WHereas experience hath shewed us the great inconveniencies that have happened , both in this Kingdom of England , and other places , by a rigid imposing upon all an uniformity and conformity in matters of judgement and practice in the things of Religion , whereby divisions have been made , factions fomented , persecutions induced , and the publick peace endangered . And for that we well know , that in this state of darkness 〈◊〉 ●mperfection , we know but in part , That there are bothbabes and strongmen in Christ : And that every Member who holds the head , and is of the body of Jesus Christ , hath not the same place and office , nor the same measure of light , who yet desire and endeavour daily to increase in knowledge . And in the mean time walk according to what they have received , in all godliness , justice & sobriety . And whereas experience hath also shewed us , That the peace and happy progress of all Plantations , doth much depend upon the good government thereof , the equal distribution of justice , and respect to all persons , without faction or distinction , the certain knowledg and manifestation of every ones right and proprieties , and carefull provisions for common defence and safety .

It is therefore ordered , That all such person and persons , who are so as aforesaid qualified , shall be received and accepted as Members of the said Company of Adventurers , and into the said Plantation , notwithstanding any other difference of judgement , under whatsoever other names conveyed , walking with justice and sobriety , in their particular conversations , and living peaceably and quietly as Members of the Re-publick .

That there shall be no names of distinction or reproach , as Independent , Antinomian , Anabaptist , or any other cast upon any such for their difference in judgement , neither yet shall any person or persons , assume or acknowledge any such distinguishing names , under the penalty of being accompted ( in both cases , either of imposing or accepting or assuming any such name or names ) as enemies of the publick peace : nor shall any man speak reproachfully of any person for his opinion , or of the opinion it self , otherwise then in the Scripture Language .

That no Magistracie or Officers of the Republike , nor any power derived from them , shall take notice of any man for his difference in judgement in matter of Religion , or have cognizance of any cause whatsoever of that nature : But that their jurisdiction shall reach onely to men as men , and shall take care that justice , peace , and sobriety , may be maintained among them . And that the flourishing state of the re-publick may be by all just meanes promoted .

That the present Adventurers , and all other persons , who within the space of one year now next ensuing , shall bring into the publick sto●k , the sum of 100 l. shall be admitted and reckoned into the number of the first Adventurers , their number not exceeding one hundred persons .

That every one of the number of the first Adventurers , shall have three hundred Acres of Land , laid out for him and his Heires for ever , in the first convenient place which shall be chosen , by those persons of the number of first Adventurers , who go to the said Plantation , in the present expedition and shipping . And that the said quantity of three hundred Acres for each first Adventurer ; shall at the end of the first three yeares , or sooner , if the major part of the said number or Company of first Adventurers shall require the same , shall be divided and set out by lot , unto every particular person . And that in the mean time , all the same Land shall be imployed and improved for the joynt advantage of the said Company . And that for the further and better encouragement of the said first Adventurers , every one of the said Company of first Adventurers shall have two thousand Acres more of Land , to be laid out for him and his Heires for ever , in such place or places as shall be most convenient and satisfactory unto him , and least prejudicial or disadvantagious to the publick . And that this shall be effected with as much convenient speed , as the occasions of the Plantation will permit . And that all the adjacent Islands shall be reserved to , and laid out and had for the use of the said Company of first Adventurers .

That as well every one of the Adventurers aforesaid , as also every other person , who shall at any time or times , within three yeares transport , at his own charge , unto the said Plantation , any person or persons , shall have and enjoy to him the said Transporter and his Heires for ever , the quantity of thirty five Acres of Land per person , for every person which he shall so transport ; the same Land to be set out and appointed for him , by such as shall be hereafter authorized for that purpose by the first Adventurers upon the place . And that if any Servants or Children , or other persons who shal be shipped to be transported to the said Plantation , shall after their shipping miscarry , or die by the way : yet nevertheless , the person at whose charge any such miscarrying or dying person , Child or Servant , was shipped shall have and enjoy to him and his Heires for ever in the said Plantation , and to be set out and appointed as aforesaid , the quantity of thirty five Acres for or in respect of each one person so dying or miscarrying , in as ample manner , as if he had been safely transported , and come into the said Plantation . And that every other person and persons , that shall adventure , after three yeares shall have five and twenty Acres .

That every Servant being a Christian , which shall be transported to the said Plantation , and shall serve out his time agreed upon , to the use of him who transported ●im , or of his Assignes , shall at the end of his said time of service , have and injoy to him the said Servant and his Heires for ever , the quantity of twenty and five Acres of Land , to be allowed and set out for him by such as shall be authorized by the Governour and Councel . And for the better fortifying of the said Plantations , and for the encouragement of the first Adventurers in a work of that hazard ; and also for the exciting and awakeing the industry of all : It is further ordered and agreed ;

That whatsoever Ordinance can be recovered of any wraks , shall be wholly imployed for the use of the publick , and serve for the fortification of the Plantation .

That all other wraks which shall be recovered upon , or near the Islands , or upon or near any the adjacent Islands : And also all Mynes of Gold , Silver , Copper , Brasse or Lead , Ambergreise , salt ; and all rich woods , either for tincture or medicament , which shal be had or found upon or neer the Islands or territories aforesaid , in any Land not divided , or set over to any particular proprietor , shall be delivered into the Custody of two such persons , Merchants or Agents for the said Company , as shall be yearly chosen by the said Company for that purpose , and the same Mines , Wracks , Ambergreise , Metalles , Salts , and Woods , shall be by the said two Agents , made fit for sale , and be by them withall convenient speed , sold for the best price and advantage , and the whole price and value thereof ( the Charges and wages for the procuring and fitting of them for sale , being first deducted and discharged ) shall be divided into three equal parts and shates ; and the first of the same three parts , shall be unto him or them , who shall be the undertaker or finder thereof : the second part shall be paid and distributed unto , and among the first Adventurers , their Heires , Executors and assignes , equally : and the other third part shall be paid and delivered into the publick Treasury of the said Plantation , to be imployed and laid out for the use of the publick , by order and warrant from the Governor and Councel there , for the time being . But if the same shall be found in any of the Lands appropriated , the first third part shall be to the owner or proprietor of the same Lands , and the other two thirds as aforesaid : That when the Plantation shall sufficiently be fortifyed , and all necessary publick works finished , and the generall Magazines sufficiently stored , then what shall be spared of the publick third in the wracks and Commodities aforesaid , shall be imployed in works of mercy and charity , and for the transporting from England and other places such godly people as shall be willing to go unto the said Plan●●●ns , and are not able to beare the charge of their transportation and setling there .

That no person shall pretend unto , or claim any Wracks , Mynes , Ambergreise , Salt , or rich woods , as aforesaid ; for , or by reason of their growing , or being in or upon his lot or share of ground , which shall be appointed to him as above said ; but all the said particulars shall be disposed and imployed , as before is expressed . That none of the said rich Woods growing upon Lands not appropriated , shall be cut down by any person , but by warrant first had and obtained from the Governor and Councel for that purpose ; and if any shall do otherwise , then he that shall cut , or cause to be cut , any of the said Woods without such warrant , shall loose and forfeit all that share which he might under any qualification whatsoever , pretend unto in the said Woods ; and the same forfeiture shall be to the use of the said Colonie . That if any places shall appear fit for making salt , which yet makes it not naturally , then the salt-works shall be perfected at the publick charge , and the provenue thereof to come into the publick Treasury , and be imployed for ever for the publick service , as aforesaid . That no Inhabitant of these Plantations , shall in their converse with any of the Natives of any of those parts , offer them any wrong , violence , or incivility whatsoever ; but shall deal with them with all justice and sweetness , so far as may stand with their own safety , thereby to work in them a good opinion of love , unto the wayes and knowledg of God , which every one shall endeavour to hold forth , and communicate unto them in the best manner that they can . And whereas the Company is informed , that there are some Indians have been taken and sold at some of the Caribe Islands : It is therefore agreed and ordered , that the Indians shall be sought out and redeemed : And after they have some time continued in those Plantations , for their instructions , and make them sensible of the benefit . They shall be then returned to the places from which they were taken , that every Planter shall himself provide Arms and Ammunition sufficient , for his own persons ( going to the said Plantations ) and for every Male that he shall transport thither , who is or shall be from time to time able to bear Arms , and that such adventurer shall not have his share of Land set out unto him for any Male person , unless he be as aforesaid , provided of sufficient Arms and Ammunition for them . That all in the said Plantations from the age of sixteen to sixty years , shall be ready to come to the several ●andevous appointed them , upon any Alarm , ready and armed for the cesence of the Plantations ; That none shall be compelled to take Arms , or go to war out of the Countrey unless it be for the necessary defence thereof , and to expel or divert an eminent invasion , neither shall any be suffered to take any depredations or invasions upon any , either by Sea or Land , unless upon a War first begun by them and open War by the said Plantations , first denounced against them . That the Government of the said Islands and Plantations , shall be continued in a Senate of the number of one hundred persons ; and that the Company of the first Adventurers aforesaid , shall at present be the same Senate . And whensoever any of them shall die or sell away his Interest in the said Plantations ; then there shall be another elected in his roome from time to time , by the Major part of the said Senate , out of the other Adventurers and Planters Resiant in the said I●ands . And the same election shall be made in this manner , ( viz. ) First , 20. fit persons shall be nominated . Then those 20. reduced to the number of 4. by scrutiny , and out of those 4. one to be chosen by Ballotines . And so from time to time , as often as any Me●ber of the said Senate , shall decease or shall allien or discontinue his interest in the said Plantations , or shall be amoved by the said Senate , upon just cause or complaint . And that the same Senate shall from time to time make election o● all Officers , for doing of justice , and distribution and setting out of Lands , and for the care and over-sight of all publick works , and shall have the ordering and disposing of all publick monies . That after the first three yeares expired , there shall be yearely a Governor and 12. Councellers chosen out of the said number , of 100. Senators , who shall take the daily care of all things necessary for the prosperity of the Plantation ; and that it in nothing suffer detriment or decay . And that the publick peace be maintained between man and man , and speedy justice done unto every man that shall seek it at their hands . And that the said Governor and Councel , shall have power to call together upon any emergency , to the said Senate or so many of them , as shall then be upon the said Islands , and to act and execute what shall be by the said convention of Senators , ordered and referred , or committed unto them . That the first Governor and Councel shall be elected by the first Adventurers in England , when the number of Adventurers who will transport themselves is once known . And that the same first Governor and Councel shall continue in their Office three whole yeares from the first day of their arrival at the said Islands or Plantation . That all succeeding Governors and Councel shall after the aforementioned term expired , be yearly chosen on the first Tuesday in December , for one whole year to come , beginning the first day of January following , by all the free-men of the said Plantations , by way of scrutiny and Ballotines , in such manner as is before expressed . That every person that shall transport himself to the said Plantations , or desire to become a Member of the same Plantation , shall before his admittance thereunto , acknowledge his allowance , and consent unto all and every one of these Articles ; and by subscribing the same , bind himself to conformity thereunto for the future . And this to be done before he be admitted into the said Company , and before he hath any share or proportion of Land set out and assigned to him according to these Articles .