▁ ▁The ▁cause ▁for ▁such ▁a ▁right ▁is ▁exempl ified ▁R ▁v ▁William ▁B ray n ▁( 1 6 7 8 ). ▁William ▁B ray n ▁was ▁charged ▁with ▁the ▁the ft ▁of ▁a ▁horse ▁from ▁Qu aker ▁Amb ros ▁Gall ow ay . ▁B ray n ▁ple aded ▁' not ▁guilty '. ▁One ▁witness ▁test ified ▁that ▁the ▁horse ▁was ▁owned ▁by ▁Amb ros ▁Gall ow ay , ▁and ▁another ▁witness ▁said ▁that ▁he ▁[ pro bably ▁Gall ow ay ] ▁bought ▁it ▁from ▁B ray n . ▁As ▁Gall ow ay ▁was ▁a ▁Qu aker , ▁he ▁would ▁not , ▁" for ▁conscience - s ake ", ▁swe ar ▁and ▁so ▁could ▁give ▁no ▁testim ony . ▁The ▁court ▁directed ▁the ▁j ury ▁to ▁find ▁B ray n ▁' not ▁guilty ' ▁for ▁want ▁of ▁evidence ▁and ▁committed ▁the ▁Qu aker ▁" as ▁a ▁conce aler ▁of ▁Fel ony " ▁for ▁" ref using ▁an ▁O ath ▁to ▁Wit ness ▁for ▁the ▁King ". ▁ ▁Some ▁Christians , ▁who ▁may ▁not ▁be ▁Qu akers , ▁refuse ▁to ▁swe ar ▁o ath s , ▁based ▁on ▁. ▁ ▁All ▁elected ▁members ▁of ▁parliament ▁must ▁make ▁an ▁o ath ▁or ▁aff irm ation ▁to ▁the ▁Crown ▁before ▁they ▁can ▁take ▁their ▁seats . ▁MP s ▁are ▁asked ▁which ▁form ▁they ▁prefer ▁to ▁take ▁with ▁the ▁statement ▁" S we ar ▁or ▁Aff irm ", ▁meaning ▁swe ar ▁an ▁o ath ▁or ▁make ▁an ▁aff irm ation . ▁The ▁o ath ▁or ▁aff irm