Page:Galileo Galilei and the Roman Curia (IA cu31924012301754).pdf/297

 last examination was not on 21st June, but earlier, perhaps on the 17th! The whole protocol, therefore, must be false. Of course Dr. Scartazzini has not a shadow of evidence to give for his assertion. He contents himself with the singular reason that the papal decree of 16th June did not admit of a delay of five or six days, but would be at once carried out. This arbitrary assertion is contradicted by the official report of Niccolini to Cioli of 26th June, 1633, in which he says that Galileo was summoned on Monday evening to the Holy Office, and went on Tuesday morning to learn what was wanted of him; he was detained there, and taken on Wednesday to the Minerva. The dates given by Niccolini agree precisely with those of the protocol of Galileo's last hearing, which is assumed to be false! In face of this evidence, so conclusive for any serious historian. Dr. Scartazzini remarks: "the Tuscan ambassador's memory must have failed him, whether involuntarily or voluntarily." We leave all comment on this kind of historical evidence to the reader.

But we must raise a decided protest, in the name of impartial history, against the way in which Dr. Scartazzini, in order to lend some probability to the above remark, afterwards tries to make out that Niccolini had repeatedly sent romances to Florence, in order to represent to the Grand Duke, who was so anxious about Galileo, how much he (Niccolini) had exerted himself for him, and had actually achieved. Thus Dr. Scartazzini comes to the conclusion, which must excite the ire of every right-minded person, that "the Tuscan ambassador, Niccolini, is a liar." Niccolini then, Galileo's noblest, most devoted, and