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A loyall Subiects Looking-glasse.
The Preface.
A Most Christian King, a most sincere professor, * 1.1 and defender of Gods eter∣nall truth, yet at this day liuing, (and maugre the heads of the most subtill suggesting serpent, and all his wicked, traiterous, and rebellious imps, long may he liue) hath written, that next the knowledge of God, the right knowledge of subiects alleageance ac∣cording to the forme of gouernment established among them, is a thing most necessarie to be knowne. The ignorance hereof, * 1.2 or (that which is worsse) the retchlesse and wilfull contempt hereof hath bread the heauie calamities, the endlesse trou∣bles, and the most miserable wreacke and ouerthrow of sun∣drie flourishing common-wealths, and also the worthily de∣serued fall and confusion of the state, lands, goods, lifes and bloud of many disloyall, infatuated, maliciously giuen, male∣contented, ambitious, traiterous conspiratours, and rebels, in many heretofore flourishing common-wealths, kingdomes, and monarchies. Examples hereof, and that diuers within the kingdomes of England and Scotland, are yet greener, fresher, and more common, both in the hearts and mouthes of thou∣sands yet huing, who haue beene both eyed and eared wit∣nesses of the same, then that they can casilie be forgotten. Least therefore any other subiects now liuing, * 1.3 or their poste∣ritie, or any other generation yet vnborne, should be here∣after trapped in the like snares, and so become subiect to the like confusions, (the naturall zeale that I beare to my natiue countrie, and the great griefe I haue to heare and see my poore country-men, either so ignorant, or so carelesse of true loyall subiects duties, me there vnto speciall moouing) I haue heere done mine endeuoure to set downe in this present treatise, the true grounds of the most speciall duties, which