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CHAPTER VII.

THE TRIAL BEFORE THE INQUISITION.

The First Hearing.—Galileo's submissive Attitude.—The Events of February, 1616.—Galileo denies Knowledge of a Special Prohibition.—Produces Bellarmine's Certificate.—Either the Prohibition was not issued, or Galileo's Ignorance was feigned.—His Conduct since 1616 agrees with its non-issue.—The Inquisitor assumes that it was issued.—Opinions of Oregius, Inchofer, and Pasqualigus.—Galileo has Apartments in the Palace of the Holy Office assigned to him.—Falls ill.—Letter to Geri Bocchineri.—Change of Tone at second Hearing hitherto an Enigma.—Now explained by Letter from Firenzuola to Cardinal Fr. Barberini.—Galileo's Confession.—His Weakness and Subserviency.

On 12th April Galileo appeared in great distress of mind, for his first hearing in the Palace of the Inquisition, before the Commissary-General of the Holy Office, Father Vincenzo Maccolani da Firenzuola, and the fiscal attorney of the Holy Tribunal, Father Carlo Sincero. In all his answers to the Inquisitor, he is actuated by one idea—that of shortening the proceedings and averting a severe sentence by submissive acquiescence. This resigned attitude must be borne in mind in order to form a correct judgment of his depositions before the dread tribunal.^[1]

According to the rules of the Inquisition, an oath is administered to the accused that he will speak the truth, and he is then asked whether he knows or conjectures the reason of his citation. Galileo replied that he supposed he had been summoned to give an account of his last book. He was then asked whether he acknowledged the work shown him, "Dialogo di Galileo Galilei, Linceo," which treats of the two systems of the world, as entirely his own; to which he

1. Vat. MS. fol. 413 vo. 419 ro.