" any person residing in Great-Britain shall be
" a party, it shall and may be lawful to and
" for the plaintiff or defendant, and also to and
" for any witness to be examined or made use
" of in such action or suit, to verify or prove
" any matter or thing by affidavit or affidavits
" in writing upon oath, or in case the person
" making such affidavit be one of the people
" called quakers, then upon his or her solemn
" affirmation, made before any mayor or other
" chief magistrate of the city, borough or
" town corporate in Great-Britain, where or
" near to which the person making such affidavit
" or affirmation shall reside, and certified
" and transmitted under the common seal of
" such city, borough or town corporate, or
" the seal of the office of such mayor, or other
" chief magistrate, which oath and solemn affirmation
" every such mayor and chief magistrate
" shall be and is hereby authorised
" and empowered to administer; and every affidavit
" or affirmation so made, certified and
" transmitted, shall in all such actions and suits
" be allowed to be of the same force and effect,
" as if the person or persons making the same
" upon oath or solemn affirmation as aforesaid,
" had appeared and sworn or affirmed the matters
" contained in such affidavit or affirmation
" viva voce in open court, or upon a commission