Dorchester vs. Charles I
Location: Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony
To the Honrd Gournr. the Deputy Gournr. together with the rest of the honrd, magistrates & house of Deputyes. Assembled in Generall court at Boston this nineteenth day of October, 1664. The Peition off the Inhabitants of Dorchester: Humbly showeth:
First of all That wee doe acknowledge it with all Thankfullness to God & to yourselues, as a great mercy, that the Lord was pleased to put into yor harts, in your late session to expresse & declare. That it is yor resolution (god assisting) to beare faith & true Alegiance vnto his majesteye. And to adhere vnto our Patent the dutyes and priuilidges thereof, soe dearly obtained & soe long enjoyed by vndoubted right in the sight of fog & men: Likewise we doe acknowledg it a favor from god in directing The Honrd Counsill in a late meeting of theers at Boston to biue forth such a declaration wherin they doe recite the sence of sundry perticulers, what or power and priuilidges are granted to vs in the said patent, as this is one, that faull power and authorty is granted to this collonye for making and executing all lawes for the gourment of this people not repugnant to the lawes of England. Another is that it shall be lawfull for this gournmut by all fitting means & if need bee by force of armes to deffend orselues against all such as shall attempt the detriment or anoyance of this plantation or the inhabitants thereof: some lawes they recite that are established & printed in relation to the former. i. e. to vphold & maintaine the sid gouerment.
All shich considered it is our humble request vnto this Honrd Court. That as you haue expressed & declared your resolution, to adhere to ye patent & ye privilidges thereof, for there may be it coastancy therein & noe declining from the same, ffor you know how vncomfortable & dishonrable it would be first to expresse such a resolution as affore mentioned, & afterward to act contrary, wey wee hope is farre from your intention. And we pray god that such a thing may never bee. It is well known how his Royall majesty by lettres to this collony doth confirme the said patnet & charter, & promiseth that wee shall Injoy all the libertyes & priuilidges granted in & by the saem, weh may be a further & great incouragmnt to yorselues to adhere to your proffessed resolution, & to take courage by your authority & wisdome, that all the people 2within this jursdiction may also doe the same. Next of all, full power being grant4ed by the patent for making and executing all lawes not repugnant to the lawes of England, some one of the lawes here established being this: That noe injustice shall bee put vpon any church officer or member. In point of doctrine worship of Discipline, whether for substance or sircumstance besides t;he Institutions of the Lord. Therefor it is our Humble request that the liberty of or churches & faithfull minstry in this collony may bee still continued, without the imposition of any such Injunction not ordained of god, weh consciences truly tender would be trouble3d withall, but that as hitherto our churches & ministers haue freed from such human Inuentions & impositions, soe they may bee still, it being well knowne to the world that to be freed therefrom was one spetiall cause that moued many to remoue from their deare natiue country Into this wilderness, & how lamentable & greiuous it would bee to be here burdened & encombered againe with such matters is easy for any to Judge. Thirdly, The patent expressly granting that the yeilding & pjag of the fifth part of the oare of gold & silver shal be for & in respect of all dutyes & demands & seruices wtsoeuer,. Therfore we jumbly Intreat that the Inhabitants of this collony may not be vrged & compelled to make any other panmts but what is by patent expressed, vnto any person or persons wtsoeuer but shuch as doe here reside & dwell, & are by the country chosen to labor amongst vs in this church and ciuil gouermt, for the low estate & condition whervato the chardg of this wilderness worke & the afflicting prouidences of god haue brought many vnto is known to bgee shch, taht small portions & saallaryes euen much below there deserts are afforded to many that labor amongst vs both in church & common wealth. And therefore to impose further taxes & paiments on the country weh the patent requireth not but freeth vs from, seemeth to bee difficult varesonable if not impossible to bee vorne, & therfor we humbly desire it may be preuented. Much honerd we haue none other on earth to flee vnto but yourselues into whose lhands under god wee haue comitted the care & preseruation of all our retious things, hoping that this great trust by god & his people by you shalbe duly obserued: we also pray for his spetiall guidance & grace to be with you in ths soe great a work.[1]
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