516 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 67. end till the throne was again filled. It was to prevent such a catastrophe in the first place, but principally that the Empire might be held together in the disintegration which would ensue if it occurred, that Burghley and Walsingham selected the language in which this re- markable document was framed. ' For as much/ so it ran, ' as Almighty God has ordained kings, queens, and princes to have dominion and rule over all their subjects, and to preserve them in the possession and observation of the true Christian religion, and in like sort that all subjects should love, fear, and obey their princes to the utmost of their power, at all times to withstand, pursue, and suppress all manner of persons that shall by any means intend and attempt anything dangerous or hurtful to the honour, state, or person of their Sovereign therefore we, whose names are or shall be subscribed to this writing, being natural born subjects of this realm, and having so gracious a lady, our Sovereign Elizabeth, by God's ordinance our most rightful Queen reigning over us these many years with great felicity, to our inestim- able comfort, and finding lately that for the further- ance and advancement of some pretended title to the crown the life of our Sovereign has been most danger- ously designed against, we and every of us, calling first to witness the name of Almighty God, do voluntarily and most willingly bind ourselves, every one of us to the other, jointly and severally in the band of one firm and loyal society ; and do hereby vow and promise by the Majesty of Almighty God that with our whole
