth Year of His Reign of England France and Ireland and of Scotland the fifty four which was in the Year of our Lord God 1620. undertake a Voyage into that parts of America called Virginia or New-England thereunto adjoyning there to Erect a Plantation and Colony of English intending the Glory of God the Inlargement of His Majesties Dominions and the special Good of the English Nation And whereas by the good providence of our Gracious God the said John Carver William Bradford Edward Winslow William Brewster Isaac Allerton and their Associates Arrived in New-England aforesaid in the Harbour of Cape Cod or Paomet Scituate and being in New-England aforesaid where all the said Persons entred into a civil Combination being the eleventh of November The Combination of the first Associates 1620. in the Year aforementioned as the Subjects of our said Soveraign Lord the KING to become a Body Politick Binding our selves to observe such Laws and Ordinances and obey such Officers as from time to time should be made and chosen for our well-Ordering and Guidance And thereupon by the favour of the Almighty began the first Colony in New-England there being then no other within the said Continent at a place called by the Natives Apaum alias Patuxet but by the English New-Plimouth All which Lands being void of Inhabitants We the said John Carver William Bradford Edward Winslow William Brewster Isaac Allerton and the rest of our Associates Entring into a League of Peace with Massasoit since called Woosamequin Prince or Sachem of those Parts He the said Massasoit freely gave them all the Lands adjacent to them and their Heirs for ever acknowledging himself content to become the Subject of our Soveraign Lord the KING aforesaid His Heirs and Successors and taking Protection of us the said John Carver William Bradford Edward Winslow William Brewster Isaac Allerton and their Associates the natural Subjects of our Soveraign Lord the King aforesaid But having no special Letters Patents for the said Parts of New-England but only the general leave and liking of His Majesty aforesaid for the free Exercise of the liberty of our Consciences in the publick Worship and Service of God wherever we should settle Being therefore now settled and Desiring and Requesting special License and Commission from His Majesty for the ordering our Affairs under his Gracious Protection had sundry Commissions Made and Confirmed by His said Majesties Council for New-England to John Pierce and his Associates whose Name we only made use of and whose Associates we were in the late happy and memorable Reign of our said Soveraign Lord King James but finding our selves still straitned and a willingness in the Honourable Council aforesaid to inlarge us partly in regard of the many Difficulties we had undergone and partly in regard of the good Service done as well in relieving His Majesties Subjects as otherwayes We procured a further Inlargement under the Name of William Bradford aforesaid and his Associatess whose Names we likewise used and whose Associates as formerly we still are By vertue of which Letters Patents liberty is given unto us derivatory from our Soveraign Lord King Charles bearing Date the thirteenth of January Liberties granted by our Patent 1629. being the first Year of His Reign of England Scotland France and Ireland and Signed by the Right Honourable Robert Earl of Warwick in the behalf of the rest of His Majesties said Council for New-England and Sealed with their common Seal allowed to Frame and Make Orders Ordinances and Constitutions for the Ordering Disposing and Governing of our Persons and Distributing the Lands within the said Limits to be holden of His Majesty His Heirs and Successors as of His Mannor of East-Greenwich in the County of Kent in free and common Soccage and not in Capite nor by Knights Service viz. All that part of New-England in America and Tract and Tracts of Lands that lie within or between a certain Rivolet or Runlet there commonly called Coahasset alias Conahasset towards the North and the River commonly called Narrhaganset River towards the South and the great Western Ocean towards the East and between and within a streight Line directly extending up into the main Land towards the West from the mouth of the said River called Narrhaganset River to the outmost Limits and Bounds of a Countrey or Place in New-England commonly called Pokenacut alias Puckenakick alias Sawaamset Westward and another like streight Line extending it self directly from the mouth of the said River called Coahasset alias Conahasset towards the West so far up into the main Land Westwards as the outmost Limits of the said Place or Countrey commonly called Pokenacut alias Puckenakick alias Sawaamset do extend together with one half of the said River called Narrhaganset and the said Rivolet or Runlet called Coahasset alias Conahasset and all all Lands Rivers Waters Havens Creeks Ports Fishings Fowlings and all Hereditaments Profits Commodities and Emoluments whatsoever Scituate Lying and Being or arising within and between the said Limits or Bounds or any of them Furthermore all that Tract of Land or part of New-England or part of America aforesaid which lieth within or between and extendeth it self from the outmost Limits of Cobbisecontee alias Comaseconte which adjoyneth to the River of Kenebeck alias Kenebekike towards the Western Ocean and a place called the Falls at Nequamkike in America aforesaid and the space of fifteen English Miles on each side the said River commonly called Kenebeck River and all the said River called Kenebeck that lieth within the said Limits and Bounds Eastward Westward Northward or Southward last above-mentioned and all Lands Grounds Soyles Rivers Waters Fishings Hereditaments and Profits whatsoever Scituate Lying and Being Arising Happening or Accruing or which shall Arise Happen or Accrue in or within the said Limits or Bounds or either of them together with free Ingress