I, Galileo Galilei, son of the late Vincenzio Galilei of Florence, aged
seventy years, being brought personally to judgment, and kneeling
before you, Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lords Cardinals, General
Inquisitors of the Universal Christian Commonwealth against heretical
depravity, having before my eyes the Holy Gospels which I touch with my
own hands, swear that I have always believed, and, with the help of
God, will in future believe, every article which the Holy Catholic and
Apostolic Church of Rome holds, teaches, and preaches. But because I
have been enjoined, by this Holy Office, altogether to abandon the
false opinion which maintains that the Sun is the centre and immovable,
and forbidden to hold, defend, or teach, the said false doctrine in any
manner ... I am willing to remove from the minds of your Eminences, and
of every Catholic Christian, this vehement suspicion rightly
entertained towards me, therefore, with a sincere heart and unfeigned
faith, I abjure, curse, and detest the said errors and heresies, and
generally every other error and sect contrary to the said Holy Church;
and I swear that I will never more in future say, or assert anything,
verbally or in writing, which may give rise to a similar suspicion of
me; but that if I shall know any heretic, or any one suspected of
heresy, I will denounce him to this Holy Office, or to the Inquisitor
and Ordinary of the place in which I may be. I swear, moreover, and
promise that I will fulfil and observe fully all the penances which
have been or shall be laid on me by this Holy Office. But if it shall
happen that I violate any of my said promises, oaths, and protestations
(which God avert!), I subject myself to all the pains and punishments
which have been decreed and promulgated by the sacred canons and other
general and particular constitutions against delinquents of this
description. So, may God help me, and His Holy Gospels, which I touch
with my own hands, I, the above named Galileo Galilei, have abjured,
sworn, promised, and bound myself as above; and, in witness thereof,
with my own hand have subscribed this present writing of my abjuration,
which I have recited word for word.
|