Loyalty Oath - 1699

[Document signed by 180 Albany men!]


   Albany the 4th day of January [1699]. The Mayor*, Hendrik Hanse Esq., Jan Janse Bleeker, Rekorder, together with Jan Vinnagen and Albert Rykman, Aldermen, did meet at ye Citty Hall, where all ye Inhabitants of this Citty were appointed to appear and take ye oaths and sign ye test and association, who accordingly came, ye Oath being administered to them by Robert Livingston Esq., one of his Majesties Councill of this Province. The Oaths which each respective person took, and ye Test and Association which each respective person signed are as follows:

The Oath.

   I, A. B. do hereby Promise and Swear yt I will be faithfull and bear true allegiance to his Majesty King William, so help me God.

   I, A. B. do swear that I do from my heart abhor, detest and abjure as Impiuous and Hereticall, yt damnable Doctrine and Position, yt Princes Excommunicated or Deprived by ye Pope or any authority of ye See of Rome, may be deposed or murthered by their subjects or any other whatsoever.

   And I doe delcare yt no foreign Prince, Person, Prelate, State or Potentate, hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction, Power, Superiority, Preeminence or Authority, Ecclesiasticale or Spirituall within this Realm. So help me God.

The Test

   We underwritten do solomnly and sincerely, in ye presence of God, profess and declare yt wee doe believe yt in ye Sacrament of ye Lord's Supper there is not any transubstantiation of ye Elements of Bread and Wine into ye body and blood of Christ, or after ye Consecration thereof by any person whatsoever, and yt ye Invocation or Adoration of ye Virgin Mary and ye Sacrifice of ye Mass, as they are now used in ye Church of Rome, are Superstitious and Idolatrous, and we do Solemnly in ye presence of God, Profess, Testify and Declare, yt we do make this declaration and every part thereof in ye plain and ordinary Sense of ye words now read unto us as they are commonly understood by English Prodistants without any Evasion, Equivocation or Mentall Reservation whatsoever, and without any Dispensation already granted for yt ppurpose by ye Pope or any other authority or person whatsoever, or without any hope of any such Dispensation from any person or authority whatsoever, or without thinking yt we are or can be acquitted before God or Man, or absolved of this Declaration or any part thereof, although ye Pope or any other person or persons or power whatsoever should dispense with or annull ye same, or declare that it was null and void from ye beginning.

The Association

   Whereas there has been a horrid and detestable conspiracy formed and carried on by Papists and other wicked and trayterous persons for Assassinating his Majesties Royal Person in order to Incourage an Invasion from ffrance to Subvert our Religion, Laws and Liberties, we whose names are underwritten do heartily, sincerely and solemnly profess, testify and declare yt his present Majesty King William is rightful and lawful king of these Realms, and we do mutually promise and engage to stand by and assist each other to ye utmost of our power in ye Support and Defence of his Majesties most sacred person and government against ye late King James ye pretended Prince of Wales and all theire adherents, and in case his Majesty come to any violent or untimely death (which God forbidd) we do hereby freely and unanimously oblige ourselves to unite, associate, and stand by each other in Revenging ye same upon his enemies and all their adherents, and in ye supporting and defending ye succession of ye Crown according to an act made in ye first year of ye Reign of King William and Queen Mary, intituled an act declaring ye Rights and Liberties of ye Subjects, and settling ye succession of ye Crown.


Hendrik Hanse, mayor
Jan Janse Bleeker, recorder
Joh. Schuyler, aldrman
Hend. Rensselaer, alderm'm
Albert Ryckman, alderman
Jan Vinhagen, alderman
Joh. Cuyler, alderman
Wessel ten Broek, ald'n
Evert Wendell, assistant
Jacobus Turck, assistant
Joh. Bleeker, assistant
Joh. Mingaell, assistant
Hend. Oothoudt, assistant
Barendt Bradt
Cornelis van Schuyleuyn
Hend. van Dyck
Dirck Vanderheyden
Pr Schuyler
Robt. Livingston
Dirck Wessels, Junior
Joh. Groenendyck, sheriff
G. Dellius, V. D. M.
Gerrit Van Ness
Joh. Livingston, D. C.
James Parker
Basteyaen Harmanse
Volckert van Hoese
Johannes Luykasse
Johannes Claese
Joh. Becker
Rener Myndersse
Rutt Melgertse
Joh. Hanse
Lendert Philipse
Harmanus Wendell
Jan van Streyen
John Gilbert
Abram Provost
Wouter Albertsen
Abraham Staats
Gerrit Ryckesn
Johannes Pruyn
Abraham Van Deusen
Samuel Ten Broeck
Lieve Winne
Claes Vondae
Joh. Vinhagen
Philip Schuyler
Jan Cornelise Vyselaer
Jan Lansingh
Andries Nach
Evert Wendell
Geysebert Marcelles
Jan Jansz Goes
Jan van Ness
Jacob Staets
Nanning Harmense
Barent ten Eyck
Thomas Millenton
Johannes Appell
Anthony Bries
David Schuyler
Robert Livingston, Jun.
Abraham Lansingh
Elbert Gerritse
Joseph Jansen
Jacob Gerretsen
Gerret Luychessen
Hend. Lansingh
Mattyes Nack
William Ketellen
Johannes Teller
Wouter Quackenbos
Jan Nack
Harmen Gansevoort
Warner Karstense
Jan Radcliffe
Philip Wendell
William von Alen
Nicholaes Bleeker
Thomas Winne
Scheboledt Bogardus
Reyer Gerritse
Harmen Ryckman
Johanathan Breadust
Jacob Lansingh
Evert Wendell Jun.
Jelles van Voiste
Albert Ryckman Jun.
Cornelis Schermerhorn
Thomas Harmensse
Daniel Bratt
Arie Oothout
Wouter vander Zee
Dirck Jansez Goes but [NA]
Cornelis van Ness
Geurt Hendrikse
Claes Luykasse
Cornelis Willemse
Richard Bignell [NA]
Peter Mingael
Abraham Kip
George Ingoldesby
William Jacobse
Benony van Corlaer
Thomas Williams
William Hogen
Anthony Bratt
Hend. Roseboom
Claes Ripsen van Dam
Abraham Verplanck
Naes Cornelissen
Daniel Keteluyn
Tackell Dircks
Haerpert Jacobse
Willem Holle
John Caer
Jan Gerritsen
Dirck Tackelsen
Jacob Lansing
Joh. Myndertse
Stevannes Groesbeek
Pieter Bogardus
Willem Groesbeek
Isack Kasperse
France Winne
Anthony Coster
Hend. Lansingh Jun.
Joh. Quackenbos
Hend. ten Eyck
Pieter van Wogelen
Melgert van der Poel Jun.
Dirck Bratt
Abr. Janse Ayesteyn
Koenraet Hooghteeling
Roeloff Gerritse
William van Ness
David Keteleyn
Frederik Harmense
Wynant Willemse
Elbert Harmense
Anthony van Schayeck
Evert Banker
Joh. Roseboom
Isaac ver Planck
Johannes Beekman
Melgert van der Poel
Philip de Foreest
Hendrick Roseboom
John Cidney
Gerrit Lansingh
Andries Douw
Abraham Cuyler
Goose Van Schayck
John Fyne
Joh. Jacobsen Glenn
Teunise Dirckse
Jacobus Luykase
Jacob Lockermans
Claes Jacobse
Casper van Hoesen
Poules Martense
Frederick Mindertse
Jacob Bogardt
Thomas Wendell
Luyckas Luyckasse
Jan Salomoensse
Gideon Schaats
Harmen Thomasen
Asweres Marselles
Jacobus van Vorst
Joh. Oothoudt
Jurian Franse Claw
Ph. Lenderts Conyn
Eghbert Teunise
Johannes Bratt
William Gysbertse
Myndert Rooseboom
Jan Rosie

These are those of ye Citty yt have signed ye Test and Association. Now follows those of Shennechtady.

[Following lists of the names of subscribers from elsewhere in Albany County is the statement:]

Wee doe hereby Certify and Declare that the above Subscribers to the Test being all the Male Inhavitants of ye Citty of Albany from ye age of sixteen years and upwards, consisting of one hundred and eighty men have taken ye Oaths established by act of Parliament, in England, instead of ye oaths of allegiance and supremacy which were tendered and administered by us pursuant to his Excellency the Earl of Bellomont's Proclamation, and yt they have also signed the Association, none of ye Inhabitants refusing ye same except two Papists, called Frans Pruyn a Taylor, and Peter Villeroy a Frenchman, Laborer, who by reasons of their Perswasion could not take ye same, but will willing to take an oath of fidelity to his Majesty King William, only some few have neglected to appear at ye time prefixed to take ye oaths and subscribe ye test and association, but shall tender and administer ye same before ye time be expired mentioned in ye said Proclamation. Whereof we doe by these presents make this our Return to the Secretary's office at New York, in witness whereof we have hereunto sett our hands and scales in Albany this 16 of January, 1699.


notes

Printed in Annals of Albany 3:273-77. Noted in the "Albany City Records, vol. IV, 362." Transcribed from the printed version. Spelling and punctuation have been retained! The entire countywide list has been transformed and appears online via Google books.

"Dirck Wessels Junior" must refer to Dirck Wesselse Ten Broeck," the only adult of that name alive at the time.

Dominie Gideon Schaets died in 1694.

Lists: Survey lists like this one help us define the community mainline. With 180 names, it compares closely with the 174 names on the census of Albany householders taken in 1697.



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first posted 2/11/03; last updated 12/11/14