Furthermore, whoever reads or possesses books interdicted by other titles, beyond the guilt of mortal sin by which they are affected, shall be severely punished by the judgment of the Bishops.

OBSERVATIONS

Made by the order of POPE CLEMENT VIII regarding the fourth and ninth rules.

Regarding the fourth rule.

It must be noted regarding the aforementioned fourth rule of the Index of Pius IV, of happy memory, that by this present impression and edition, no new faculty is granted to Bishops, Inquisitors, or Superiors of religious orders to concede licenses for buying, reading, or retaining Bibles edited in the vernacular language, since hitherto, by mandate and usage of the Holy Roman and Universal Inquisition, the power to grant such licenses to read or retain vernacular Bibles, or other parts of Sacred Scripture of both the New and Old Testaments, edited in any vernacular language, has been taken from them; and furthermore, summaries and abridgments, even historical ones, of the same Bibles or books of Sacred Scripture written in any vernacular idiom: which indeed must be observed inviolably.

Regarding the ninth rule.

Concerning Rule IX of the same Index, the faithful of Christ are to be diligently admonished by Bishops and Inquisitors that against those reading or retaining such books of astrology, divinations, and sorcery, and other matters expressed in the same Rule, proceedings may be taken not only by the Bishops and Ordinaries themselves, but also by the local Inquisitors according to the constitution of Sixtus V, of happy memory, promulgated against those practicing the art of judicial astrology and any other kinds of divination, and those reading or holding books about them; given at Rome at Saint Peter’s, in the year of the Lord’s Incarnation 1585, on the Nones of January, in the first year of his Pontificate.

OBSERVATIONS

Added by the order of POPE ALEXANDER VII regarding the tenth rule.

It must be observed regarding the tenth rule that those living in states mediately or immediately subject to the Apostolic See cannot transmit books composed by them to be printed elsewhere without the express approval, in writing, of the Most Eminent and Most Reverend Cardinal Vicar of Our Most Holy Lord, and the Master of the Sacred Pa-

-lace, if they are in the City; if, however, they are outside the City, without the faculty and license of the Ordinary of that place, or those deputed by them, to be affixed to the work.

Those who exercise ordinary or delegated authority over the printing of books must take care not to admit for the examination of such books persons who are in any way inclined toward the authors out of affection, especially those related to them by proximity or other necessity (however distant it may be, as it is a corruptor of true and sincere judgment); above all, however, they must beware of censors offered for this work by the authors themselves. Rather, they should use those whom they know to be approved for their doctrine and integrity of morals, untouched by any suspicion of partiality, and, if possible, unknown to the authors themselves, and studious of the one public good and the glory of God. Regarding Regular authors, of whatever Order or Institute they may be, this must further be observed: that their writings or works are not to be committed for examination to other Regulars of the same Institute, but that pious and learned men of a different Order and Institute are to be chosen who are entirely removed from partisan bias and from the stimuli of love and hate. This, however, does not prevent the aforementioned books from being examined within their own Regular Order by religious of the same Order by order of their Superiors.

Regarding the Talmud and other books of the Hebrews.

Although in the third class of the aforementioned Index of Pope Pius IV, under the letter T, the Talmud of the Hebrews, and all its glosses, annotations, interpretations, and expositions are prohibited; but [with the provision] that if they had sometimes appeared without the name Talmud and without injuries and calumnies against the Christian religion, they would be tolerated: because, however, Our Most Holy Lord Pope Clement VIII, through his constitution against impious writings and books of the Hebrews, given at Rome at Saint Peter's in the year of the Lord's Incarnation 1592, on the day before the Kalends of March, in the second year of his Pontificate, prohibited and condemned them: it is not his intention that they be permitted or tolerated for that reason under those conditions in any way; but he specifically and expressly establishes and wills that such impious Talmudic, Cabalistic, and other nefarious books of the Hebrews remain and be considered entirely condemned and prohibited; and the aforementioned Constitution shall be perpetually and inviolably observed regarding them and other such books.

Regarding the Book Magazor.

To these, let Bishops, Ordinaries, and local Inquisitors know that the book Magazor of the Hebrews, which contains part of their offices and ceremonies, and of the Synagogue, edited in Portuguese, French, German, Italian, or any other vernacular language except Hebrew, has long been reasonably prohibited by special decree. Therefore, let them provide that it should in no way be permitted or tolerated, except in the aforementioned Hebrew language.

Regarding the books of Jean Bodin.

Since in the Appendix of the second class under the letter I it is said (Jean Bodin of Angers