Oaths of Allegiance in Colonial New England

The colonists of Connecticut, in the main, followed closely the general system of laws of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, from which they had emigrated. Their form of government was theocratic, the Oath of a Freeman being the test of citizenship. The settlers of Windsor, who came from Dorchester with John Warham, in 1635, did not, however, make church membership a necessary qualification for holding civil office.

The settlers of Guilford, who were joined to New Haven Colony, exercised their powers of government by a system which conformed to the grant from Lord Say and Brook to Theophilus Eaton and his company. Like that at New Haven it was an aristocracy, but modelled in a singular way. As a part of New Haven Colony they were entitled to one Magistrate, who was their head and invested with the whole executive and judicial power. The settlers were divided into two classes, freemen and planters. The freemen could consist only of those who were church members, and partook of the sacrament. They were all under oath agreeably to their form of government. Out of their number were chosen three or four deputies to sit with the Magistrate in General Courts, and all public officers. The planters consisted of all inhabitants above the age of twenty-one years, with a certain estate, which qualified them to vote in town meetings.

5 ^to Ap^r 1638. A gen^rall Cort at Hartford.

Forasmuch as it has pleased the Allmighty God by the wise disposition of his diuyne p^ruidence so to Order and dispose of things that we the Inhabitants and Residents of Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield are now cohabiting and dwelling in and vppon the River of Conectecotte and the Lands thereunto adioyneing; And well knowing where a people are gathered togather the word of God requires that to mayntayne the peace and vnion of such a people there should be an orderly and decent Gouerment established according to God, to order and dispose of the affayres of the people at all seasons as occation shall require: doe therefore assotiate and conioyne our selues to be as one publike State or Com̄onwelth; and doe, for our selues and our Successors and such as shall be adioyned to vs att any tyme hereafter, enter into Combination and Confederation togather, to mayntayne and p^rsearue the liberty and purity of the gospell of our Lord Jesus w^ch we now p^rfesse, as also the disciplyne of the Churches w^ch according to the truth of the said gospell is now practiced amongst vs; As also in o^r Ciuill Affaires to be guided and gouerned according to such Lawes, Rules, Orders and decrees as shall be made, ordered & decreed, as followeth: [The eleven Fundamentalls.] [1638.]

In Connecticut, it would appear that the Oath of Fidelity required of all that were admitted freemen up to July 1640, was as follows:

An Oath for Paqua’ and the Plantations there:

I A. B. being by the P^ruidence of God an inhabitant w^thin the Jurisdiction of Conectecotte, doe acknowledge my selfe to be subject to the gou^rment thereof, and doe sweare by the great and dreadfull name of the eu^r liueing God to be true and faythfull vnto the same, and doe submitt boath my P^rson & estate thereunto, according to all the holsome lawes & orders that ether are or hereafter shall be there made by lawfull authority: And that I will nether plott nor practice any euell agaynst the same, nor consent to any that shall so doe, but will tymely discou^r the same to lawfull authority established there; and that I will maynetayne, as in duty I am bownd, the honor of the same & of the lawfull Magestrats thereof, promoteing the publike good thereof, whilst I shall so continue an Inhabitant there, and whensou^r I shall give my vote, suffrage or p^rxy, being cauled thereunto touching any matter w^ch conserns this Com̄onwelth, I will giue y^t as in my conscience may conduce to the best good of the same, w^thout respect of p^rson or favor of any man; So helpe me God in the Lo: Jesus Christ. [1640.]

The Oath of a Freeman

I, A. B. being by the P^ruidence of God an Inhabitant w^thin the Jurisdiction of Conectecotte, doe acknowledge myselfe to be subiecte to the Gouerment thereof, and doe sweare by the great and fearefull name of the euerliueing God, to be true and faythfull vnto the same, and doe submitt boath my p^rson and estate thereunto, according to all the holsome lawes and orders that there are, or here after shall be there made, and established by lawfull authority, and that I will nether plott nor practice any euell ag^t the same, nor consent to any that shall so doe, but will tymely discouer the same to lawfull authority there established; and that I will, as I am in duty bownd, mayntayne the honner of the same and of the lawfull Magestratts thereof, p^rmoting the publike good of y^t, whilst I shall soe continue an inhabitant there; and whensoeu^r I shall giue my voate or suffrage touching any matter w^ch conserns this Com̄on welth being cauled there unto, will give y^t as in my conscience I shall judge may conduce to the best good of the same, w^thout respect of p^rsons or favor of any man. Soe helpe me God in o^r Lord Jesus Christe. Aprill the xth, 1640.

At a Generall Assembly held at Hartford, Aprill 20th, 1665, there was presented to the Court the Propositions of his Majesty’s Royal Commission which were read and answered as follows;

1. That all householders inhabiting this Colony take the oath of allegiance, and that the administration of justice be in his Majesties name.

To this we returne, that according to his Majesties pleasure exprest in o^r Charter, o^r Gouernour formerly hath nominated and appoynted meet persons to administer the oath of allegiance, whoe haue, according to their order, administred the s^d oath to seuerall persons allready; and the administration of justice amongst us hath been, is and shall be in his Majesties name.

2nd Propos: That all men of competent estates and of ciuill conuersation, though of different judgments, may be admitted to be freemen, and haue liberty to chuse or to be chosen officers, both military and ciuill.

To the 2d, our order for admission of freemen is consonant w^th that proposition.

3. Propos: That all persons of ciuill liues may freely injoy the liberty of their consciences, and the worship of God in that way which they thinke best, prouided that this liberty tend not to the disturbance of the publique, nor to the hindrance of the maintenance of Ministers regularly chosen in each respectiue parish or township.

To the 3d Propos: We say, we know not if any one that hath bin troubled by us for attending his conscience, prouided he hath not distu^rbed the publique.

4 Propos: That all lawes and expressions in lawes, derogatory to his Majestie, if any such haue bin made in these late troublesome times, may be repealed, altered and taken off the file.

To the 4th p^rpos: We return, we know not of any lawe or expressions in any law that is derogatory to his Majesty amongst us; but if any such be found, we count it o^r duty to repeal, alter it, and take it off the file, and this we attended upon the receipt of our Charter. [1665].

At a Gen^ll Assembly for election held at Hartford, May 11, ‘65. This Court declare that it is their full sense and determination that such persons as are or hereafter shalbe approued to be freemen of this Corporation shal take y^e Oath that is already established vpon record to be administered to y^e respectiue freemen: And further, that all such as shal refuse to take the said oath, though otherwise approued p^rsons yet shal not p^rtake of the privilidges of those that have bene formally incorporated into this civil society, vntil y^e said Oath be administred vnto them: Provided that this order includes not either freemen formerly admitted and sworne or Assistants and Com̄issioners that haue taken their corporal oaths or Deputies that haue bene accepted into y^e Gen^ll Assembly to assist in ye concernments of this corporation. [1665.]