THE deepe sense Which wee haue of the sadd condition , the Kingdome is at present reduced vnto , by the vnaduised proceedings of some Prelats Secular & Regular , & of some superiors of Regular orders in this Kingdome , together with our iust feares , that vnless a timely course be taken to stopp the violence of those vnwarrantable wayes , the whole body of the Confederats may run irrecouerable hazard ; These with the conscience of doinge an act most Religious , by safeguarding innocence ( though noe common danger were suspected ) moued vs , to reflect on the duty wee owe to the publick , & on the straight tye which the oath of Association binds vs vnto , for its preseruation , for discharge of our duty in both , & stopping the current of evills which wee sadly behold flowing out of this source ( though the lawes both diuine & naturall edge vs to vse all extreamity in bussines of soe great concernment , whereon the safety & liues of the whole nation depends ) yet being vnwilling to fix on any course which might seeme harsh ( even to the offenders themselues ) wee thought good , first to admonish & desire all & every the said Prelats of what degree soeuer , Arch Bushopps , Bushopps , Abbots , vicars Generalls , Deanes , & Chapters , Prouincialls , Priors , Guardians & all other superiors , coniuring them by the sacred bond of the oath of Association , & strictly charging them , on theire due allegiance to his Maiestie , his Crowne , his Kingdome , and vnto vs as Supreame Councell of the Confederat Catholicks , that they shall in noe wise molest any of theire respectiue subiects , Priests or Religious , for perseuering in theire loyalty or ( in pursuance thereof ) for approuing the late Cessation made by vs with the Lord Barron of Insiquin , and that they shall not commaund , sollicit , desire , or induce , by worde , writing , or deed , publickly or priuately , any of theire said subiects to oppose the said Cessation , or any other our iust Commaunds , in pursuance of it , for the publick safety , or to infuse into the people any disobedience to our authority , vppon any pretence whatsoeuer , even of the declaration made or Censures now issued , or heereafter to be issued by the Lord Nuncio , and his four Bushopps on the same ground , From all which [ as both groundless and vnlawfull ) wee haue ( according to the rule of sacred Canons , ) legally appealed to his Holyness , and by that our address , not only suspended the past sentences and Censures , but alsoe his Graces whole iurisdiction , and the said four Bushopps ( if any they had ) from proceeding any further therein , vntill his Holiness pleasure bee knowne .

AND furthermore , wee require ( by vertue of the said Oath , and vpon theire allegeance ) all inferiors of both Cleargies , Dignitaries Curats , Preachers , Confessors , & all others , of what condition soeuer they be , that they shall not , on any pretence [ euen of the said Gensurs ) withdraw any Confederat from approuing the said Cessation , or obeying our orders and Decrees , made and to be made , in pursuance thereof , but rather endeauour , in their publick sermons , priuat Conferences , and vpon each occasion offerd , to confirme them in their allegiance to his Majestie , and our iust decrees and orders .

BESIDES , Wee thought it most necessary and iust , to receaue ( as we doe by these , and from this instant ) into the speciall , and immediat protection of the Crowne and of his Majestie ( the administration of whose rights , euen in this particular , is in our hands towards the Confederat Catholicks ) all Church-men both Secular and Regular , of what degree soeuer , who hitherto have declared themselues faithfull and obedient to the Gouernment of the Kingdome , and who haue therefore , and for opposeing sinister and Dangerous practises against vs , and such as are in authority , beene heeretofore , are for the present , or shall heereafter be persecuted by theire superiours , vexed , hindred , suspended , depriued or any way molested ; Protesting and publishing to the world , that wee will vse all the extent of our power to suppress & defend their innocence heerein , against the Lord Nuncio and such theire Superiours , vntill his Holiness and Generall Superiors of Instituts ( being sufficiently enformed ) prouide further , for the affaires of the Church , and duediscipline of Regular orders in Ireland .

LASTLY , wee Declare vnto the said Prelats and Superiours , and likwise vnto all inferiors of either Clergie , that if hence-forth any Church-men be found seduceing the people as aforesaid , or countenancing , either seducers , or the seduced , wee must , and Will presently vpon notice giuen , proceede against such , as enemies of the common good , and iniurious to the Gouernment , the suddainess and greatness of the present fatall dangers necessitating vs thereunto .

HENCE it is , that none is to conceiue , wee intend heereby ( since both are per viam facti , and for our naturall and necessary defence , in assumeing into our protection the vniustly oppressed Ecclesiasticks ) to vsurp an illegall power , iurisdiction , or vnwarrantable prerogatiue , or to intrench vppon the immunities of the Church , being soe farr from either , as wee are certaine , our decree in all , and every the aforesaid perticulars , doth not swarue from the square of sacred Canons , from the consent of great Diuines and Canonists , from the practise of most Catholick Nations ( and amongst the rest of England before the schisme without controulement of the Clergie ) nay we are vndoubtedly possessed , the law of nature ( which is aboueall Cannons ) doth approue and Commaund it so strictly , as wee cannot otherwise answer the trvst reposed in vs , when by our negligence heerein , the liues and fortunes of the Confederat Catholicks would be exposed to most ineuitable and euident danger . Giuen at Kilkenny Castle , the third day of Iune 1648. and in the Four and twentieth yeare of the Raigne of our Soueraigne Lord CHARLES By the Grace of God , King of Great Brittaine , France , and Ireland .