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Massachusetts Bay Colony Freeman Oaths 1634

Such as took the Oath of Freeman on April 1, 1634

Such as took the Oath on May 14, 1634

A New Oath

Two separate groups were sworn on May 14th, 1634, and this redactor is uncertain of the reason. One might speculate that, after the first group, above, was sworn by the Oath of 1631, the new oath was proposed by the larger second group containing many worthies and first settlers, and then adopted by the Court. At that same session, we note also that Thomas Dudley replaced the more conservative John Winthrop as Governor, and the powerful and persuasive Rev. John Cotton (among the second group of Freemen, below) was heard to speak on constitutional issues. As was noted above, the Oath of 1631 was considered unreasonably demanding to many of the first settlers, and the Oath in 1634 was reworded to make allegiance binding to the Commonwealth, but not to the persons of the present government, and also allowed the oath-taker's conscience to bear in its interpretation.
A significant portion of the first settlers of the Colony refused the first oath, but are found on the following lists of 1634 and 1635, among more recently arrived settlers. Below is the new Oath, and a list of all who took the Oath in this and the subsequent court sessions up to the
end of the Julian year 1635/36.

The Oath of Freeman agreed upon
at the General Court, May 14, 1634.

I, [                 ], being by God's providence an inhabitant and freeman within the jurisdiction of this common weale, do freely acknowledge myself common weale, do freely acknowledge myself to be subject to the government thereof, and therefore do hereby swear by the great and dreadful name of the ever-living 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 will also truly endeavor to maintain and preserve all the priviledges and liberties thereunto, submitting myself to the wholesome laws 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 be so done, but will timely 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 in my own conscience judge best to produce and tend to the public weale of the body, without respect of persons or respect of any man

Freemen made at the General Court, May 14th, 1634: