i ROME AND VENICE 83 



Inquisitor and Thomas Morosini being present), 

 with an account of the charges against Bruno, and he 

 added, that they did not wish to act without first 

 informing the College (the Doge and Senators), so that 

 they might give what order they thought fit, and the 

 tribunal would wait to know what reply should be 

 made to Rome ; but he begged for expedition, since 

 there was at that very time an opportunity of sending 

 the prisoner in security ; to all which the Senate 

 promised to give due consideration. On the same day 

 the Father Inquisitor returned, after dinner, to learn the 

 decision of the Signers, adding that there was a vessel at 

 hand, ready to set out. The State was not so willing, 

 however, to allow the Church to have its way, and it 

 was replied "that the matter being of moment, and 

 deserving consideration, and the occupations of the 

 State being many and weighty, they could not at that 

 time come to a decision, and his Reverence might for 

 the present let the vessel sail." On the 3rd of October 

 they wrote to their ambassador (Donato) at Rome, 

 that the request had been refused, on the ground that it 

 meant an infringement of the rights of the Venetian 

 tribunal and a menace for the future to their subjects. 

 Nearly three months elapsed before any further steps 

 were taken. On the 22nd December the Papal Nuncio Dec. 22. 

 appeared before the College pressing them to deal with 

 the Friar Giordano Bruno, described as a publicly 

 known Arch-heretic, whom the Pope desired to have at 

 Rome, in order to bring to an end the process that was 

 begun against him in the Holy Inquisition, and their 

 serenities were begged to permit his being carried to 

 Rome, that justice might be done. His Holiness, the 

 Pope, had already, in the interval, impressed his desire 

 upon the minds of the ambassadors at Rome. On the 



