In October 1640 a group of inhabitants living along the Piscataqua River entered into a compact titled the “Combination of the People of Dover to Establish a Form of Government.” At the time no formal civil authority had been established for the settlement by the Crown. The signatories therefore agreed to constitute a body politic and to govern themselves according to the laws of England and such additional orders as their freemen should enact. Although the original record survived on the town books as late as 1665, as noted by Hubbard, it had disappeared by the time Jeremy Belknap wrote his history of New Hampshire. A contemporaneous copy made in 1682 by Governor Edward Cranfield was later located in the Public Record Office in London and provides the text reproduced below.
Text of the Combination
Whereas sundry Mischeifes and inconveniences have befaln us, and more and greater may in regard of want of Civill Government, his Gratious Matie haveing hitherto setled no Order for us to our Knowledge:
Wee whose names are underwritten being Inhabitants upon the River Piscataquack have voluntarily agreed to combine our Selves into a Body Politique that wee may the more comfortably enjoy the benefit of his Maties Lawes. And do hereby actually ingage our Selves to Submit to his Royal Maties Lawes together with all such Orders as shalbee concluded by a Major part of the Freemen of our Society, in case they bee not repugnant to the Lawes of England and administred in the behalfe of his Majesty.
And this wee have Mutually promised and concluded to do and so to continue till his Excellent Matie shall give other Order concerning us.
In Witness wee have hereto Set our hands the two & twentieth day of October in the Sixteenth yeare of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles by the grace of God King of Great Brittain France & Ireland Defender of the Faith &c Annoq Domi: 1640.
Signatories in alphabetical order
- Henry Beck
- William Bowden
- Abel Camond
- Thomas Canning
- Fran: Champernoon
- Edward Colcord
- John Crosse
- Tho: Dunstar
- Anthony Emery
- John Follett
- William Furber
- Peter Garland
- Samuel Haines
- John Hall
- John Heard
- Robert Huggins
- Bartholmew Hunt
- William Jones
- Hansed Knowles
- Richard Laham
- Henry Lahorn
- Thom. Larkin
- Tho: Layton
- Robert Nanney
- James Nute
- John Phillips
- Richard Pinckhame
- William Pomfret
- James Rawlins
- Tho: Roberts
- Bartholmew Smith
- Edward Starr
- William Storer
- Philip Swaddow
- Steven Teddar
- John Underhill
- John Upgroufe
- Richard Waldern
- William Waldern
- John Wastill
- George Webb
This is a True Copy compared with ye Originall by me
Edw Cranfield
(Endorsed)
New England N. Hampshire
The Combination for Government by ye people at Pascataq.
1640
recd abt 13 Febr. 82–3
Context and Aftermath
The Cranfield copy likely contains scribal inaccuracies. “Phillip Swaddow” appears as Swadden in the protest of 1641. “Abel Camond” is conjectured to be Abel Camock. “Steven Teddar” is likely Stephen Kidder of Berwick if Belknap identified the name correctly. “Thomas Canning” appears later as “Cannie,” though the original form was probably Canning. “Thomas Dunstar” occasionally appears as Durstin. “Edward Starr” was almost certainly Edward Starbuck. The entry sometimes read as “Robert Varney” corresponds to Robert Nanney, which may later have evolved into Varney.
The combination emerged amid political agitation led by Captain John Underhill. Though outwardly hostile to Massachusetts, Underhill privately pressed for uniting the plantation with that government, creating significant discord. Belknap records that Underhill attempted to undermine the combination and secured signatures favoring submission to Massachusetts by both inducement and intimidation. The dispute resulted in disorder within the settlement and ultimately in the decree banishing Underhill from the colony.
The Dover Combination of 1640 represents an early instance of New England settlers forming a provisional civil government in the absence of direct royal administration. Although limited in scope and duration, it illustrates the practical measures taken to maintain order, define political authority, and reconcile local autonomy with allegiance to the Crown during the formative decades of northern New England settlement.
Source
George Wadleigh, Notable Events in the History of Dover, New Hampshire, from the First Settlement in 1623 to 1865 (Dover NH, Tufts College Press, 1913).