and soe, in all courtious and loving respects, and with desire of all honest and fayre commerce with you, and the rest of our honoured and beloved countreymen, we rest Yours in all loving respects to serve you, From Providence, at the court BENEDICT ARNOLD, _Pres._ of trials, held for the WILLIAM BAULTON, coloney, Oct. 13th, 1657. RANDALL HOWLDON, ARTHUR FENNER, WILLIAM FEILD, To the much honoured, the Generall Court, sitting at Boston, the Colloney of Massachusitts. FOOTNOTES: [87] The editor cannot resist the desire to add that rarely in all history has so fundamental, and at the same time so revolutionary, a truth been stated so simply and incontrovertibly. XVI. CONNECTICUT BEFORE 1660 93. The Fundamental Orders of 1639 January 14/24, 1638/9 _Connecticut Colonial Records_, I, 20-25. Cf. _American History and Government_, ## 87-89, for the history and significance of this "first written constitution known to history that created a government." The document is printed here in full. Forasmuch as it hath pleased the Allmighty God by the wise disposition of his divyne providence so to Order and dispose of things that we the Inhabitants and Residents of Windsor, Harteford and Wethersfield are now cohabiting and dwelling in and uppon the River of Conectecotte and the Lands thereunto adjoyneing; 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 Goverment 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 conjoyne our selves to be as one Publike State or Commonwelth; and doe, for our selves and our Successors and such as shall be adjoyned 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 and decreed, as followeth:--