as a body, the other.  It was a partnership to run for seven years, to whose capital stock the first-named partner (the Adventurers) was bound to contribute whatever moneys, or their equivalents,—­some subscriptions were paid in goods, —­were necessary to transport, equip, and maintain the colony and provide it the means of traffic, etc., for the term named.  The second-named partner (the Planter body) was to furnish the men, women, and children, —­the colonists themselves, and their best endeavors, essential to the enterprise,—­and such further contributions of money or provisions, on an agreed basis, as might be practicable for them.  At the expiration of the seven years, all properties of every kind were to be divided into two equal parts, of which the Adventurers were to take one and the Planters the other, in full satisfaction of their respective investments and claims.  The Adventurers’ half would of course be divided among themselves, in such proportion as their individual contributions bore to the sum total invested.  The Planters would divide their half among their number, according to their respective contributions of persons, money, or provisions, as per the agreed basis, which was: 

[Bradford’s Historie, Deane’s ed.; Arber, op. cit. p. 305.  The fact that Lyford (Bradford, Historie, Mass. ed. p. 217) recommended that every “particular” (i.e. non-partnership colonist) sent out by the Adventurers—­and they had come to be mostly of that class—­“should come over as an Adventurer, even if only a ser vant,” and the fact that he recognized that some one would have to pay in L10 to make each one an Adventurer, would seem to indicate that any one was eligible and that either L10 was the price of the Merchant Adventurer’s share, or that this was the smallest subscription which would admit to membership.  Such “particular,” even although an Adventurer, had no partnership share in the Planters’ half-interest; had no voice in the government, and no claim for maintenance.  He was, however, amenable to the government, subject to military duty and to tax.  The advantage of being an Adventurer without a voice in colony affairs would be purely a moral one.]

that every person joining the enterprise, whether man, woman, youth, maid, or servant, if sixteen years old, should count as a share; that a share should be reckoned at L10, and hence that L10 worth of money or provisions should also count as a share.  Every man, therefore, would be entitled to one share for each person (if sixteen years of age) he contributed, and for each L10 of money or provisions he added thereto, another share.  Two children between ten and sixteen would count as one and be allowed a share in the division, but children under ten were to have only fifty acres of wild land.  The scheme was admirable for its equity, simplicity, and elasticity, and was equally so for either capitalist or colonist.