i.e. God and my right, the motto of the royal arms of England, first assumed by King Richard I. to intimate that he did not hold his empire in vassalage of any mortal.

It was afterwards taken up by Edward III. and was continued without interruption to the time of the late King William, who used the motto Je main tien-dray, though the former was still retained upon the great seal. After him Queen Anne used the motto Semper cadam, which had been before used by Queen Elizabeth; but ever since Queen Anne, Dieu et mon droit continues to be the royal motto.