A.D. 1777
Perſens obligated to take the Oath of Allegiance, or depart the State. V. AND whereas the Safety of the State, and the preſent critical Situation of Affairs, make it neceſſary that all Perſons who owe or acknowledge Allegiance or Obedience to the King of Great Britain ſhould be removed out of the State; Be it Enacted, by the Authority aforeſaid, That all the late Officers of the King of Great Britain, and all Perſons (Quakers excepted) being Subjects of this State, and now living therein, or who ſhall hereafter come to live therein, who have traded immediately to Great Britain or Ireland within Ten Years lsſt paſt, in their own Right, or acted as Factors, Storekeepers, or Agents here, or in any of the United States of America, for Merchants reſiding in Great Britain or Ireland, ſhall take the following Oath of Abjuration and Allegiance, or depart out of the State, viz. I will bear faithful and true Allegiance to the State of North-Carolina, and will to the utmoſt of my Power ſupport, maintain, and defend the independent Government thereof, againſt George the Third, King of Great Britain, and his Succeſſors, and the Attempts of any other Perſon, Prince, Power, State, or Potentate, who by ſecret Arts, Treaſon, Conſpiracies, or by open Force, ſhall to ſubvert the ſame, and will every Reſpect conduct myſelf as a peaceful orderly Subject; and that I wil diſcloſe and make known to the Governor, ſome Member of the Council of State, or ſome Juſtice of the Peace, all Treaſons, Conſpiracies, and Attempts, committed or intended againſt the State, which ſhal come to my Knowledge. And that all Perſons being Quakers, and under the Circumſtances above mentioned, ſhall make the following Affirmation, or depart out of the State; I A.B. do ſolemnly and ſincerely declare and affirm, that I will bear true Allegiance to the independent State of North-Carolina, and to the Powers and Authorities which are or may be eſtablished for the good Government thereof; and I d9 renounce any Allegiance to the preſent King of Great Britain, his Heirs and Succeſſors; and that I will diſcloſe and make known to the Governor, ſome Member of the Council of State, or Juſtice of the Peace, all Treaſons, Conſpiracies, or Attempts, committed or intended againſt the ſame, which ſhall come to my Knowledge. And the ſaid Oath or Affirmation ſhall be taken and ſubſcribed in open Court in the County where the Perſn or Perſons taking the ſame ſhall or do uſualy reſide.
Juſtices may cite them to appear. VI. AND be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforeſaid, That the County Court in each and every County, and every Juſtice of Peace in each reſpective COunty, ſhall have full Power to iſſue Citations againſt Perſons coming within the above Deſcription, as Officers, Merchants, Traders, Factors, Storekeepers or Agents, and to demand Surety on Recognizance if neceſſary, and to require their Attendance at the next enſuing Court to be held for the County; and if any Perſon ſo cited (due Proof being made thereof) ſhall fail or neglect to attend, or attending ſhall refuſe to take the ſaid Oath or Affirmation (as the Caſe may be) then the ſaid Court ſhall and may have full Power and Authority to order ſuch Perſon to depart out of this State to Europe or the Weſt Indies within Sixty Days, and may take Bond and Security, in the Name of the Governor, for the Benefit of the State, for faithful Compliance with ſuch Order. And if any Perſon ſo ordered ſhall fail or neglect to depart within the limitted Time,Pen. for not departing. ſuch Bond ſhall be forfeited to the State, without good and ſufficient Reaſon ſhewn to and approved of by the Governor and Council; and the Juſtices, or any of them, in the County wherein the Perſon ſo failing or neglecting to depart ſhall be found, ſhall and may