APPENDIX E: GALILEO 415 



Therefore this holy tribunal being desirous of providing against 

 the disorder and mischief thence proceeding and increasing to the 

 detriment of the holy faith, by the desire of His Holiness, and of the 

 Most Eminent Lords Cardinals of this supreme and universal Inqui- 

 sition, the two propositions of the stability of the sun, and the motion 

 of the earth, were qualified by the Theological Qualifiers as follows : 



The proposition that the sun is the centre of the world and im- 

 movable from its place is absurd, philosophically false, and formally 

 heretical, because it is expressly contrary to the Holy Scripture. 



The proposition that the earth is not the centre of the world, nor 

 immovable, but that it moves, and also with a diurnal motion, is also 

 absurd, philosophically false, and, theologically considered, at least 

 erroneous in faith. 



But whereas being pleased at that time to deal mildly with you, 

 it was decreed in the Holy Congregation, held before His Holiness on 

 the 25th day of February, 1616, that His Eminence, the Lord Cardinal 

 Bellarmine, should enjoin you to give up altogether the said false 

 doctrine; if you should refuse, that you should be ordered by the 

 Commissary of the Holy Office to relinquish it, not to teach it to others, 

 not to defend it, nor ever mention it, and in default of acquiescence 

 that you should be imprisoned ; and in execution of this decree, on 

 the following day at the palace, in presence of His Eminence the said 

 Lord Cardinal Bellarmine, after you had been mildly admonished by 

 the said Lord Cardinal, you were commanded by the acting Com- 

 missary of the Holy Office, before a notary and witnesses to relinquish 

 altogether the said false opinion, and in future neither to defend nor 

 teach it in any manner, neither verbally nor in writing, and upon 

 your promising obedience, you were dismissed. 



And in order that so pernicious a doctrine might be altogether 

 rooted out, nor insinuate itself further to the heavy detriment of the 

 Catholic faith, a decree emanated from the Holy Congregation of the 

 Index prohibiting the books which treat of this doctrine ; and it was 

 declared false and altogether contrary to the Holy and Divine Scripture. 



And whereas a book has since appeared, published at Florence 

 last year, the title of which showed that you were the author, which 

 is : The Dialogue of Galileo Galilei, on the Two Principal Systems of 

 the World, the Ptolemaic and Copernican; and whereas the Holy 

 Congregation has heard that, in consequence of the printing of the 

 said book, the false opinion of the earth's motion and stability of the 



