Text of original documents

One of the goals of the Winthrop Society is to freely distribute the texts of original documents by and about the first settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Commonwealth. These writings express the ideals and motivation of our Puritan founders, and contain invaluable historical and genealogical information.

All the following documents have been minimally edited for spelling and punctuation for ease of comprehension by the modern reader, but their content is complete and authentic. These editions are copyrighted by the Winthrop Society, 1996-2003. Readers are welcome to copy them for their personal use, but reprinting for any wider distribution is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of an Officer of The Winthrop Society. We are glad to grant permission for educational purposes, usually free of charge.

Official Documents

The Charter granted by King Charles to the Governor and Company of Massachusetts Bay, 4 March 1628/29.
The Constitution of the Massachusetts Bay Plantation, 30 April 1629.
The Cambridge Agreement among the leaders of the settlement, 26 August 1629.
The Liberties of New Englishmen, enacted democratically as the framework of law for the MBC, 1641.

Personal Memoirs and Correspondence

Pratt's Memoir of the Wessagussett Plantation, 1622/23.
A Short and True Description of New England, by the Rev. Francis Higginson, 1629.
History of the first settlements as told by Capt. John Smith, Admiral of New England, 1629.
Journal of the Crossing of the Atlantic by John Winthrop, 1630.
Thomas Dudley's Letter to Lady Bridget, Countess of Lincoln, 1631.
Capt. Roger Clapp, an excerpt form his memoir, recounting his life about the year 1640.

Essays and Rhetoric

Reasons for the Plantation in New England, circa 1628.
The Humble Request of the Puritan emigrants, 1630.
The Planters' Plea (excerpt) of the Rev. John White of Dorchester, Dorset, 1630.
A Model of Christian Charity by John Winthrop, 1630.
Advertisements to Planters of New England, by Capt. John Smith, 1631.

Lists and Rosters

Officers of the Commonwealth from 1630 to 1686.
Residents of New Towne (later called Cambridge), from the original town Court records, 1632-1635, alphabetized.
Freemen of the Commonwealth: the complete rolls from 1630 to 1636.
Salem Residents, to the year 1651.