After Oliver Cromwell gained control of the Rump Parliament and removed Charles I as monarch, his forces, led by Captain Dennis, arrived at Jamestown in March, 1652. They demanded that the colony "voluntarily" surrender to the reconstituted Parliament. The Council of the Commonwealth of Virginia ordered the two members representing Northampton County, Colonels Nathaniel Littleton and Argoll Yeardly, to collect signatures of the residents of Northampton, who would swear allegiance to the new English government. The new government had agreed to give them the same rights and privileges bestowed upon them as free-born people of England. With no protest, one hundred seventy-six Northampton County men signed the document.

To the Engagmt Tendered to ye Inhabitants of Northampton County Eleventh of March 1651.  Anno  1651

 Wee whose names are subscribed doe hereby Engage and promise to bee true and faithful to the Commonwealth of England as it is nowe Established without Kinge or Howse of Lords

25 of March

Nathaniell Littleton	Argoll Yardley	Jno. Stringer
Obedience Robins	Wm. Waters	Rich. Vaughn
Edm.  Scarburgh	Wm Jones	Tho Johnson
Edw. Douglas	Tho.  Sprigge	Danll Baker
Peter Walker	Jno. Dye	Tho. Higby
Wm  Andrews Sr.	Xtofer Maior	Robert Harryson
Nich. Waddelowe	Alex. Harryson	Jno.  Parkes
Alex:  Addison	Wm. Munds	Wm. Stanley
James Barnabye		Thomas Hunt
Jno.  Purnell	Francis  Flood	Jno.  Ayres
Samll  Sand	Steph. Stringer	Robert Harryson
Jno Dorman	Xtofer  Jarvis	Luke Billington
James  Berry	Nichl.  Scott	Randolfe  Hutchinson
Phillipp  Farrant	Anth.  Hodgskins	Nich.  Grandger
Jno. Tilney	Jno.  Nuthall	Tho.  Truman
Sampson  Robins	Wm. Whittington	Alex.  Madoxe
Jno.  Ellis	Wm.  Coake	Henr.  Armitradinge
Jeffrey  Minshall	Ben:  Cowdrey	Steph. Charlton
Georgins Hacke	Levyns  Denwood	Jno. Parrimore
Rich.  Hamby	Robert  Andrews	Jno. Robearts
Edw. Harrington	Ben.  Mathews	Xtofer  Dixon
Tricesimo die Marty 1651		Wm  Luddington
Edm.  Mathews	Xtofer Calvert	Steph. Horsey	Jno.  Jenkins
Jno. Custis	Ambrose Dixon	Jno. Robbinson	Phill. Mathews
Jno. Johnson Junr.	Wm Howse	Symon  Baieley	Edw. Leens (?)
Farmer  Jones	Robte.  Blake	Jno.  Hinman	James Jonsssen
Jno.  Dixon	Rich  Hill	Elias Hartree
Jno.  Taylor	Jno. Pott	Charles  Racliffe
Mathew Stone	Edw. Marshall	Jno. Graye
Tobias Selve (Selby)	Jno. Dolling	Jno.  Willyams
Rich.  Nottingham	Charles  Scarburgh	Randall Revelle
Nehemiah Coventon	Walter Williams	Wm Smyth
Ffrancis Morgan	Wm Stephens	Wm Custis
Wm Ward	Jno. Thacker	Tho.  Miller
Jno. Johnson Senr.	Rich.  Smyth	Alex. Madoxe
Edw. Southern	David Wheatley	Samll. Powell
Jno. Merrikyn	Robert Berry	James Browne
Danll Chadwell	Wm.  Preeneinge	Robert Baily
Jno   Weslocke	Tho.  Bootterie	Jno. Whitehead
Jno.  Coulson	Henr. White	Armstronge Ffoster
Jno. Marshall	Jno. James	Wm. Andrewes Junr.
Jno. Cornely	Tho. Price
Rich. Newell	Rich.  Baily	Samll.  Calvert
Jno. Lee	Rich. Hudson	Francis  Goodman
Phill.  Merradye	Rich. Alleyn	Jno. Willyams
Edm.  Moore	Jno.   Lewis	Wm. Conner
Edw.  Moore	Jno.  Johnson Senr.	Rich.  Smyth
Jno. Brillyant	Wm. Gaskins	Samll. Robins
Jno. Roper	Nicholas  Juerye	Jno. Goswell
Andrew Hendrye	James Adkinson	Daniel Keffyne
Antho.  Carpenter	Wm.  Gower	Jno. Browne
Jno. Wise	Wm. Boucher	Wm.  Moulls
Wm. Taylor	Jno. Johnson Jnr.	Wm Bowen
Jno. Waleford	Wm. Jorden	Rich Kellam
Mick.  Ricketts	Xtofer  Kirke	Jno. Edwards
Rich.  Bundocke	Tho Savage	Wm. Mellinge
Tho.  Clarke	Samll.  Smothergale	Raphll.  Hudson
Tho.  Irons	Wm.  Coulebourne	Rich. Tegge
Samll. Jones		Samuell Gouldsmith

Recordatur vicesimo die mensis Augusty Ano. 1652 
Teste  Edm. Mathews Clr. Cur
26of July 1653 in open court      Tho.  Sprigge  this engagement
Teste  Edm. Mathews Clr. Cur.
Court Northampton

Northampton County Court Records (1645-1654) Deeds, Wills, etc. Vol. 3, No. 3 :  pp. 188-189.