it is stated in Article IX. They shall be bound to do justice to the parties, or to reconcile them within one month, or within a shorter time if the case so requires, after having been summoned by one or other of the Parties. And that which by the other Provinces or their Deputies, or by the said Stadtholders shall be decreed and pronounced, shall be accepted and accomplished, abolishing all other remedies at law, either by appeal, relief, revision, nullity or any other pretensions whatever.

XVII. That the said Provinces, Towns and Members thereof shall be careful not to offer any occasion of war or quarrel to any foreign Princes, Noblemen, Countries, or Towns. For the preventing thereof the said Provinces, Towns and Members thereof shall be bound to do good and speedy Justice equally to Foreigners as to their own inhabitants. And if any among them should fail therein, the rest of the Confederates shall seek by all convenient means to have it done, and that all abuses that might hinder them or stay the course of Justice, may be corrected and reformed, according to right and the Privileges and praiseworthy and ancient Customs of every one.

XIX. For the dealing with all occurrences and difficulties which may happen, the said Confederates shall be bound upon summons made unto them by such as have authority thereto, to appear in Utrecht, on the day appointed, in order to deliberate and to resolve on the said occurrences and difficulties, which shall be described in the Letters of Rescription, if the matter requires not to be kept secret, by common advice and consent or by a majority of votes, in the manner heretofore said, even if some might not appear. In which case those who appear may nevertheless proceed to the resolution of what they shall find suitable for the common good of these United Provinces. And that which hath been so decreed shall be accomplished, even by those who failed to appear, unless the matter be of very great importance and could suffer some delay. In which case summonses shall be issued again to those who have not appeared, to present themselves on a certain stated day, on pain of losing their vote for that occasion. And what shall then be resolved shall be binding and valid, even though some of the said Pro

vinces have been absent. Yet those whom it may not suit to appear may lawfully send their advice in writing, which shall be duly regarded in the collection of the votes.

XX. And to this end all and every one of the said Confederates shall be bound to write to those who have the authority for the summoning, about all things that may occur, or that shall seem to them to tend to the good or evil of the said Provinces and Confederates, so that they may cause them to be called together.

XXI. And if there shall be any obscurity or ambiguity whereby there may grow any question or dispute, the interpretation thereof shall belong to the said Confederates, who by common advice and consent shall decree thereon as they shall think fit. And if they fail to agree among themselves, they shall have recourse to the Stadtholders of the Provinces in the manner stated previously.

XXII. In the same manner if it should be thought necessary to augment or diminish anything in the Articles of this Union, Confederation and Alliance, in any particular or clauses, it shall be done by the common advice and consent of the said Confederates and not otherwise.

XXIII. All which Points and Articles and each of them in particular, the said United Provinces have promised and do promise by these presents, to accomplish and entertain, and to cause to be accomplished and entertained, without allowing any opposition or contradiction directly in any manner. And if anything shall be done or attempted contrary to the honour thereof, they do declare it void and of no effect. They bind thereto themselves and all the inhabitants respectively of the said Provinces, Towns and Members thereof, the which in case of contravention may be in all places, and before all Judges and Jurisdictions, where they shall be found, seized and arrested for the accomplishment of these presents, and that which depends thereon, renouncing to that end all exceptions, graces, privileges, reliefs and generally all other benefits of law which contrary to these presents might in any way aid or serve them; and especially the law which says that a general renunciation is of no force, if not preceded by a special one.

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XXIV. And for the greater corroboration, all the Stadtholders of the said Provinces, who are in office at present or may be hereafter, together with all Magistrates and Chief Officers of each of the said Provinces, Towns and Members thereof, shall be bound to swear and take an oath, to keep and cause to be kept all the Points and Articles, and every one of them in particular, of this Union and Confederation.

XXV. In the same manner all companies of burgesses, fraternities and official bodies shall be bound to take the same oath, in each of the said Towns and Places of the said Union. XXVI. . . . . Accomplished and signed at Utrecht, the 23rd of January, 1579.

THE CONFEDERATION OF THE COLONIES OF NEW ENGLAND. 19 MAY, 1643.

[Frequently reprinted. An accessible version is to be found in John Winthrop's "History of New England, 1630-1649," in "Original Narratives of Early American History," ed. J. F. Jameson, New York, 1908, vol. ii. pp. 100-105.]

THE Articles of Confederation between the plantations under the government of the Massachusetts, the plantations under the government of New Plymouth, the plantations under the government of Connecticut and the government of New Haven, with the plantations in combination therewith:

WHEREAS we all came into these parts of America with one and the same end and aim, namely, to advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to enjoy the liberties of the Gospel in purity with peace: and whereas by our settling, by the wise providence of God, we are further dispersed upon the seacoasts and rivers than was at first intended, so that we cannot, according to our desire, with convenience communicate in one government and jurisdiction: and whereas we live encompassed with people of several nations and strange languages, which hereafter may prove injurious to us or our posterity; and for as much as the natives have formerly committed sundry insolences and outrages upon several plantations of the English, and have of

late combined themselves against us, and seeing by reason of the sad distractions in England (which they have heard of), and by which they know we are hindered both from that humble way of seeking advice, and reaping those comfortable fruits of protection, which at other times we might well expect; we therefore do conceive it our bounden duty, without delay, to enter into a present consociation amongst ourselves for mutual help and strength in all future concernment, that, as in nation and religion, so in other respects, we be and continue one, according to the tenor and true meaning of the ensuing articles,—

I. Wherefore it is fully AGREED and CONCLUDED between the parties above named, and they jointly and severally do, by these presents, agree and conclude that they all be, and henceforth be called by the name of the UNITED COLONIES OF NEW ENGLAND.

II. These united colonies, for themselves and their posterities, do jointly and severally hereby enter into a firm and perpetual league of friendship and amity, for offence and defence, mutual advice and succour upon all just occasions, both for preserving and propagating the truth and liberties of the gospel, and for their own mutual safety and welfare.

III. It is further agreed, that the plantations which at present are, or hereafter shall be settled within the limits of the Massachusetts, shall be forever under the government of the Massachusetts, and shall have peculiar jurisdiction amongst themselves in all cases as an entire body; and that Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven, shall each of them in all respects have like peculiar jurisdiction and government within their limits, and in reference to the plantations which are already settled, or shall hereafter be erected, and shall settle within any of their limits respectively; provided that no other jurisdiction shall hereafter be taken in as a distinct head or member of this confederation, nor shall any other, either plantation or jurisdiction in present being, and not already in combination or under the jurisdiction of any of these confederates, be received by any of them: nor shall any two of these confederates join in one jurisdiction, without consent of the rest, which consent to be interpreted as in the sixth ensuing article is expressed.

IV. It is also by these confederates agreed, that the charge of all just wars, whether offensive or defensive, upon what part or member of this confederation soever they shall fall, shall, both in men and provisions and all other disbursements, be borne by all the parts of this confederation in different proportions, according to their different abilities, in manner following, viz. That the commissioners for each jurisdiction, from time to time as there shall be occasion, bring account and number of all the males in each plantation, or any way belonging to or under their several jurisdictions, of what quality or condition soever they be, from sixteen years old to sixty, being inhabitants there, and that according to the different numbers which from time to time shall be found in each jurisdiction upon a true and just account, the service of men and all charges of the war be borne by the poll; each jurisdiction or plantation being left to their own just course or custom of rating themselves and people according to their different estates, with due respect to their qualities and exemptions among themselves, though the confederation take no notice of any such privilege; and that, according to the different charge of each jurisdiction and plantation, the whole advantage of the war (if it please God so to bless their endeavours), whether it be in lands, goods or persons, shall be proportionably divided among the said confederates.

V. It is further agreed, that if any of these jurisdictions, or any plantation under or in combination with them, be invaded by any enemy whatsoever, upon notice and request of any three magistrates of that jurisdiction so invaded, the rest of the confederates, without any further notice or expostulation, shall forthwith send aid to the confederate in danger, but in different proportions, namely, the Massachusetts one hundred men sufficiently armed and provided for such a service and journey, and each of the rest forty-five men so armed and provided; or any less number, if less be required, according to this proportion. But if such a confederate in danger may be supplied by their next confederate, not exceeding the number hereby agreed, they may crave help thence, and seek no further for the present; the charge to be borne as in this article is expressed, and at their return to be victualled, and supplied with powder and shot, if