Ordered, that the forme of engagement aforesaid shall be used vntill further order; any former order or forme vsed or prescribed to the contrary, or differing herefrom notwithstanding. [1665.] These forms were re-enacted in 1677.
The Commission appointed by the King to assert the rights of the Crown to the seven New England Colonies, as the first of the propositions of his Majesty’s will and pleasure in Rhode Island, proposed:
That all householders inhabiting this Collony take the oath of alleagence and the administration of justice be in his Majestyes name.
Wherevpon, and in a deepsence of his Majestyes most Royall and wonderful grace and favour more pertickerlerly ... in his letters pattents ... in which is expresed his ... indulgence extended to tender consiences, differing in matters of religious worshipe and conceanments; and more especially in matters of formes of oathes and cerimonyes or circumstances relating therevnto, ... considering therein the liberty of concience therein granted.
The Assembly doe with one consent ... in all cheerfull obediance ... and therein minding the preveledge granted to tender conciences, doe in the first place order and declare: that whereas in this Collony it hath ben alwayes accounted and granted a liberty to such as make a scruple of swearing and taken an oath, that in stead thereof they shall engage, under the penalty of false swearing, though they sweare not in publicke engagement, as well as if they did sweare, that therefore this most loyall and resonable engagement be given by all men capable within this jurisdiction for their allegiance to the King, &c.
The forme of which engagement shall be as followeth:
You, A. B., sollemly and sincearly engage true and faithfull aleagiance vnto his Majestye Charles the Second, King of England, his heires and successors, to beare and due obediance vnto the lawes established, from time to time in this jurisdiction, to yeald vnto the vtmost of your power, according to the previlidge by his said Majesty granted, in religioues and civill concearnments to this Collony in the Charter; which said engagement you make vnder the perill and penalty of perjury. [1665.]
They further ordered that “this engagement shall be administered to all that are already admitted freemen, and that no man shall be admitted a freeman, and all men that are householders or aged eighteen or more, shall take the engagement or loose the priviledge of freemen until they give the engagement premised.” The passage of this law led to a long agitation by those who thought it to be hard on the consciences by many whom it rendered incapable from carrying on the affairs of the corporation. And, in the following year, the Assembly ordered and declared, “That such as are free in their conscience so to do, give the Engagement, or if they rather choose to give the oath of allegiance now required in England, that shall be taken; but if there are some words in either which, in conscience they cannot condescend to say or use, may in open court, or before two Magistrates adopt in equivalent words significant of allegiance and submission to yield obedience actively and passively, to the laws made by virtue of his Majesty’s authority, he shall be restored or admitted as freeman, any former law to the contrary notwithstanding.”
At a Court held in his Majesty’s name, and under his authority, at the towne of Westerly, in the King’s Province, the 17th of September, 1679.