Serpentum et Draconum Historiae

From the formless Chaos, the genius of Ulisse Aldrovandi and the study of the most excellent Lord Bartolomeo Ambrosini have brought forth this treatise on Serpents and Dragons into this form and appearance—a work truly filled with incredible erudition and most expertly elaborated with tireless labor, which seems to me to be most complete in every respect. In it, there is nothing to be changed, nothing to be deleted, nothing to be corrected or polished; it is judged, without any doubt and far removed from all flattery, to be worthy not of censure, but of praise. Its lofty and plausible doctrine will not only suffice for practical use with great profit and benefit to students, but will proceed to the point of astonishment and miracle. I have rendered this judgment of such a great Doctor, whose pen—may the best God grant—may advance further day by day; but in the meantime, I judge with the best of reasons that the present work should be committed to the press, and I subscribe.

I, D. Octavianus Finatius, Clerk Regular of Saint Paul and Rector of the Sacred Penitentiary of Bologna for the Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Cardinal Archbishop of Bologna.

I, the undersigned, have seen this work on Serpents and Dragons by the most illustrious Lord Ulisse Aldrovandi, filled with all erudition and elaborated with the singular labor of the most excellent Bartolomeo Ambrosini, and most useful to all; and most willingly, because I have found nothing in it that is repugnant to the faith or to good morals, I judge that it can be given to the press for the common good.

Brother Hieron. Onuph., Collegiate Doctor of Sacred Theology and Consultant of the Most Holy Inquisition, for the Most Reverend Father Master Paolo de Garrexia, Inquisitor of Bologna.