-four, which was the year of our Lord God 1620, undertake a voyage
into that part of America called Virginia or New England, thereunto
adjoining, there to erect a plantation and colony of English, intending
the glory of God and the enlargement of his Majesty's dominions, and the
special good of the English nation."

Thus the laws and ordinances of the Plymouth Government, and the oaths
of office from the Governor to the constable, freeman and transient
resident, recognize their duty as British subjects, and breathe a spirit
of pure loyalty to their Sovereign. The only reference I find in their
records to the Commonwealth of England is the following declaration,
made in 1658, the last year of Cromwell's government. It is the preface
to the collection of the General Laws, revised and published Sept. 29,
1658, and is as follows:

"We, the associates of New Plymouth, coming hither as freeborn subjects
of the State of England, endowed with all the privileges belonging to
such, being assembled, do ordain, constitute and enact that no act,
imposition, laws or ordinances be made or imposed on us at present or to
come, but such as shall be made and imposed by consent of the body of
the associates or their representatives legally assembled, which is
according to the free libertie of the State of England."

At the first annual meeting of the Plymouth House of Representatives
after the restoration of Charles the Second, the following declaration
and order was made:

"Whereas we are certainly informed that it hath pleased God to establish
our Sovereign Lord King Charles the Second in the enjoyment of his
undoubted rights to the Crowns of England, Scotland, France and Ireland,
and is so declared and owned by his good subjects of these kingdoms; We
therefore, his Majesty's loyal subjects, the inhabitants of the
jurisdiction of New Plymouth, do hereby declare our free and ready
concurrence with such other of his Majesty's subjects, and to his said
Majesty, his heirs and successors, we do most humbly and faithfully
submit and oblige ourselves for ever. God save the King.

"June the fifth, Anno Dom. 1661.

"The fifth day of June, 1661, Charles the Second, King of England,
Scotland, France and Ireland, &c., was solemnly proclaimed at Plymouth,
in New England, in America." (This the Puritan Government of
Massachusetts Bay refused to do.)

On the accession of James the Second we find the following entry in the
Plymouth records: "The