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As it had been before determined to send all the French
ditional allegiance; but on the return of Philipps in 1730, the people represented to him that this Oath had been extorted from them unfairly.
Up to this period, no oath whatever had been taken by the inhabitants of Acadia, except that by the people in the neighborhood of Port Royal, which was one of unconditional allegiance. In September 1726, it appears that Gov. Armstrong administered the Oath of Allegiance to some of the inhabitants at the Fort of Annapolis, and permitted a condition that they should not be called on to bear arms, to be inserted in the margin, to satisfy the French deputies; but he received a severe reprimand from England for so doing. In 1727, on the accession of King George II, Ensign Wroth was despatched to Minas, Grand Pre, and Chignecto to administer the Oath of Allegiance to the inhabitants of these settlements, none of whom had, to this time, so far as it can be discovered, taken any oath whatever to the British Government. Having permitted the people to take the oath, qualified by a clause exempting them from bearing arms in defence of the country, he was, on his return to Annapolis to report his proceedings, brought before the Council and reprimanded for the course he had pursued; and it was then resolved in Council that the "articles and concessions" granted by him "were unwarrantable and dishonorable to H.M. Government and authority, and consequently null and void." (We have no copy of this oath.) But Mr. Wroth defended himself by declaring that he could not obtain any better terms from the people, and that he thought, under the circumstances. it was the best course he could pursue for the peace of the country. These proceedings were the origin of the claim of Neutrality, afterwards so repeatedly urged on the part of the Acadians.
Governor Philipps, on his return to Annapolis in 1730, brought the people, at last, to take an unconditional Oath willingly; and, says Mr. Mascarene, it was tendered to and taken by all the males of competent age throughout the province. He also says — the word fidele, used in the oath, made it to be called by the Acadians the Oath of Fidelity. (See copy of this Oath at page 84, as subscribed by the people of the Annapolis Valley.)
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