WHereas the Oath of Allegiance deuised by Our Parliament, and defended by Our Royal Penne, hath not onely bene impugned by contradiction, but also hath bene endeuoured to bee made frustrate, by diuers secret practizes, and deuices, whereby ei­ther to diswade Our Subiects from the taking of the same, or other­wise to make them take it onely in dissimulation, to auoyd the penal­ties of Law, inflicted vpon the refuser: Wee in our Princely Wise­dome calling to minde that the terrour of Lawes without Instruc­tion and Education, is but an vnperfect remedie; haue thought good, That there should be compiled a briefe and perspicuous Booke or Treatise, Intituled, GOD AND THE KING, Or a Dialogue, shewing that Our Soueraigne Lord King IAMES, being imme­diate vnder GOD, within his Dominions, doth rightfully claime whatsoeuer is required by The Oath of Allegiance: fit for the capacitie of Youth, whereby in their tender yeeres, the trueth of that Doctrine may be bred and setled in them and thereby they the better armed, and prepared to withstand any perswasions, which in their riper yeeres may bee offered and vsed towards them, for the corrupting of them, in their duetie and Allegiance; And also, may preuent and auoyd their incurring the danger of Our Lawes for refusing the same. And although, We haue by Our speciall Direction recommended vnto Our right trustie and welbeloued Councellour, the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and to the rest of the Bishops of the Realme, to giue order for the vniuersall dispersing, and teaching of all Youth in the said Booke; Yet, for the better effecting of Our Princely purpose therein, Wee doe by these presents, straightly charge and command, all Our louing Subjects, to obey such Direction and Order, as by the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Archbishop of Yorke, or other the Bishops of Our Realme, shall be taken for and concerning the publish­ing and teaching of the same: Vpon paine, both of such Ecclesiasticall Censure, as in the like cases are to be inflicted; And also of Our Princely Indignation, and such other pu­nishment, as by the Law and Our Prerogatiue Royall, shalbe due against the contemners of this Our Royall Commandement.

Giuen at Theobalds the eight day of Nouember, in the thirteenth yeere of Our Raigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland, and of Scotland the nine and fourtieth.

God saue the King.