Chapter 2

OF THE FIRST PLANTERS, THEIR COMBINATION, BY ENTERING INTO A BODY POLITIC TOGETHER; WITH THEIR PROCEEDINGS IN DISCOVERY OF A PLACE FOR THEIR SETTLEMENT AND HABITATION.

Being thus fraudulently dealt with (as you have heard), and brought so far to the northward, the season being sharp, and no hopes of their obtaining their intended port; and thereby their patent being made void and useless, as to another place: being at Cape Cod upon the eleventh day of November, 1620, it was thought meet for their more orderly carrying on of their affairs, and accordingly by mutual consent they entered into a solemn combination, as a body politic, to submit to such government and governors, laws and ordinance, as should by a general consent, from time to time, be made choice of, and assented unto. The contents whereof followeth.1

In the name of God, amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the faith, etc. Having undertaken for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and the honour of our King and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof, do enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and officers, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names, at Cape Cod, the eleventh of November, in the reign of our sovereign Lord, King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, Anno Dom. 1620.2

John Carver,
William Bradford,
Edward Winslow,
William Brewster,
Isaac Allerton,
Miles Standish,
John Alden,
Samuel Fuller,
Christopher Martin,
William Mullins,
William White,
Richard Warren,
John Howland,
Stephen Hopkins,

Edward Tilly,
John Tilly,
Francis Cooke,
Thomas Rogers,
Thomas Tinker,
John Ridgdale,
Edward Fuller,
John Turner,
Francis Eaton,
James Chilton,
John Craxton,
John Billington,
Joses Fletcher,
John Goodman,

Digery Priest,
Thomas Williams,
Gilbert Winslow,
Edmund Margeson,
Peter Brown,
Richard Bitteridge,
George Soule,
Richard Clark,
Richard Gardiner,
John Allerton,
Thomas English,
Edward Doten,
Edward Leister.3

Names

1. Mr. John Carver,*
2. William Bradford,*
3. Mr. Edward Winslow,*
4. Mr. William Brewster,*
5. Mr. Isaac Allerton,*
6. Mr. Capt. Miles Standish,*
7. John Alden,
8. Mr. Samuel Fuller,†
9. Mr. Christopher Martin,*ss
10. Mr. William Mullins,*ss
11. Mr. William White,*ss
12. Mr. Richard Warren,†

After this they chose Mr. John Carver, a man godly and well approved amongst them, to be their governor for that year.

Necessity now calling them to look out a place for habitation, as well as the master’s and mariners’ importunity urging them thereunto; while their carpenter was trimming up of their boat, sixteen of their men tendered themselves to go by land and discover those nearest places, which was accepted; and they being well armed, were sent forth on the 16th of November, 1620,4 and having marched about a mile by the seaside, they espied five Indians, who ran away from them, and they followed them all that day sundry miles, but could not come to speech with them; so night coming on, they betook themselves to their rendezvous, and set out their sentinels, and rested in quiet that night; and the next morning they followed the Indians’ tracks, but could not find them nor their dwellings, but at length lighted on a good quantity of clear ground near to a pond of fresh water,5 where formerly the Indians had planted Indian corn, at which place they saw sundry of their graves; and proceeding further they found new stubble where Indian corn had been planted the same year; also they found where lately an house had been, where some planks and a great kettle was remaining, and heaps of sand newly paddled with their hands, which they digged up and found in them divers fair Indian baskets filled with corn, some whereof was in ears, fair and good, of divers colours, which seemed to them a very goodly sight, having seen none before,6

  By PanEris using Melati.

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