SIXTVS the fifte , by Gods prouidence the vniuersal pastor of Christes flocke , to whome by perpetual and lawful succession , apperteyneth the care and gouernement of the Catholike Churche , seinge the pittyfull calametyes which heresy hath brought into the renoumed cuntryes of Englande and Irelande , of olde so famouse for vertue , Religion , & Christian obedience ; And how at this present , through the impietie and peruerse gouernement of Elizabeth the pretensed Quene , with a fewe her adhearentes , those kingdomes be brought not onely to a disordered and perillouse state in them selues , but are become as infected members , contagious and trublesome to the whole body of Christendome ; And not hauinge in those parts the ordinary meanes , which by the assistance of Christian Princes he hath in other prouinces , to remedy disorders , and kepe in obedience and ecclesiastical discipline the people , for that Henry the 8. late kinge of Englande , did of late yeares , by rebellion and reuolte from the See Apostolike , violently seperate him selfe and his subiects from the communion and societie of the christian comonwelth ; And Elizabeth the present vsurper , doth continewe the same , with perturbation and perill of the cuntryes aboute her , shewinge her selfe obstinate and incorrigible in such sorte , that without her depriuation and deposityon there is no hope to reforme those states , nor kepe Christendome in perfect peace & trāquillety : Therfore our Holy Father , desyringe as his duty is , to prouide present & effectuall remedy , inspired by God for the vniuersall benefite of his Churche , moued by the particuler affection which him selfe and many his predecessors haue had to these natyons , And solicited by the Zelous and importunate instance of sundry the most principall persones of the same , hath dealt earnestly with diuers Princes , and specially with the mighty and potent Kinge Catholike of Spaine , for the reuerence which he beareth to the See Apostolike , for the olde Amity betwene his house and the Croune of England , for the specyall loue which he hath shewed to the Catholikes of those places , for the obteyninge of peace and quietnesse in his cuntryes adioyninge , for the augmentinge and increase of the Catholike faith , and finally for the vniuersall benefite of all Europe ; that he will employe those forces which almighty God hath giuen him , to the deposition of this woman , and correction of her complices , so wicked and noysome to the worlde ; and to the reformation and pacification of these kingdomes , whence so greate good , and so manifold publike commodeties , are like to ensue .

AND to notefy to the world the iustice of this acte , and giue full satisfaction to the subiects of those kingdomes and others whosoeuer , and finally to manyfest Gods iudgements vpon sinne ; his Holynes hath thought good , together with the declaratory sentence of this womans chasticement , to publish also the causes , which haue moued him to procede against her in this sorte . FIRST for that she is an Heretike , and Schismatike , excommunicated by two his Holines predecessors ; obstinate in disobedience to God and the See Apostolike ; presuminge to take vpon her , contrary to nature , reason , and all lawes both of God and man , supreme iurisdiction and spirituall auctority ouer mens soules . SECONDLY for that she is a Bastard , conceyued and borne by incestuous adultery , and therfore vncapable of the Kingdome , aswell by the seuerall sentences of Clement the 7. and Paule the 3. of blessed memory , as by the publike declaration of Kinge Henry him selfe . THIRDLY for vsurpinge the Croune without right , hauinge the impediments mentioned , and contrary to the auncyent acorde made betwene the See Apostolike and the realme of England , vpon reconciliation of the same after the death of S. Thomas of Canterbury , in the time of Henry the second , that none might be lawfull kinge or Quene therof , without the approbation and consent of the supreme Bishopp : which afterward was renewed by kinge Iohn , and confirmed by othe , as a thinge most beneficiall to the kingdome , at request and instance of the lordes and Comons of the same . AND FVRTHER for that with sacrilege and impiety , she contineweth violating the solemne Othe made at her coronation , to mainteyne and defende the auncyent priuileges and ecclesiasticall libertyes of the lande . FOR MANY and greuous iniuryes , extorsions , oppressions , and other wronges , done by her , and suffered to be done against the poore and innocent people of both cuntryes . FOR sturringe vp to sedition and rebellion the subiects of other nations about her , against their lawfull and naturall princes , to the destructyon of infinite soules , ouerthrow and desolation of most goodly cittyes and cuntryes . FOR harboringe and protectinge Heretikes , fugetiues , rebelles , and notorious malefactors , with greate iniury and preiudice of diuers comon wealthes : and procuringe for the oppression of Christendome and disturbance of comon peace , to bringe in our potent and cruell enemy the Turke . FOR so longe and barbarouse persecution of gods saints , aflictinge , spolynge , and imprisoninge the sacred Bishops , tormentinge , and pittyfully murtheringe numbers of holy Preists , and other catholike persons . FOR the vnnatural and iniust imprisonment , and late cruelty vsed against the most gracyous Princesse , Mary Quene of Scotland , who vnder promise and assurance of protection and succor , came first into Englande . FOR abolishinge the trew Catholike religion ; prophaninge holy Sacraments , Monasteryes , Churches , Sacred persons , Memories of saints , and what els so euer might helpe or further to eternal saluation : And in the Comon welth , disgraceing the auncyent Nobility , erecting base and vnworthy persons to all the Ciuile and Ecclesiastical Dignetyes , sellinge of lawes and iustice , And finally exercysinge an absolute Tyrannie , with high offence to almighty God , oppressyon of the people , perdition of soules , and ruine of those cuntryes .

WHERFORE , these thinges beinge of such nature & qualety , that some of them make her vnable to reigne , others declare her vnworthy to liue ; His Holinesse , in the almighty power of God , and by Apostolical auctority to him committed , doth renewe the sentence of his predecessors Pius 5. and Gregorie the 13. tooching the Excommunication and deposition of the sad Elizabeth : and further a newe doth Excommunicate , and depriue her of all auctority and Princely dignety , and of all title and pretensy on to the said Croune and Kingdomes of England and Ireland ; declaringe her to be illegittimate , and an vniust vsurper of the same ; And absoluinge the people of those states , and other persons whatsoeuer , from all Obedience , Othe , and other bande of Subiection vnto her , or to any other in her name . And further doth straitely commaunde , vnder the indignation of almighty God , and nayne of Excommunication , and the corporal punishment appoynted by the lawes , that none , of whatsoeuer condition or estate , after notice of these presents , presume to yeilde vnto her , Obedience , fauor , or other suceurse , But that they and euery of them concurre by all meanes possible to her chastisement . To the ende , that she which so many wayes hath forsaken God and his Churche , beinge now destitute of wordly comforte , and abandoned of all , may acknowledge her offence , and humbly submitt her selfe to the iudgements of the highest .

BE IT THERFORE notefyed to the inhabitants of the said Cuntryes , and to all other persons , that they obserue diligently the premisses , withdrawinge all succor publike and priuate , from the party pursued and her adherents , after they shall haue knowlege of this present : And that forthwith they vnite them selfs to the Catholike army conducted by the most noble and victorious Prince , Alexander Farnesius , Duke of Parma and Placentia , in name of his Maiesty , with the forces that eche one can procure , to helpe and concurre as ys aforesaid ( yf nede shall be ) to the deposition and chasticement of the said persons , and restitution of the holy Catholike faith . Signifyenge to those which shall doe the contrary or refuse to doe this here commaunded , that they shall not escape condigne punishment .

MOREOVER BE IT KNOWEN that the intention of his Holynesse , of the Kinge Catholike , and the Duke his highnesse in this enterprise , ys not to inuade and conquere these kingdomes ; chaunge lawes , preuileges or customes ; bereaue of liberty or liuely hoode may man ( other then rebels and ostinate persons ) or make mutation in any thinge , except suche , as by comon accorde , betwene his Holinesse , his Catholike maiesty , and the states of the lande , shal be thought necessary , for the restitution and continuance of the Catholike Religion , and punishment of the vsurper and her adhearents . Assuringe all men , that the controuersyes which may arise by the depriuation of this woman , or vpon other cause , eyther betwene particuler partyes , or touching the successyon to the Croune , or betwene the Churche and Comon welthe , or in other wise whatsoeuer , shal be decyded and determined wholy accordinge to iustice and Christian equity without iniury or preiudice to any person . AND there shall not onely due care be had , to saue from spoyle the Catholikes of these cuntryes , which haue so longe endured , but mercy also shewed to such penytent persons , as submitt them selues to the Capitane generall of this army . Yea for so much as information ys giuen , that there be many , which onely of ignorance or feare be fallen from the fayth , and yet notwithstandinge are taken for heretikes ; Neyther ys yt purposed , presently to punish any such persons , but to supporte them with clemency , till by conference with lerned men and better consideration , they may be informed of the truth , if they doe not shew them selues obstinate .

TO PREVENT also the sheadinge of Christiane bloode , and spoyle of the cuntry , which might ensewe by the resistance of some principall offenders . Be it knowne by these presents , that it shal not onely be lawfull for any person publike or priuate ( ouer and besides those which haue vndertaken the enterprise ) to areste , put in holde , and deliuer vp vnto the Catholike parte , the said vsurper , or any of her complices ; But also holden for very good seruice and most highly rewarded , accordinge to the qualety and condition of the partyes so deliuered . And in like maner , all others , which here to fore haue assisted , or herafter shall helpe and concurr to the punishment of the offenders , and to the establishment of Catholike Religion in these prouinces , shall receyue that aduauncement of honor and estate which their good and faithful seruice to the comon welthe shall require ; in which , respecte shal be vsed , to preserue the auncyent and honorable famelyes of the lande , in as much as ys possible . AND finally by these presents , fre passage ys graunted to such as wil resorte to the catholike campe , to bringe victuals , munytion , or other necessaryes ; promisinge liberall payment for all such things , as shal be receiued from them for seruice of the army . Exhorting with all and straitely commaunding , that al men accordinge to theire force and ability , be redy and diligent to assiste here in ; to the ende no occasion be giuen to vse violence , or to punish such persons as shall neglect this commaundement .

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