Oath of a Freeman

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Oath of a Freeman was a constitution drawn up by the Pilgrims during the early 17th century. It survives 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. A supposed copy of Daye's printing surfaced in 1985 and was touted as the oldest surviving print in the United States, 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 bidded 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 bombs 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.

[edit] The Oath of a Freeman

From the Episode of "Masterminds" entitled "The Anton Forgeries" The show Chronicles Mark Hoffman's crime spree and displays The Oath of A Freeman(the Forged version). All mispellings are intentional to represent the writing style and spelling of the time. This is only a partial quotation of it since the show did not veiw it in full and at an angle.

THE OATH OF A FREEMAN

I AS being(by Gods Providence) an inhabitant and Freeman, within the jurisdiction of this Commom-wealth doe freely acknowledge my selfe to bee subject to the government thereof and therefore doe heere swearre by the great & dreadfull name of the Everliving God, that I will be true and faithfull to the same & will accordingly yeild assistance support thereunto, with my person and my estate, as in equity. I am bound and will also truely endavor to maintaine and preserve all libertys and privlidges thereof; submitting my selfe to the wholesome laws and ordres made & stableshed by the same; and further will not plot, nor practice any evill (unknown) nor consent to any that soe do

(the rest is obscured by the camera angle)