THE moste noble Prince Hugh O Neill beareth armes against the Queene of England, and Englishmen in defence of the Catholique Religion, to vvit, that he, and all Irishmē vvith him may freelie, and vvi­thout disturbance confesse, and professe the Catholique faith: vvhich libertie the Queene of England endeuoreth to debarre them of by foarce of armes. About vvhich vvarre ther are tvvo doubtes pro­pounded. The one is, vvhether it belavvfull for Irish Catholiques to fauour by armes, or anny other vvay the forsaid Prince in this vvarre? The other is, vvhether it be lavvfull for the forsaid Catholi­ques, vvithout incurring mortall sinne, to feight against the said Prince, and helpe the Englishmen, ey­ther in armes, or in anny other vvay, especiallie seing by vvithdravving, or denying the said helpe they expose them selues to the danger of death, and leesing all their goodes? And againe, seing the Irish Catholiques are permitted by the Poape to obey the Queene of England, and pay hir tribute, as to their lavvfull Prince, and therfore it seemeth that they may doe all that belongeth to subiectes, that is, to feight against hir rebelles, and such as seeme to invade, and vsurpe the Country subiect to hir obeysance.

¶To the good assoiling of both vvhich questions vve must presuppose as certeine, that the Poape may compell by force of ar­mes (vvhen there are no other meanes to remedy so greate a mischief) such as forsake the Catholique faith, and oppose themselues as enemies to Catholique Religion. It is likevvise to be set dovvne as certeyn, that the Queene of England doth oppugne Catholi­que Religion, and suffreth not Irishmen to maKe publique profession of Catholique Religion, and that for that cause the foresaid Prince, and before him others, vvhom the Apostolicall letters of the Poape Clement the VIII. mencion, haue vndertaKen vvarre against hir.

VVhich groundes admitted, the first question is easilie ansvveared, for ther is no doubte, but that all Catholiques may fauour the said Prince in his foresaid vvarre, and that vvith greate merite, and hoape of eternall revvarde. The reason is, because the said Prince sustayneth the said vvarre by authoritie of the Poape to defend the Catholique Religion, for that his Holines doth exhorte him, and all Christian people thervnto, as may be seene by his Holines his letters sent foorth to this purpose, vvherin he graunteth as greate fauours, and Indulgences to such as fauour this Prince in the said vvarre, as if they should feight against the Turques. VVho therfore can doubte, that the vvarre is iust, and of greate merite before Almightie God, vvhich is vndertaKen by such authoritie, and for such a cause?

As cōcerning the second question it is also certeine, that all Catholiques sinne mortally vvhich follovve the English cāpe against the said Prince, nor can not saue their soules, nor obtaine absolucion of anny Priest, vnlesse they repent, and forsaKe the english par­te, and the liKe is also to be said of them vvhich fauour the english in that vvarre vvith municion, or victuails, or contribute anny other vvay, excepte it be by paiyng the ordinarie taxes, vvhich his Holines hath giuen them leaue to pay to the Queene and her officers. And this assertion is prooued by this manifest reason ensuing, for it is euident by the Poape his letters, that the Queene of england, and her adherents doe maKe vniust vvarre vppon the Prince, and his fauourers: for seing his Holines declareth that the english oppugne the Catholique faith, and that they ought to be fought against vvith no lesse zeale then Turques, and graunteth the liKe Indulgences to those that feight against them as those gaine vvhich feight against Turques, vvho can doub [...]e, but that the vvarre on the enlish parte is altogether vniust? But no man ought to fauour, or be present at vniust vvarre, vnder paine of dā ­nacion. And therfore, those Catholiques sinne moste greeuouslie that follovve the heretiques parte against the said Prince, and all that fauour the vvarre vvith victuails, municions, or anny other meanes that anny vvay passe the limites of indifferent allegiance.

Neither may it auayle anny man to note the Poape his Breue or letters of surrepcion, for surrepcion can haue no place vvner ther is no mēciō of anny peticiō at vvhose instance it vvas granted, but the Poape doth oppenlie shevve in those his letters that he and his Predecessours haue of their avvne acorde exhorted the Princes of Ireland, and all faithfull people vnto that vvarre, and to anima­te thē the more therūto he hath granted greate Indulgences to this purpose. Hovv therfore can the Poape his letters be noted of sur­repcion, or called conterfeyte vvhich conteyne nothing but an exhortacion vvith greate fauours to such as shall assent to them? Neither can the Catholiques fauouring the English parte defend them selues by the reasons brought in the second question, for a mortall sinne must not be committed, though our life, and [...]l our goods lay on it: but it is plaine, that to further or healpe an vniust vvarre is a mortall sinne, &c. And it is onely graūted to Catholiques to giue to the hereticall Queene such allegeāce as oppug­neth not oppenlie Catholique Religion. Neither vvas it nor could it be his Holines his intent to permitte them to doe the Queene such seruices as are quite contrarie to his purpose of furthering the Catholique faith in Ireland: vvhich to be his purpose his letters doe euidentlie declare.

By all vvhich it is moste euidentlie prooued, that the Prince Oneill, and all the Catholiques of Ireland, that beare armes against the hereticall Queene, that oppugneth the Catholique faith, are not rebels, nor vvithdravve not their trve and deve obedience, neither doe vniustlie vsurpe the Queenes countries, or dominion, but doe rather by iust vvarre defend them selues, and their coun­trie from vvicKed Tirannie, and defend vvith all their might the Catholique faith, as it becometh good Christiā Catholiques to doe. All vvhich assercions iointlie, and in particular as they be heere sett dovvne, all vve vvhose names are subscribed doe iudge, and ap­proue as certaine, and moste trve. Gyuen at Salamanca the second of February. 1603.