Oath of Allegiance 1678

   

 

 

 

 
OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
Att the Second Session of the General Court, Oct. 2, 1678

I, _______ doe truly and sincerely acknowledge, proffesse, testifie, and declare in my conscience before God and the world, that our soueraign lord King Charles is lawfull and rightfull king of the realme of England, and of all other his magestjes dominions and countryes, and that the pope, neither by himselfe, nor by any authority of the church, or the sea of Rome, or by any other meanes with any other, hath any power or authority to depose the king or to dispose of any of his majties kingdomes or dominions, or to authorize any forreigne prince to invade or anoy him or his country, or to discharge any of his subjects of their allegiance and obedience to his majesty, or to give license or leave to any of them to beare armes, raise tumults, or offer any violence or hurt to his majestyes royall person, state, or gouerment, or to any of his majestjes subjects within his majestjes dominions.

Also I doe sweare from my heart, that notwithstanding any declaration or sentence of excomunication or deprivation made or granted, or to be made or granted, by the pope or his successors, or by any authority deriued, or pretended to be derived, from him or his see against the sajd king, his heires or successors, or by any absolution of the sajd subjects from their obedience, I will beare faith and true allegiance to his majesty, his heires and successors, and him and them will defend to the uttermost of my power against all conspiracjes and attempts whatsouer which shall be made against his or their persons, their croune and dignity, by reason or coulor of any such sentence or declaration, or otherwise, and will doe my best endeavor to disclose and make knoune to his majesty, his heires and successors all treason and traytuous conspiracjes which I shall know or heare of to be against him or any of them.

And I doe further sweare that I doe from my heart abhor, detest, and adjur as impious and haeretticall, this damnable doctrine and position, that princes shall be excommunicated or deprived by the pope may be deposed or murdered by their sibjects, or any other whatsoeuer.

And I doe believe, and in my conscience am resolued that neither the pope, nor any person whatsoeur hath power to absolue me of this my oath, or any part thereof, which I acknowlege by good and full authority to be lawfully ministered vnto me, and doe renounce all pardons and dispensations to the contrary; and all these things I doe plainly and sincerely acknowlege and sweare according to these express words by me spoken, and according to the plaine and common sence and vnderstanding of the same words, without equiuocation, or mentall evasion, or secret reservation whatsoeuer; and I doe make this recognition and acknowledgment heartily, willingly, and truly, vpon the true faith of a christian. So help me God.

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