“Translate” and Summarize the Mayflower Compact into Modern English
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 advancements 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 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 hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the 11th 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, 1620.
Translation:
We pray to god as we write this. Those of us who signed are subjects of King James. We are also subjects of god.
We came here for god, for Christianity, for the king, and for England. We are on a voyage to put a colony into the northern parts of Virginia. Since god agrees, we all agree to work together in this new land. We will work together to make ourselves better, and to last longer. We will make laws that we think are the best for the colony, and we promise to follow these laws completely.
We sign today, at Cape Cod, November 11th, 1620, under the control of King James.
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 advancements 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 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 hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the 11th 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, 1620.
Translation:
We pray to god as we write this. Those of us who signed are subjects of King James. We are also subjects of god.
We came here for god, for Christianity, for the king, and for England. We are on a voyage to put a colony into the northern parts of Virginia. Since god agrees, we all agree to work together in this new land. We will work together to make ourselves better, and to last longer. We will make laws that we think are the best for the colony, and we promise to follow these laws completely.
We sign today, at Cape Cod, November 11th, 1620, under the control of King James.