is bold to take upon her to judge and determine ecclesiastical affairs; forbade the Prelates, the Clergy, and People, to acknowledge the Roman Church or observe her commandments and canonical duties, enforced divers to swear obedience to her detestable Ordinances, to renounce the authority due to the Roman dignity, and acknowledge her the only sovereign over temporal and spiritual things; imposed penalties and taxes upon such as were refractory to her Injunctions; inflicted punishments upon those who persisted in the unity of the faith and obedience; imprisoned the Prelates and Governors of the Catholic Churches, where divers being, with a tedious languishing and sorrow miserably finished their unhappy days. All which things being thus evident and apparent to all nations, and so manifestly proved by the grave testimony of divers, that there is no place left for any excuse, defence, or tergiversation: Wee, perceiving that these impieties and mischiefs do still multiply one by another, and that the persecution of the faithful and the affliction of the Church doth daily increase and wax more heavy and grievous, and finding that her heart is so obstinate and obdurate, that she hath not only despised the wholesome prayers and admonitions which the Christian Princes have made for her better health and conversion, but that she hath denied passage to the Nuncios who for this end were sent from this Siege[37] into England; and being compelled to bear the arms of justice against her, We cannot moderate the punishment that We are bound to inflict upon her, whose ancestors merited so well of the Christian Commonwealth. Being thus supported by His Authority, who hath placed us upon this sovereign throne of Justice, howsoever incapable of so great a charge, out of the fulness of our Apostolical power do pronounce and declare the said Elizabeth an heretic and favourer of heretics, and those who adhere unto her in the aforesaid things, have incurred the Sentence of Anathema, and are cut off from the unity of the Body of Christ. That she is deprived of the right which she pretends to the foresaid kingdom, and of all and every Seigniory, Royalty and privilege thereof; and the Peers, Subjects, and People of the said kingdom, and all others upon what terms soever sworn unto her, freed from their oath and from all manner of duty, fidelity and obedience: As We do free them by the authority of these presents and exclude the said Elizabeth from the right which she pretendeth to the said kingdom, and the rest before mentioned. Commanding moreover and enjoining all and every the nobles, as subjects, people, and others whatsoever, that they shall not once dare to obey her, or any her directions, laws, or commandments, binding under the same curse those who do anything to the contrary. And for as much as it may seem difficult for them to observe these presents in every place where they have occasion for them, Our will is, that copies hereof being written by