recognition heartily, willingly, and truly, upon the true faith of a Christian. So help me God. [1679.] No further oaths, or engagements, appear until the Administration of Sir Edmund Andros, in 1686, reduced the Colony to the nature of a County under his government. _In New Hampshire Colony._ As there was no constituted authorities over the patent of New Hampshire, the Exeter settlers, under the leadership of John Wheelwright, who had purchased a tract thirty miles square from certain Indian Sachems in April, 1638, were driven to the expedient of agreeing upon a voluntary association for governmental purposes. The executive and judicial functions were vested in a board of three magistrates or elders, of whom the chief was styled Ruler. They were chosen by the whole body of freemen, who were the electors and legislators, their enactments, however, requiring the approval of the Ruler. An inhabitant had to be admitted a freeman, before he could enjoy the privileges of an elector. Under this association, an agreement was drawn up by the Reverend John Wheelwright, their leader, as follows: THE COMBINATION FOR GOVERNMENT AT EXETER, WITH THE FORMS OF OATHS FOR RULERS AND PEOPLE Whereas it hath pleased the lord to moue the heart of our Dread Soveraigne Charles by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France & Ireland, to grant license & liberty to sundry of his subjects to plant themselves in the Westerne partes of America: Wee, his loyall subjects, brethren of the church of Exeter, situate & lying upon the river of Piscataquacke, wh other inhabitants there, considering w^{th} ourselves the holy will of god and our owne necessity, that we should not live w^{th}out wholsome lawes & government amongst us, of w^{ch} we are altogether destitute; doe in the name of Christ & in the sight of god combine ourselves together, to erect & set up amongst us such government as shall be to our best discerning, agreeable to the will of god, professing ourselves subjects to our Soveraigne Lord King Charles, according to the libertys of our English Colony of the Massachusets & binding ourselves solemnely by the grace & helpe of Christ & in his name & feare to submit our selves to such godly & Christian laws as are established in the realme of England to our best knowledge, & to all other such lawes wch shall upon good grounds be made & inacted amongst us according to god y^t we may live quietly & peaceably together in all godliness and honesty. Mon. 5th d., 4th, 1639. [John Whelewright, and thirty-four others.]