March 4, 1629 • Massachusetts Bay Got Self-Governing Charter

arly in the colonization of North America, the English realized that colonies were too expensive to be financed by one man. Venture capitalists formed joint stock companies to finance the settlements. The stockholders figured they would remain in London reaping the profits and supervising the affairs of their colonies in America. Things were different with the Massachusetts Bay Colony, however.

During the 1620s tension between King Charles, the Puritans, and leaders of Parliament became so intense that many Puritans thought of emigrating to the new world to find a measure of freedom. Some of these Puritans were wealthy and had political influence; they wanted a patent not only to settle the land, but to govern it for themselves. However, in light of current political events, they doubted if the king could be convinced to look favorably on their enterprise.

The situation worsened on March 2nd, 1629, when King Charles imprisoned Parliament's leaders. But amazingly enough, two days later, on this day, March 4, 1629, he signed the Massachusetts Bay Charter, giving the Merchants governing power over the colony. Perhaps by oversight, the charter did not require that the officers of the company had to remain in England.

The stockholders saw this as the opportunity they needed to move the company and its entire government to America. Community leaders, businessmen, and whole families would be more willing to invest in the company and become colonists if they could have an influence on the government and not be treated as servants of a company back in England. Massachusetts could be, in effect, a self-governing colony with the colonists themselves as the stockholders in the company.

It seemed Providential to them that King Charles would grant the Massachusetts charter only days after his strong show of force against a largely Puritan Parliament. What else could this be but God's hand? As John Winthrop, Jr., later governor of Connecticut, wrote his father John Winthrop, governor of Massachusetts:

"For the business of New England I can say no other thing but that I believe confidently that the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord who disposes all alterations by His blessed will to His own glory and the good of His, and therefore do assume myself that all things shall work together for the best."

Bibliography:

1. Adapted from an earlier Christian History Institute story.
2. Jesse, John Heneage. Memoirs of the Court of England During the Reign of the Stuarts, including the Protectorate. (a.k.a. England Under the Stewarts). London: Henry G. Bohn, 1847. Source of the image.

Last updated June, 2007.