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Certain persons may make affirmation in lieu of oath; and, if convicted of having falsely affirmed, shall be punished as if guilty of perjury.
Form of affirmation.
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[1.] It shall be lawful for any person who shall have been a Quaker or a Moravian to make solemn affirmation and declaration in lieu of taking an oath, as fully as it would be lawful for any such person to do if he still remained a member of either of such religious denominations of Christians, which said affirmation or declaration shall be of the same force and effect as if he or she had taken an oath in the usual form; and if any such person making such solemn affirmation or declaration shall be convicted of having willfully, falsely, and corruptly affirmed or declared any matter or thing which, if the same had been sworn in the usual form, would have amounted to wilful and corrupt perjury, every such offender shall be subject to the same pains, penalties, and forfeitures, to which persons convicted of wilful and corrupt perjury are or shall be subject: Provided always, that every such affirmation or declaration shall be in the words following, that is to say, “I A.B., having been one of the people called Quakers, [or one of the persuasion of the people called Quakers, or “of the united brethren called Moravians, as the case may be], “and entertaining conscientious objections to the taking of an “oath, do solemnly, sincerely, and truly declare and affirm.
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