The Mayflower Compact
In ye name of God Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyall
subjects of our dread soveraigne Lord King James, by ye grace of God, of Great
Britaine, Franc, & Ireland king, defender of ye faith, & c. Haveing undertaken,
for ye glorie of God, and advancemente of ye Christian faith and honour of our
king & countrie, a voyage to plant ye first colonie in ye Northerne parts of
Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly & mutualy in ye presence of God, and
one of another, covenant & combine ourselves together into a Civil body
politick; for our better ordering, & preservation & furtherance of ye ends
aforesaid; and by vertue hereof to enacte, constitute, and frame such just &
equall Lawes, ordinances, Acts, constitutions, & offices, from time to time, as
shall be thought most meete & convenient for ye generall good of the colonie;
unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witnes whereof
we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cap-Codd ye -11- of November, in
the year of our soveraigne Lord King James of England, France, & Ireland ye
eighteenth, and of Scotland ye fiftie fourth, Ano Dom. 1620.