22 GALILEO AND HIS JUDGES. 



Cardinal of Santa Cecilia, Bishop of Albano, on the 

 5th day of March, 1616." 

 Here follow the signatures : 

 "P. EPISC. ALBANEN. CARD. SANCT^E C.ECILLE. 



" Locus ffc sigilli. 

 t{ F. FRANCISCUS MAGDALENUS CAPIFERREUS, 



" Ord. Prcedicat., Secretarius." 



There followed a somewhat remarkable episode : 

 some opponents of Galileo having spread a report 

 that he had been compelled to make an abjuration, 

 and also had had certain salutary penances inflicted 

 on him, Cardinal Bellarmine gave him a certificate 

 to the effect that nothing of the kind had taken 

 place, but only that the declaration made by the 

 Pope and published by the Congregation of the 

 Index had been communicated to him ; in which 

 declaration was contained the statement that the 

 doctrine attributed to Copernicus on the movement 

 of the Earth round the Sun, and the stability of the 

 Sun in the centre of the world without its moving 

 from east to west, was contrary to Holy Scripture, 

 and so could not be defended or held. It appears 

 that the abjuration alluded to was a solemn act 

 demanded only from those who were suspected of 

 unsoundness in the faith, and carried with it some 

 disgrace. Galileo was naturally anxious to be cleared 

 from such imputation, and the authorities in Eome 

 willingly met him so far, and avoided all acts casting 

 a personal slur on him. It is noteworthy that the 



