ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT Had, Made, and Concluded, between the Commissioners of the Right Honourable the Lord WILLOUGHBY of PARHAM, of the one Party; and the Commissioners of the Parliament of England, of the other PARTY: Being in Order to the RENDITION Of the ISLAND of BARBADOES:  
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1652.   

Articles of Agreement, had, made, and concluded, the eleventh day of January, 1651. by and between the Commissioners of the Right Honourable the Lord Willoughby of Parham of the one party, and the Commissioners in the behalf of the Commonwealth of England, of the other Party, being in order to the Rendition of the Island of Barbadoes, are as followeth:  

I. THat a Liberty of Conscience in matters of Religion be allowed to all excepting to such whose Tenants are inconsistent to a Civil Government, and that the Laws be put in Execution against Atheism, Blasphemy, and open scandalous living, seditious Preaching, or unsound Doctrine sufficiently proved against him.  
II. That the Courts of Justice shall still continue, and all Judgements and Orders therein be valid, until they be reverted by due form of Law.  
III. That no Taxes, Customs, Impost, Laws, or Excise shall be laid, nor Levies made to any of the Inhabitants of this Island, without their free consent in a General Assembly.  
FOUR That no man shall be Imprisoned, or put out of his possession of Land and Tenements, which he hath by any former Warrant or title derived from it, or other Goods or Chattels whatever, without due proceed according to the known common Laws of England, and Statutes and Customs of this Island, in the Court of Justice here first had, and Judgement for the same obtained, and Execution from thence recorded.  
V That all suits between party and party, and Criminal and Common Pleas be determined here, and none be compelled to go into England, to assert and defend their Titles to any Estate which they have here, without consent of a General Assembly.  
VI That an Act of indemnity be withal convenient speed passed in the Parliament of England, to save and keep harmless and unquestionable, all and every of the Inhabitants of this Island, that are comprised within these Articles, for, and concerning any Act or thing whatsoever, done by them or any of them, at any time, or in any place, or words spoken by them or any of them before the date of these Articles, and that they be cleared, acquitted, and discharged thereof for ever, as well in respect of the public power, as of any particular person concerning damages, or loss which they have received by reason of the present defectives, and until the said Act come hither, an Instrument of indemnity to all such comprised in these Articles to the purpose aforesaid be assigned by Sir George his Assign, and the other Commissioners, and the said Articles, together with the said Instrument of indemnity, may be received into the Assembly here, and filled among the Records, and that it be presented by the said George Ascue and the Commissioners to the Parliament of England, or the Council of State established by authority of Parliament, that an Act made the third of October, whereby the Inhabitants of this Island have been declared Traitors, may upon this Accord, be taken off the File from among the Records.  
VII. That all and every the Inhabitants of this Island comprised within these Articles be restored to all their Lands, and possession of Goods, and Money, which they have right to in England, Scotland, or Ireland.  
VIII. That no Oaths, Covenants, or Engagements whatsoever be imposed upon the Inhabitants of this Island, who receive the benefit of those Articles against their Consciences.  
IX. That all Ports, Towns, and Cities, under the Parliaments power, that be open into the Inhabitants of this Island, in as great a freedom of Trade as ever, and that no Companies be placed over them; nor the Commodities of this Island engrossed into private men's hands: And that all Trade be free with all Nations that do Trade, and are in unity with England.  
X. That whereas the Excise upon strong Liquors was laid for the payment of public Debts; It is therefore agreed, That the Lord Willoughby of Parham, and all employed by him, and all other persons whatsoever, shallbe acquitted and discharged from the payment of any public Debts, and that the same be discharged by the said Excise, and such other ways as to the General Assembly shall seem fit, provided that care and respect be therein had to such as have eminently suffered in their Estates.  
XI. That all Persons be free at any time to transport themselves or Estates when they shall think fit, first setting up their Names according to the Custom of this Island.  
XII. That all Prisoners on both sides be discharged and set free, with their full benefit of enjoying all those Articles, and that all those Horses, , and Servants, Negroes, and other Goods whatever, be returned to the right Owners, except such Servants as had freedom given them, and come aboard before Saturday the third of january.  
XIII. That such particular Persons as are in this Island at the time of the Surrender thereof, who have Estates on Antego, may peaceably return thither, and there enjoy the benefits of those Articles.  
XIV. That for certain time all executions be stopped, sufficient caution being given, that all the expiration of the payment be made, and that the Commissioners, together with the general Assembly, be Judges of the time and caution.  
XV. That all their small Vessels, or Barks, now on ground before the bridge Town, do repair to their proper owners, and have liberty to go to any part laden.  
XVI. That the Lord Willoughby of Parham have all his Lands, Rents, and all his Estates whatsoever real and personal in England, without any Fine or Composition paid, restored to him or his Assigns free from all encumbrances laid on the same by the Parliament of England, or any by them authorized, since the time of its first seizure or sequestration; and that what settlements the said Lord Willoughby hath made at Surrenam, or any other he shall make on any part of the name of Guinashall, be by him enjoyed, and I hope without any disturbance, either of himself or those that shall accompany him thither: And that he hath free liberty to bring Servants from any Port in England or Ireland; and that his Plantation at Antego; according to the bounds already made out, reserved to him; and what Estate soever of right doth belong to the said Lord Willoughby of Parham in this Island of Barbodoes', be to him entirely preserved.  
XVII. That all such persons of this Island or elsewhere, whose Estates have here been sequestered or detained from them upon this public defence, be forthwith restored to their Plantations, Goods, or Estates upon this Island.  
XVIII. That the Island of Barbadoes, with all the Forts, Sconces, Fortifications thereof, and that all the Artillery, all public Arms and Ammunition, be delivered up, into the hands of Sir George Ayscue for the use of the States of England, before Monday twelve of the Clock at noon, being the 11. of this instant January, and that no Garrison be kept here, but that all forces be disbanded within four and twenty hours after the sealing of these Articles, and that for the safety of the Island the Militia shall be disposed of as to the present Commissioners, and future Governors shall seem fit, the Articles not to be construed to take away the Arms of any particular person within this Island.  
XIX. That the Government of this Island be by a Governor, Council, and Assembly, according to the ancient and usual Customs; and that the Governors be appointed by the State of England, and from June to June received and obeyed here, the Council for the present to be by him chosen, the Assembly to be chosen by a free voluntary election of the Freeholders' of this Island, in the several Parishes; and that the usual Customs, of the choice of the Council, be represented by the Commissioners to the Parliament of England, or to the Council of State, established by Authority of Parliament, with the desires of the Inhabitants for the confirmation thereof for the future.  
XX. And whereas it hath been taken into serious consideration, that the main and chief cause of our troubles and miseries hath grown by lose and base uncivil language tending to sedition, only used among many people: Here it is therefore further agreed, that at the first general Assembly a strict Law be made against all such persons, with a heavy penalty to be inflicted upon them that shall be guilty of any reviling speeches of what nature soever, by remembering or reviling into former differences, and reproaching any man with the cause he hath formerly defended.  
XXI. It is agreed, that the Articles may with all convenient speed be presented to the Parliament of England, to be by them ratified and confirmed to all intents, contractions, and purposes.  
XXII. It is further agreed, That all Laws heretofore made by general Assemblies, that are not repugnant to the Laws of England, shall be good, excepting such as concern the present difference.  
XXIII. That the Right Honourable the Lord Willoughby have free liberty to go into England, and there to stay or departed at his pleasure, without having any Oath or Engagement put upon him, he acting or attempting nothing prejudicial to the Commonwealth of England:   
In witness whereof, we the Commissioners appointed by the Lord Willoughby, have hereunto set our hands and seals this 11th day of January, 1651. 

Richard Pearce.  
Charles Pym.  
Tho. Ellis.  
Will. Byam.     

By the Governor.  
IT is my pleasure, that the above-written Articles be published in several Parish Churches within this Island:  
Given under my Hand this sixteenth of january, 1651. George Ayscue.  
Veria Copia.