THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT（1620）
Composed by William Bradford Adopted November 11， 1620
[This Compact， drawn up in the cabin of the Mayflower， was not a constitution， a document defining and limiting the functions of government. It was， however， the germ of popular government in America.
Governor Bradford makes this reference to the circumstances under which the Compact was drawn up and signed：
This day， before we came to harbour， observing some not well affected to unity and concord， but gave some appearance of faction， it was thought good there should be an association and agreement， that we should combine together in one body， and to submit to such government and governors as we should by common consent agree to make and choose， and set our hands to this that follows， word for word.]
In the name of God， Amen.
We whose names are underwritten， the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord， King James， by the grace of God， of Great Britain， France and Ireland king， defender of the faith， etc， having undertaken， for the glory of God， and advancement of the Christian faith， and honor of our king and country， a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia， do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God， and one of another， covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic， for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid； and by virtue hereof to enact， constitute， and frame such just and equal laws， ordinances， acts， constitutions， and offices， from time to time， as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony， unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape-Cod the 11 of November， in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord， King James， of England， France， and Ireland the eighteenth， and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini 1620.
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五月花号公约
以上帝的名义，阿门。我们这些签署人是蒙上帝保佑的大不列颠、法兰西和爱尔兰的国王──信仰和教会的捍卫者詹姆斯国王陛下的忠顺臣民。
为了上帝的荣耀，为了增强基督教信仰，为了提高我们国王和国家的荣誉，我们漂洋过海，在维吉尼亚北部开发第一个殖民地。我们在上帝面前共同立誓签约，自愿结为一民众自治团体。为了使上述目的能得到更好地实施、维护和发展，将来不时依此而制定颁布的被认为是对这个殖民地全体人民都最适合、最方便的法律、法规、条令、宪章和公职，我们都保证遵守和服从。
据此于主后l620年11月11日，于英格兰、法兰西、爱尔兰第十八世国王暨苏格兰第五十四世国王詹姆斯陛下在位之年，我们在科德角签名如下。