Page:Galileo Galilei and the Roman Curia (IA cu31924012301754).pdf/241

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
THE TRIAL BEFORE THE INQUISITION.
205

whatsoever' (quovis modo), but it may be that it was; for I thought no more about it, nor took any pains to impress the words on my memory, as a few months later I received the certificate now produced, of the said Signor Cardinal Bellarmine, of 26th May, in which the injunction given me, not to hold nor defend that opinion, is expressly to be found. The two other definitions of the said injunction which have just been made known to me, namely, not to teach, and in any way, I have not retained in my memory, I suppose, because they are not mentioned in the said certificate, on which I rely, and which I have kept as a reminder."

Galileo thus repeats for the fifth time that he is only aware of the injunction which agrees with the decree of the Congregation of the Index of 5th March, 1616. He can likewise only remember that Cardinal Bellarmine told him of the decree of the Holy Congregation; that a command was issued to him, as the Inquisitor asserts, he is not aware; but true to his resolve to make no direct contradiction, he says: "It may be, but I do not remember it." But the Inquisitor treats the issue of the "command" as an established fact; and Galileo, to whom it may have appeared somewhat indifferent whether he was merely informed of the decree of the Congregation, or whether a command in conformity with it was issued to him before witnesses, submissively adopts this assumption of the Inquisitor. He then informs Galileo "that this command issued to him before witnesses contained that he must not in any way hold, defend, nor teach that opinion." Galileo, to whom the two additions, "in any way whatever" and "nor teach," sound new, entrenches himself behind his stereotyped answer, "I do not remember it." Then he appeals to the certificate given him by Cardinal Bellarmine on 26th May, 1616, which does not mention either of these two definitions. To the repeated query who intimated the command to him, he invariably replies: "Cardinal Bellarmine." He obviously supposes that the Inquisitor regards the cardinal's communication as the command. Galileo's depositions do not contain a word from which it can be inferred that (as the document of 26th February reports), after the cardinal's communication, any further instruction was given him by