GALILEO

"I, Galileo Galilei, son of the late Vincenzo Galilei, of Florence, aged
seventy years, being brought personally to judgment, and kneeling before
your Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lords Cardinals, General Inquisitors
of the universal Christian republic against heretical depravity, having
before my eyes the Holy Gospels, which I touch with my own hands, swear
that I have always believed, and now believe, 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, and after it hath been signified to me that the said doctrine is
repugnant with the Holy Scripture, I have written and printed a book, in
which I treat of the same doctrine now condemned, and adduce reasons
with great force in support of the same, without giving any solution,
and therefore have been judged grievously suspected of heresy; that is
to say, that I held and believed that the sun is the centre of the
universe and is immovable, and that the earth is not the centre and is
movable; willing, therefore, to remove from the minds of your Eminences,
and of every Catholic Christian, this vehement suspicion rightfully
entertained toward me, 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 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 if I
shall know any heretic, or anyone suspected of heresy, that I will
denounce him to this Holy Office, or to the Inquisitor or Ordinary of
the place where 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