Oath of a Freeman
Encyclopedia
Oath of a Freeman was a loyalty oath
drawn up by the Pilgrims during the early 17th century. A freeman
was an established member of a colony who was not under legal restraint. The Oath was a vow to defend the Commonwealth and not to conspire to overthrow the government.
The oath was first written in 1631, and revised in 1634. Original copies survive only in a handwritten copy from 1634 and in a later printed version from 1647. Stephen Daye
made a broadside
printing of the document in 1639, but it is now lost.
The original text can be accessed through Wikisource.
, but it was revealed to be the work of prominent forger Mark Hofmann
.
Hofmann's Oath was the last of his forgeries, and was created as a final, desperate attempt to recover from financial hardship. Hofmann produced two copies of the Oath, which were bid upon by the Library of Congress
and the American Antiquarian Society
for over $1 million; authentication of the prints was underway when Hofmann began planting bomb
s in Salt Lake City
to stall for time in another of his schemes. The bombs killed two people and injured Hofmann himself, and police uncovered evidence of his forgeries during the ensuing investigation. The affair was the subject of the City Confidential
episode "Faith and Foul Play in Salt Lake City".
Loyalty oath
A loyalty oath is an oath of loyalty to an organization, institution, or state of which an individual is a member.In this context, a loyalty oath is distinct from pledge or oath of allegiance...
drawn up by the Pilgrims during the early 17th century. A freeman
Freeman (Colonial)
Freeman is a term which originated in 12th century Europe and is common as an English or American Colonial expression in Puritan times. In the Bay Colony, a man had to be a member of the Church to be a freeman. In Colonial Plymouth, a man did not need to be a member of the Church, but he had to be...
was an established member of a colony who was not under legal restraint. The Oath was a vow to defend the Commonwealth and not to conspire to overthrow the government.
The oath was first written in 1631, and revised in 1634. Original copies survive only in a handwritten copy from 1634 and in a later printed version from 1647. Stephen Daye
Stephen Daye
Stephen Daye, Sr. was the first British North American printer.-Life:Daye was born in Sutton, Surrey London, and emigrated on June 7, 1638 to Cambridge Massachusetts onboard the "John of London" with his wife Rebecca , sons Stephen, Jr...
made a broadside
Broadside (printing)
A broadside is a large sheet of paper printed on one side only. Historically, broadsides were posters, announcing events or proclamations, or simply advertisements...
printing of the document in 1639, but it is now lost.
The original text can be accessed through Wikisource.
Modern forgery
A supposed copy of Daye's printing surfaced in 1985 and was touted as the oldest surviving print in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but it was revealed to be the work of prominent forger Mark Hofmann
Mark Hofmann
Mark William Hofmann is an American counterfeiter, forger and convicted murderer. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished forgers in history, Hofmann is especially noted for his creation of documents related to the history of the Latter Day Saint movement...
.
Hofmann's Oath was the last of his forgeries, and was created as a final, desperate attempt to recover from financial hardship. Hofmann produced two copies of the Oath, which were bid upon by the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
and the American Antiquarian Society
American Antiquarian Society
The American Antiquarian Society , located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is both a learned society and national research library of pre-twentieth century American History and culture. Its main building, known also as Antiquarian Hall, is a U.S. National Historic Landmark...
for over $1 million; authentication of the prints was underway when Hofmann began planting bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
s in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
to stall for time in another of his schemes. The bombs killed two people and injured Hofmann himself, and police uncovered evidence of his forgeries during the ensuing investigation. The affair was the subject of the City Confidential
City Confidential
City Confidential is an American documentary television show, transmitted on the A&E Network, which singled out a community during each episode and investigated a crime that had occurred there. Rather than being a straighforward procedural, the installments began by focusing on the history and...
episode "Faith and Foul Play in Salt Lake City".