“I, A.___
B.___, being by God's providence an inhabitant and
freeman
within the jurisdiction of this
Commonwealth, do
freely
acknowledge myself to be subject to the government
thereof,
and therefore do here swear by the great and dreadful
name of
the everlasting God, that I will be true and faithful
to the
same, and will accordingly yield assistance and support
thereunto,
with my person and estate, as in equity I am bound;
and I
will also truly endeavour to maintain and
preserve all the
liberties
and privileges thereof, submitting myself to the whole-
some laws
and orders, made and established by the same.
And
further, that I will not plot nor practise any evil against
it, nor
consent to any, that shall so do, but will
truly discover
and
reveal the same to lawful authority now here established,
for the
speedy preventing thereof. Moreover, I do solemnly
bind
myself in the sight of God, that when I shall be called
to give
my voice, touching any such matter of this
state,
wherein
freemen are to deal, I will give my vote and
suffrage,
as I shall
judge in mine own conscience may best
conduce
and tend
to the public weal of the body, without respect of
persons or favor of any
man, so help me God in the Lord
Jesus Christ."
Freemen-
To become a freeman, each person was
legally required to
be a respectable member of some
congregational
church.
Persons were made freemen by the
General Court of the col-
ony, and also by quarterly courts of
the counties. None but
freemen could hold offices or vote
for rulers. This regulation
was so far modified by Royal order,
in 1664, as to allow indi-
viduals to be made freemen, who
could obtain certificates of
their being;
correct in doctrine and conduct from clergymen
acquainted with them.