SCHOPP'S LETTER 



93 



on which that was ever doubted. 1 We learn from it 

 that Bruno was publicly reported in Rome to have 

 been burned as a Lutheran ; and one of the aims of 

 Schopp in writing which he did on the very day of 

 Bruno's death was to prove the falsity of this report. 

 He had heard the sentence pronounced, and its damna- 

 tory clauses he gives as the following : (i) Bruno's 

 early doubts concerning and ultimate denial of the 

 Transubstantiation, and of the virgin conception ; (2) 

 the publication in London of the Bestia Trionfanti, 

 which was held to mean the Pope ; (3) the " horrible 

 absurdities " taught in his Latin writings, such as 

 the infinite number of worlds, the transmigration of 

 souls, the lawfulness and utility of magic, the Holy 

 Spirit described as merely the soul of the world, the 

 eternity of the world, Moses spoken of as an Egyptian 

 working his miracles by magic in which he excelled 

 other Egyptians and as having invented the decalogue, 

 the Holy Scriptures a fable, the salvation of the devil, the 

 Hebrews alone descended from Adam and Eve, other 

 peoples from the men created the previous day ; Christ 

 not God, but an illustrious magician, who deceived 

 men, and on that account was properly hanged (im- 

 piccato} and not crucified ; the prophets and apostles 

 corrupt men, magicians, who were for the most part 

 hanged. " In fine, I should never have done were I to 

 pass in review all the monstrosities he has advanced, 

 whether in his books or Sy word of mouth. In one 

 word, there is not an error of the pagan philosophers 

 or of our heretics, ancient or modern, that he did not 

 sustain." The delay at Rome, it is suggested, was 

 due to Bruno's constant promises to retract, but he was 



1 For the part of this letter relative to Bruno, i/. Bartholmess (with French trans- 

 lation), Berti and Frith. 



