The settlers of Guilford, who were joined to New Haven Colony, exercised their powers of government by a system which conformed to the grant from Lord Say and Brook to Theophilus Eaton and his company. Like that at New Haven it was an aristocracy, but modelled in a singular way. As a part of New Haven Colony they were entitled to one Magistrate, who was their head and invested with the whole executive and judicial power. The settlers were divided into two classes, freemen and planters. The freemen could consist only of those who were church members, and partook of the sacrament. They were all under oath agreeably to their form of government. Out of their number were chosen three or four deputies to sit with the Magistrate in General Courts, and all public officers. The planters consisted of all inhabitants above the age of twenty-one years, with a certain estate, which qualified them to vote in town meetings. 5 ^{to} Ap^r 1638. A gen^rall Cort at Hartford. Forasmuch as it has pleased the Allmighty God by the wise disposition of his diuyne p^ruidence so to Order and dispose of things that we the Inhabitants and Residents of Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield are now cohabiting and dwelling in and vppon 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 vnion of such a people there should be an orderly and decent Gouerment 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 selues to be as one publike State or Com̄onwelth; and doe, for our selues and our Successors and such as shall be adioyned to vs att any tyme hereafter, enter into Combination and Confederation togather, to mayntayne and p^rsearue the liberty and purity of the gospell of our Lord Jesus w^{ch} we now p^rfesse, as also the disciplyne of the Churches w^{ch} according to the truth of the said gospell is now practiced amongst vs; As also in o^r Ciuill Affaires to be guided and gouerned according to such Lawes, Rules, Orders and decrees as shall be made, ordered & decreed, as followeth: [The eleven Fundamentalls.] [1638.] In Connecticut, it would appear that the Oath of Fidelity required of all that were admitted freemen up to July 1640, was as follows: AN OATH FOR PAQUA’ AND THE PLANTATIONS THERE: