In these days we hear much in praise of collective and controlled enterprises. It is, therefore, especially interesting to note that the first business contract signed in this country of which we have record was to establish an undertaking of just such a sort. This event occurred at Plymouth in 1626, when Governor William Bradford, Captain Miles Standish, William Brewster, John Alden, and several others drew up an agreement with the Colony and with the Merchant Adventurers of London, England, whereby they assumed complete control of the trade of the Colony for a period of six years.