eretical 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 towards 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 any one 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 above-named Galileo Galilei, have
abjured, sworn, promised, and bound myself as above, and in witness