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. |