THE moste noble Prince Hugh O Neill beareth armes against the Queene of England , and Englishmen in defence of the Catholique Religion , to wit , that he , and all Irishmen with him may freelie , and without disturbance confesse , and professe the Catholique faith : which libertie the Queene of England endeuoreth to debarre them of by foarce of armes . About which warre ther are two doubtes propounded . The one is , whether it belawfull for Irish Catholiques to fauour by armes , or anny other way the forsaid Prince in this warre ? The other is , whether it be lawfull for the forsaid Catholiques , without incurring mortall sinne , to feight against the said Prince , and helpe the Englishmen , eyther in armes , or in anny other way , especiallie seing by withdrawing , 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 lawfull 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 which questions we must presuppose as certeine , that the Poape may compell by force of armes ( when 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 likewise to be set downe 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 , whom the Apostolicall letters of the Poape Clement the VIII . mencion , haue vndertaKen warre against hir .

Which groundes admitted , the first question is easilie answeared , for ther is no doubte , but that all Catholiques may fauour the said Prince in his foresaid warre , and that with greate merite , and hoape of eternall rewarde . The reason is , because the said Prince sustayneth the said warre 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 , wherin he graunteth as greate fauours , and Indulgences to such as fauour this Prince in the said warre , as if they should feight against the Turques . Who therfore can doubte , that the warre is iust , and of greate merite before Almightie God , which is vndertaKen by such authoritie , and for such a cause ?

As concerning the second question it is also certeine , that all Catholiques sinne mortally which followe the English campe 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 which fauour the english in that warre with municion , or victuails , or contribute anny other way , excepte it be by paiyng the ordinarie taxes , which 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 warre 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 with no lesse zeale then Turques , and graunteth the liKe Indulgences to those that feight against them as those gaine which feight against Turques , who can doub●e , but that the warre on the enlish parte is altogether vniust ? But no man ought to fauour , or be present at vniust warre , vnder paine of damnacion . And therfore , those Catholiques sinne moste greeuouslie that followe the heretiques parte against the said Prince , and all that fauour the warre with victuails , municions , or anny other meanes that anny way 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 wner ther is no mencion of anny peticion at whose instance it was granted , but the Poape doth oppenlie shewe in those his letters that he and his Predecessours haue of their awne acorde exhorted the Princes of Ireland , and all faithfull people vnto that warre , and to animate them the more therunto he hath granted greate Indulgences to this purpose . How therfore can the Poape his letters be noted of surrepcion , or called conterfeyte which conteyne nothing but an exhortacion with 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 warre is a mortall sinne , &c. And it is onely graunted to Catholiques to giue to the hereticall Queene such allegeance as oppugneth not oppenlie Catholique Religion . Neither was 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 : which to be his purpose his letters doe euidentlie declare .

By all which 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 withdrawe not their trve and deve obedience , neither doe vniustlie vsurpe the Queenes countries , or dominion , but doe rather by iust warre defend them selues , and their countrie from wicKed Tirannie , and defend with all their might the Catholique faith , as it becometh good Christian Catholiques to doe . All which assercions iointlie , and in particular as they be heere sett downe , all we whose names are subscribed doe iudge , and approue as certaine , and moste trve . Gyuen at Salamanca the second of February . 1603.