MOst holy Father, Forasmuch as we being lately moved and stirred up by the instinct and will of Almighty God, to recover this Kingdome from the heavy yoke of the Eng­lish, who for many yeers past by force have kept under, and suppressed both our Religi­on and Nation; Have now, making use of the advantages of the time, while the Here­tiques are in civill discord, with great cou­rage and alacrity broke our bonds, and wel­nigh totally freed our selves from their yoke: We therefore now have thought it our duty to declare unto your Holinesse, that it hath alwayes been, and ever shall be, [Page 2] our principall care and endeavour to revive the State of the Catholique Church here al­most extinguished, and to restore her ruins; as reputing it with our selves for our part and duty to spend and imploy our very lives and all our substance in the propa­gation and inlargement of the same: To which also we have been the more willing­ly induced (if not compelled) for that if we had not used this timely prevention against mischief, we were like to have expected a worse estate and being here, then that which the Turks afford unto their Christian Sub­jects: insomuch that we must have left ei­ther our countrey, lives, or Religion; Where­fore being at this point, unto whom with more right and hope can we make our re­course for help and assistance then unto thee our spirituall Father on earth, that under the Wings of thy favour and benediction, we may finde securitie in all our enterprises: Which thing we hope to obtain of your Holinesse, by the example of others who have never sought in vain for grace and fa­vour from your holy See in their need and [Page 3] affliction; Vnto thee therefore, the common Father of mercy unto all the sonnes of the Church, as unto our onely refuge and most safe Sanctuary we make this our addresse, most humbly beseeching that thou wilt hear our sighs, receive our prayers, and grant our requests, that the mouthes may be stop­ped, and the force broken of them that hate thee, and threaten to hinder the re-edificati­on of the broken walls of our Ierusalem. Wherein if your Holinesse will vouchsafe credit unto us (without arrogance be it spo­ken) never any of our predecessors since the time our Kingdome first came into the hands of the English, have been more for­ward and gone further in the propagation of the holy faith first brought in unto us by our holy Apostle St. Patrick then our selves; and to cherish, amplifie, and spread the same, having now welnigh cast off the here­ticall yoke of the English, whereunder it lay almost extinguished and buried in these parts: For in these our endeavours we desire and aime at no other thing then the defence of the Catholique faith, and of the glory of [Page 4] the Roman See, in the reflourishing of the same in this Kingdom. Wherefore let your Holines vouchsafe to incline to these Peti­tions of us, who contemning honours and profits whatsoever, desire not to live a day longer, then that they may see the Church of Rome florish throughout the Vniverse.

Now in the first place, our request is, that for the better increase of the faith, to those Ecclesiasticall Sees that are voyd in this Kingdome, such may be preferred who are eminent for learning, and policie, who together with us take great paines in the promotion and advancing forward of the Catholike Cause, being such whom wee with the most Reverend Bishop of Cork, have nominated and commended, as Pa­stours fit to instruct thy flock, both with the Word, and by their owne example; lest otherwise men, perhaps coming with more ambition and authoritie then worth, intrude themselves into the managing of the Catholike Cause in this Kingdome: To which request wee are moved by the great losse of many fallen away to the Ad­versary, [Page 5] which here wee have suffered through the paucitie of Pastours in either Province of Mounster, which conteineth E­leven Bishopricks, all under the Metropolis of Cassills: The reverend Bishop of Cork be­ing also wholly worne out and spent with age and labour. And this wee the more boldly crave, for that those that have beene elected, consecrated, and sent from your sa­cred See to possesse the places voyd in these parts, are by us (with the assistance of Al­mightie God) so defended and secured, that they may with safetie watch over and tend the flocks committed to their charge.

Moreover, Wee desire that as your prede­cessours, Pius Quintus, and Gregorie the thir­teenth, of happie memory, published and sent their Buls of Excommunication against the late Queene of England, and her Adhe­rents; Even so that your Holines would vouchsafe at this time to denounce and send forth the like Sentence against all our here­ticall Opposers, for the furtherance and ad­vancement of this Warre, and the facilita­ting of a happy and wished consummation of the same.

[Page 6] And lastly, with the greatest affection of our hearts that wee are able, wee commend and commit unto your sanctitie, this your Kingdome, that depends on your selfe one­ly (under God) together with our selves as your humble Subjects, and the bearers here­of our Ambassadours unto your Holines, who will more fully by word of mouth what we (assisted with their helpe and do­ctrine) have atchieved in this Warre, Pray­ing that your Holines will vouchsafe unto them undoubted credit and beliefe.