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OATH OF THE GOVERNOR. 171
in the oath of office which, from 1636 onward, he prescribed for his governors: ' I will
not, by myself or any other, directly or indirectly, trouble, molest, or discountenance any
person professing to believe in Jesus Christ, for, or in respect of religion. I will make no
difference of persons in conferring offices, favors, or rewards, for, or in respect of religion;
but merely as they shall be found faithful and well deserving, and endued with moral
virtues and abilities : my aim shall be public unity, and if any person or officer shall
molest any person professing to believe in Jesus Christ, on account of his religion, I will
protect the person molested and punish the offender.' " *
The language of this oath, which was doubtless framed by the lord proprietary, "was taken," Chalmers tells us, "by the governor and council,
between the years 1637 and 1657."2 Doubt has arisen whether it was meant
that this oath was taken from 1637 to 1657, or only in some year or years
between those dates; but this latter surmise does violence to the plain meaning of the language, for if the historian did not mean to say that it was
administered first in 1637, and continued afterwards to 1657, he would have
named the year in which it began and that in which it ceased to be used.
Chalmers was too accurate a writer to use dates so loosely; and as he was not
only an experienced lawyer, but the custodian of the Maryland provincial
papers, and had free access afterwards to all documents relating to the colony
in the British state paper office, he could not have been in doubt as to the
precise date, or ignorant of the exact language. That it was not, however,
continued without change for these twenty years is evident from the oath
prepared for Governor Stone, in 1648, which appears to have been amplified
from the one quoted from Chalmers and Hawks, and so differs, both in
phraseology and in specific obligations from the former, that the two cannot
have been confounded by the learned annalist.
The circumstances under which Governor Stone was appointed may have
prompted the framing of a more specific oath, as they differed greatly from
those under which his predecessors had taken office.
While the little colony was laying a broad and enduring claim to the
admiration of the world, public affairs in England were becoming more and
more disturbed by the dissensions between the king and parliament. The
spirit of discontent and turbulence was unhappily introduced into Maryland
by a body of Puritans, who, expelled from Virginia, had been welcomed by
her more hospitable sister colony, where they repaid the kindness that sheltered and protected them with discord and civil war. The success of the
parliamentary party in England gave them confidence and audacity, and they
aimed at nothing less than the control of the government. Governor Calvert,,
foreseeing trouble, resolved to make a voyage to England, to consult in person
with his brother, the lord proprietary; so having appointed Mr. Giles Brent
"lieutenant general, admiral, chief captain, magistrate, and commander," he
sailed for England early in 1643.
1 Hawk's Pise and Progress of the Protectant 2 Political Annals, p. 235.
Episcopcd Church in Maryland, pp. 27-30; Chalmers, p. 210; McMahon, p. 220.
| Title | History of Maryland - 1 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000196 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | OATH OF THE GOVERNOR. 171 in the oath of office which, from 1636 onward, he prescribed for his governors: ' I will not, by myself or any other, directly or indirectly, trouble, molest, or discountenance any person professing to believe in Jesus Christ, for, or in respect of religion. I will make no difference of persons in conferring offices, favors, or rewards, for, or in respect of religion; but merely as they shall be found faithful and well deserving, and endued with moral virtues and abilities : my aim shall be public unity, and if any person or officer shall molest any person professing to believe in Jesus Christ, on account of his religion, I will protect the person molested and punish the offender.' " * The language of this oath, which was doubtless framed by the lord proprietary, "was taken," Chalmers tells us, "by the governor and council, between the years 1637 and 1657."2 Doubt has arisen whether it was meant that this oath was taken from 1637 to 1657, or only in some year or years between those dates; but this latter surmise does violence to the plain meaning of the language, for if the historian did not mean to say that it was administered first in 1637, and continued afterwards to 1657, he would have named the year in which it began and that in which it ceased to be used. Chalmers was too accurate a writer to use dates so loosely; and as he was not only an experienced lawyer, but the custodian of the Maryland provincial papers, and had free access afterwards to all documents relating to the colony in the British state paper office, he could not have been in doubt as to the precise date, or ignorant of the exact language. That it was not, however, continued without change for these twenty years is evident from the oath prepared for Governor Stone, in 1648, which appears to have been amplified from the one quoted from Chalmers and Hawks, and so differs, both in phraseology and in specific obligations from the former, that the two cannot have been confounded by the learned annalist. The circumstances under which Governor Stone was appointed may have prompted the framing of a more specific oath, as they differed greatly from those under which his predecessors had taken office. While the little colony was laying a broad and enduring claim to the admiration of the world, public affairs in England were becoming more and more disturbed by the dissensions between the king and parliament. The spirit of discontent and turbulence was unhappily introduced into Maryland by a body of Puritans, who, expelled from Virginia, had been welcomed by her more hospitable sister colony, where they repaid the kindness that sheltered and protected them with discord and civil war. The success of the parliamentary party in England gave them confidence and audacity, and they aimed at nothing less than the control of the government. Governor Calvert,, foreseeing trouble, resolved to make a voyage to England, to consult in person with his brother, the lord proprietary; so having appointed Mr. Giles Brent "lieutenant general, admiral, chief captain, magistrate, and commander," he sailed for England early in 1643. 1 Hawk's Pise and Progress of the Protectant 2 Political Annals, p. 235. Episcopcd Church in Maryland, pp. 27-30; Chalmers, p. 210; McMahon, p. 220. |
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