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a suspicion of heresy against him; and the same night the unsuspecting victim of malice was dragged from his family, confined to prison, and perhaps tortured to death, while his wife and children remained ignorant of his fate, as well as of the crime laid to his charge; and durst not inquire, lest the holy office should lay its merciless paw upon them also. And even, when there was not so much as a suspicion of heresy, it was usual to invent accusations against persons in order to obtain possession of their property. If the holy fathers took a fancy to a young lady, or to a married woman, it was their custom to send, at the dead hour of night, to tear them away from the bosom of their families the husband was obliged to surrender his wife, and the father his daughter, without daring to whisper a complaint, or ever after to inquire what had become of those who were so dear to him; and neighbours durst not so much as remark that such persons were missing, lest some spy of the holy office should inform against them, and they be brought to share the same fate.

Under the pretext of labouring to suppress heresy, the holy Inquisition was found to make war, not against true religion only, but also against what is demonstrably true in philosophy and science. We have a striking example of this in the case of Galileo, the first mathematician and astronomer of his age, who, if not the original inventor of the telescope, was the first that applied it to any valuable purpose in the science of astronomy. From a careful observation of the motions of the heavenly bodies, Galileo became a convert to the system of Copernicus, or what is now called the Newtonian system, having been, by Sir Isaac Newton, demonstrated to be the true system of the universe; that is, that the sun is the centre of motion to a number of planets, and the earth among the rest, which revolve round the sun at different periods, in proportion to their respective distances. I suppose there is scarcely a peasant in Scotland in the present day, who has studied the subject, who is not convinced of the truth of the system thus described; and yet, for daring to teach it, Galileo was in danger of being burnt to death.

The process against the philosopher is given by Limborch at great length, and copied from him by subsequent writers. I shall give here the substance of it. It would occupy too much space to give the indictment verbatim; but when I come to the philosopher's recantation, I shall give it without abridgment. The names of certain great ecclesiastical dignitaries are given as sitting in judgment upon the poor astronomer, and his libel runs in the following strain:

Whereas, you Galileus, of Florence, aged seventy, were informed against in the year 1615, in this holy office, for maintaining as true, a certain false doctrine, held by many, namely, that the sun is the centre of the world, and immoveable, and that the earth moves round it with a daily motion. Likewise, that you have certain scholars to whom you have taught the same doctrine. Likewise, that you have kept up a correspondence with certain German mathematicians concerning the same. Likewise, that you have published certain letters concerning the solar spots, in which you have explained the same doctrine as true, and that you have answered the objections which in several places were made against you, from the authority of the holy scriptures, by construing or glossing over the said scriptures, according to your own opinions. And finally, whereas the copy of a writing under the form of

a letter, reported to have been written by you to one who was formerly your scholar, has been shown to us, in which you have followed the hypothesis of Copernicus, which contains certain propositions contrary to the true sense and authority of the holy scriptures.

Now, this holy tribunal, being desirous to provide against the inconveniences and dangers which this statement may occasion, to the detriment of the holy faith, by the command of the most eminent lords, cardinals, &c. of this supreme and universal Inquisition, have caused the two following propositions concerning the immoveability of the sun, and the motion of the earth, to be thus qualified by the divines, viz.

"That the sun is the centre of the world and immoveable, with a local motion, is an absurd proposition, false in philosophy, and absolutely heretical, because it is expressly contrary to the holy scriptures. "That the earth is neither the centre of the world nor immoveable, but that it possesses a daily motion, is likewise an absurd proposition, false in philosophy, and theologically considered, at least erroneous in point of faith.

"But as it pleased us in the first instance to proceed kindly with you, it was decreed in the said congregation, held before our Lord N. Feb. 25, anno 1616, that the most eminent Lord Cardinal Bellarmine, should command you, that you should entirely depart from the said false doctrine, and in case you should refuse to obey him, that you should be commanded by the commissary of the holy office, to abandon the same, and that you should neither teach it to others, defend it, nor say any thing concerning it, and that, if you should not submit to this order, you should be put in goal," &c. &c. Thus, for merely entertaining and expressing an opinion with regard to the system of the universe, was the greatest philosopher of his age subjected to be imprisoned in the goal of the Inquisition, which imprisonment almost necessarily inferred the forfeiture of life my means of burning; and if the holy inquisitors, in their great mercy, were pleased not to burn him to death, the circumstance of being imprisoned by them necessarily inferred the forfeiture of all his property, and the consigning of his name to infamy. The opinion which the holy fathers condemned happens to be true in philosophy, and not contrary to scripture, for the word of God is occupied about higher matters, and does not pronounce any decision upon a subject so unimportant as the structure of the universe; but supposing the doctrine, that the earth moves round the sun, and not the sun round the earth, to be false in philosophy, what right had the church of Rome to imprison, and commit men to the flames for believing it? The error was not greater, than to maintain that two and three make six; and truly that must be a holy office that will burn men to death for such a harmless opinion.

After a long round-about account of the errors of Galileo's writings, their condemnation of the same, and their dealings with the unhappy author in order to his recantation, the holy fathers proceed as follows:

"Invoking, therefore, the most holy name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of his most glorious mother, Mary, ever a virgin, we do, by this, our definitive sentence, which, sitting in our tribunal, we pronounce in these writings, with the advice and judgment of the reverend masters, doctors of divinity, and both laws, with whom we have consulted concerning the cause and causes now depending before us, between the

magnificent Carolus Sincerus, doctor of both laws, and procurator of the exchequer of this holy office of the one part, and you Galileus Galilei, a criminal here under the power of the Inquisition, by this present written process, examined and confessed as above, of the other part; we do say, judge, and declare, that you the aforesaid Galileus have, upon account of those things, which are produced in the written process, and which you have confessed as above, subjected yourself to a strong suspicion of heresy in this holy office, by believing and holding to be true, a doctrine which is false and contrary to the sacred and divine scripture; namely, that the sun is the centre of the orb of the earth, and does not move from the east to the west; and that the earth moves, and is not the centre of the world, and that these things may be considered and defended as probable opinions, although they have been declared and determined to be contrary to the sacred scripture; and consequently, that you have incurred all the censures and penalties appointed and promulgated by the sacred canons, and other general and particular acts against such offenders; from which it is our pleasure that you should be absolved, provided that you do first, with a sincere heart, and a true faith, abjure, curse, and detest, before us, the aforesaid errors and heresies, and every other error and heresy contrary to the catholic and apostolic Roman church, in the form which shall be prescribed to you by us." Then follows the formal condemnation and prohibition of Galileo's book, with an injunction of suitable penance, such as the holy fathers should please to inflict upon the miserable author, who happened, unfortunately for himself, to know more of God's works of creation, than the church of Rome chose that any man should know. The deed, if given at length, would nearly fill one of my numbers; it is subscribed by no less than seven cardinals; and it shows what must have been the low state of learning and science in Europe, only two hundred years ago. The following is the abjuration, which I give at full length, though the substance of it might have been expressed in half the number of words:

"I, Galileus, son of the late Vincentius Galileus, a Florentine, aged seventy, being here personally upon my trial, and on my knees before you, the most learned and eminent the lords, cardinals, inquisitorsgeneral, of the universal Christian commonwealth, against heretical wickedness, and having before my eyes the most holy gospels, which I touch with my proper hands, do swear that I always have believed, and do now believe, and by the aid of God I will in future believe, every thing which the holy catholic and apostolic Roman church doth hold, preach, and teach. But whereas, notwithstanding, after I had been legally enjoined and commanded by this holy office, to abandon wholly that false opinion, which maintains that the sun is the centre of the universe, and immoveable, and that I should not hold, defend, or in any way, either by word or writing, teach the aforesaid false doctrine; and whereas, also, after it had been notified to me, that the aforesaid doctrine was contrary to the holy scripture, I wrote and published a book, in which I treated of the doctrine which had been condemned, and produced reasons of great force in favour of it, without giving any answers to them, for which I have been judged by the holy office to have incurred a strong suspicion of heresy, viz. for believing that the sun is the centre of the world, and that the earth is not the centre, but

moves. Being, therefore, willing to remove from the minds of your eminences, and of every catholic Christian, this strong suspicion which has been legally conceived against me, I do, with a sincere heart, and a true faith, abjure, curse, and detest, not only the foresaid errors and heresies, but generally every other error and opinion which may be contrary to the aforesaid holy church; and I swear, that, for the future, I will never more say or assert, either by word or writing, any thing that shall give occasion for a like suspicion; but that if I should know any heretic, or person suspected of heresy, I will inform against him to this holy office, or to the inquisitor, or ordinary of the place, in which I shall then be. Moreover, I swear and promise, that I will fulfil and fully observe all the penances which have been, or shall be hereafter enjoined me by this holy office. But if, which God forbid, it should happen that I should act contrary to my word, promises, protestations, and oaths, I do hereby subject myself to all the penalties and punishments which have been ordained and published against such offenders by the sacred canons, and other acts, both general and particular. So help me God, and these holy gospels which I now touch with my own proper hand. I, the abovementioned Galileus Galilei, have abjured, sworn, promised, and bound myself as above, and in testimony of these things I have subscribed, with my own proper hand, this present instrument of my abjuration, and have repeated it word by word at Rome, in the convent of Minerva, this 22d day of July, anno 1633. I, Galileus Galilei, have abjured as above, with my own proper hand."

It must be admitted, that the great philosopher appears here in a contemptible light. He denies upon oath what he believes to be true. He had indeed no alternative between this and being burnt to death; and mere philosophy could not furnish him with a reason and a motive for laying down his life for her sake. Had he been actuated by Christian principle, he would rather have died than have sworn to a falsehood, though it had been in a matter of no more importance, than that two and three make five. But if the philosopher appears contemptible in this matter, what shall we say of the holy church of Rome, that imposed such a hardship upon the wisest of her children? She appears not only as the enemy of truth and righteousness, but also as the enemy of science and literature. Under her influence, men could have no heart for making discoveries of any kind. Had any man proposed in Italy, two hundred years ago, to light a city by means of an invisible substance extracted from pit-coal, he would have been suspected of heretical intercourse with the devil; and if he should have succeeded in his plan, as our gas-light company has done, he would have been thrown into one of his own retorts, or more publicly burnt at an Autoda-fe, as a wizard, or convicted heretic at least. It is easier to conceive how He that made all things out of nothing, should make the earth to move round the sun, than that a fellow-creature should be able to bring light out of darkness. The things, however, are both alike true. one is proved by experiment, the other by observation; but if we were under the dominion of popery, we should be obliged to deny both upon oath, or submit to the alternative of being thrown into the fire.

VOL. II.-19

The

CHAPTER CXXVII.

VARIOUS ACCOUNTS OF THE INQUISITION AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND PLACES. BREAK ING UP OF THE INQUISITION AT SARAGOSSA, BY FRENCH TROOPS. DISCLOSURES THEN MADE. SIXTY YOUNG WOMEN FOUND IN THE KEEPING OF THE HOLY FATHERS. SINGULAR NARRATIVE OF ONE OF THEM.

SATURDAY, December 16th, 1820.

IN treating of the holy Inquisition, it is not necessary that I go minutely into the consideration of its constitution, the laws by which it is regulated, and the titles and functions of the officers by whom it is governed. A full account of these may be found in "Limborch's History of the Inquisition;"" The History of the Inquisition as it subsists in the kingdoms of Spain and Portugal," by Baker; Dellon's Account of the Inquisition at Goa; and in the work of a late, and I suppose, living author, entitled "A Narrative of the Persecution of Hippolyto Joseph da Costa Pereira Furtado de Mendoza," who was imprisoned and tried in Lisbon, by the Inquisition, about eighteen years ago, for the alleged crime of being a freemason. The narrative of this writer with regard to his own sufferings is highly interesting; but his account of the constitution and laws of the "Holy Office," is in a great measure a compilation from Limborch and others; and it ought to be mentioned, to the honour of the last mentioned author, that though he wrote about the middle of the seventeenth, his account is confirmed by the narrative of one who suffered in the Inquisition at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

But as my plan is to expose the cruelty and extreme wickedness of popery, as these appear in the conduct of the sacred tribunal, I shall, in a great measure, confine myself to facts illustrative of what I assert. Let it be remembered, that the grand avowed object of the institution was the suppression of heresy; that is, to prevent any man from thinking and speaking about religion, except according to a fixed rule, laid down by the church of Rome; and if any man would not be persuaded to think and speak according to this rule, it was the business of the holy office to deliver him up to the flames. But though this was the avowed object of the Inquisition, it will appear in the sequel, that it was used by great luxurious ecclesiastics as a mean of providing for the gratification of their lusts. The grand Turk has not a more splendid seraglio within the walls of his palace, than holy fathers are known to have kept within the prison of the Inquisition: and these very fathers would, without scruple, have sent any man of their own order to the flames, if he had presumed to commit the heresy of marrying, and living honestly with one woman.

About the beginning of the last century, there happened to be a sort of a civil war in Spain, in which the troops of the king of France were actively engaged on one side. In their victorious career they came into possession of the city of Saragossa, in Arragon, in which were a number of convents, particularly one of Dominicans. The French commander, M. Legal, found it necessary to levy a pretty heavy contribution upon the inhabitants, not omitting the convents. The Dominicans, all whose friars were familiars of the holy Inquisition, excused

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