Oath of Allegiance Taken Before Ebenezer Matoon

We John Quinton &c.

I _ do truely and sincerely acknowledge profess, testify, and declare, That The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is, and of Right ought to be free, sovereign, and independent State and We do swear, that We will hear true Faith, and Allegiance to the said Commonwealth, and that we will defend the same against traiterous Conspiracies, and all hostile attemps whatsoever, and that We do renounce and abjure all Allegiance Subjection and Obedience to the King of Great Britain- and every other foreign Power whatsoever, and that no foreign Prince, Person, Prelate, State, or Potentate, hath, or ought to have, any Jurisdiction, Superiorty, Pre-eminence, Authortiy, dispensing or other power in any Matter, civil, ecclesiastical, or spriitual- within this Commonwealth, except the Authority and Power, which is, or may be vested by their Constituents in the Congress of the United States- and we do further testify and declare that no Man or Body of Men hath or can have any Right to absolve or discharge us from the obligation of this Oath-Declaration, or Affirmation, and that We do make this Acknowledgment- Profession, Testimony, Delcaration, Denial, Renunciation and Abjuration heartily and truly according to the common Meaning, and Acceptation of the foregoing Words- without any Equivocation, mental Evasion, or secret Reservation whatsoever- So help us God-
John Quinton Humbly? Hon