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Forasmuch as it hath pleased the Allmighty
God by the wise disposition of his divyne
pruvidence so to Order and dispose of things
that we the Inhabitants and Residents of
Windsor, Harteford and Wethersfield are now
cohabitating [living] and dwelling in and uppon
the River of Conectecotte and the lands
thereunto adioyneing; And well knowing where
a people are gathered togather the word of God
requires that to mayntayne the peace and union
of such a people there should be an orderly and
decent Government established according to
God, to order and dispose of the affayres of the
people at all seasons as occation shall require;
doe therefore assotiate and conioyne our selves
to be as one Publike State or Commonwelth; and
doe, for our selves and our Successors and such
as shall be adioyned to us att any tyme hereafter,
enter into Combination and Confederation
togather, to mayntayne and presearve the liberty
and purity of the gospell of our Lord Jesus
which we now professe, as also the disciplyne of
the Churches, which according to the truth of the
said gospell is now practised amongst us; As also
in our Civell Affaires to be guided and governed
according to such Lawes, Rules, Orders and
decrees as shall be made, ordered & decreed....
1. It is Ordered... that there shall be yerely
two generall Assemblies or Courts, the first
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shall be called the Courte of Election, wherein
shall be yerely Chosen... magestrats and other
publike Officers... Whereof one to be chosen
Governour for the yeare ensueing and untill
another be chosen, and noe other Magestrate to
be chosen for more than one yeare; provided
allwayes there be sixe chosen besids the
Governour; which... shall have power to
administer justice according to the Lawes here
established,... which choise shall be made by
all that are admitted freemen and have taken the
Oath of Fidellity, and doe cohabitte [live] within
this Jurisdiction....
4. It is Ordered... that noe person be
chosen Governor above once in two yeares, and
that the Governor be alwayes a member of some
approved congregation, and formerly of the
Magestracy within this Jurisdiction; and all the
Magestrats Freemen of this Commonwelth....
8. It is Ordered...that Wyndsor, Hartford
and Wethersfield shall have power, ech Towne,
to send fower [four] of their freemen as their
deputyes to every Generall Courte; and
whatsoever other Townes shall be hereafter
added to this Jurisdiction, they shall send so
many deputyes as the Courte shall judge meete,
a resonable proportion to the number of Freemen
that are in the said Townes being to be attended
therein....
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