The Publication of the Edict of Faith

The Promulgation of the EDICT of FAITH

At the onset of the Inquisition the Inquisitor makes a general Sermon to the People, in which he speaks concerning the Faith, commends it, and exhorts the People to the Defense of it, and the Extirpation of heretical Pravity. Indulgencies of forty Days promised to all who come to the Sermon.

A copy of such a general sermon:
A General EDICT of the Inquisition at Cremona,

Desiring, according as the holy Office conferred on us requires us, that the most holy, Catholic Faith without which no one can please God, may be persevered pure and free from all heretical Contagion, we by the Apostolic Authority granted us, do command all and singular Persons under our Jurisdiction, of whatsoever Condition, etc. etc. . .

If any Persons are Heretics or suspected or defamed for Heresy or Believers, Favorers, Receivers or Defenders of them ; or who have, or do adhere to the Rites of the Jews, Mahometans, Saracens or Gentiles, or who have apostatized from the holy Christian Faith or who have or do in any manner, expressly or tacitly invoke the Devil, or have done, or do him honor, or who have had any Part, or have, or do concern themselves in any magical Trick, Necromancy, Incantations, or ether like superstitious Acts, especially with the Abuse of any sacred Thing.
If any Persons not being Priest, have with an impious Boldness, or do usurp to themselves the Celebration of Mass, or have or do presume to administer the Sacraments of Penance to the Faithful of Christ.
If any have, or do abuse the Sacrament of Penance, contrary to the; Apostolic Decrees and Constitution.
If any have, or do hold secret Conventicles in the Matter of Religion.
If any utter heretical Blasphemies against God, or his Saints, and especially against most blessed Virgin Mary.
If any do, or have hindered the Office of the holy Inquisition, or do, or have injured any, Witness, Accuser, or Minister of it.
If any have or do keep Books or Writings containing Heresies, or the Books of Heretics, which treat of Religion, without Authority of the holy Apostolic See, or who have or do read, print, or cause them to be printed, or defend them, under any Pretence or Color, or Books of Necromancy, Magic, or containing sorcerous Incantations and the like Superstitions, especially if with the Abuse of sacred Things.

Declaring, that though we do expressly specify as above the Cases which ought to be discovered, we do not exclude other Cases relating to the holy Office, which are contained in the sacred Canons, Decrees, Constitutions, and Bulls of the chief Pontiffs.

As to Books—
That no Currier, Sailor, Muletier, or others, presumed carry Books either into or out of any City, or other Places subject to us, no not as he passes by, of he has not a Catalogue of the Books subscribed by the Inquisitor, or other Person to whom it belongs, living In those Places from whence they come, or through which they pass, under Penalty of losing the Books, and other Punishments, according to our Pleasure.
Under the same Penalties and Loss of the books, we command, that no Person whosoever he be, do receive such Books when imported, or any Way brought in to this our Jurisdiction, nor open Boxes, Bales or Bundles, in which such Books are, nor carry them away from the Custom-house.
That no Merchant presume to receive or send Books, under Pretence of Goods packed up in Bundles, Bales or Boxes, without due License, under Pain of Excommunication, Forfeiture the Books and Goods in which they are packed up, and what is here said of aid concerning the importing or receiving Books, is also to be understood of all Sorts of News Papers, Pictures and Almanacs and such like Papers.

All the Aforesaid things we likewise command the Jews, under the Penalty of fifty Pieces of Gold, the Forfeiture of Books and Goods as above, and others, to be respectively inflicted according to our Pleasure.

Printers also shall not, under the same Penalties and other arbitrary Ones, print any thing without our License, except the Edicts, and other like Matters of the Episcopal and secular court, which are not to the Prejudice of the holy Office.

Or if ye know or have heard that any Men or Women have said and affirmed that the Sect of Mahomet is good, and that there is no other by which any one can enter into Heaven, and ascend into Paradise and that Jesus Christ is not God, but a Prophet, nor born of our Lady the Virgin Mary, a Virgin before, in and after his Birth ; or has done any of the Rites and Ceremonies of the Mahometan Sect, with an Intention to observe and keep them.

Or if you know, or have heard that any Men or Women have said, held, or believed the false and condemned Sect of Martin Luther and his Followers to be true, holy, and approved; or have believed or approved his other Opinions, by asserting that Confession to a Priest is not necessary ; that ’tis sufficient to confess to God only; that The Pope and Priests have not Power to absolve Sins; that in the Host there is not truly contained the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ; that Saints are not to be invocated; that Images are to be taken out of Churches ; that there is no Purgatory; that the, Dead are not to be prayed for ; that good Works are not necessary ; that Faith only, with Baptism is sufficient, to Salvation; that any one may hear another’s confession, and give the Communion under both Kinds of Bread and Wine; that the Pope has no Power to confer indulgences, Graces, Indults, and Bulls ; that the Clergy, Religious, Monks, and Nuns, may contract Matrimony; or who have said that the Religious, Monks, Monasteries, and Ceremonies of Religion ought to be taken away ; or have said that God has not instituted the Religions, and that a Marriage State is more perfect than the Religious State of the Clergy and Monks ; and that there are no Holidays besides the Lord’s Days ; that ’tis no Sin to eat Flesh on Fridays, Vigils and Lent ; because eating Flesh is not forbidden and limited to certain Days ; or who, have believed any one or more of the Opinions of M. Luther or his Followers ; or fled over to other Provinces to profess Lutheranism.

Or if you know, or have heard that any Man or Woman, living or dead, have said or affirmed that the Sect of the Illuminated, or Relicts is approved ; particularly that mental Prayers is of divine Appointment ; and that all other Duties are fulfilled in it.

Or if ye know or have heard of any other Heresies, and especially these. That there is no Paradise, nor heavenly Glory for the Good, nor Hell for the Wicked but that the Soul perishes together with the Body, with other heretical Blasphemes, such as, I do not believe, but disbelieve defy and deny our Lord God, the Virgin Purity of our Lady, the Virgin Mary, or the He and She Saints of Heaven. Or who have, or have had familiar spirits, calling upon them, making circles, and asking them concerning certain matter, or waiting for their answers, Or whether they have been Fortune-Tellers or Gypsies ; or have made a tacit or express Covenant with the Devil, mixing sacred Things with profane, in Confirmation of it, attributing to the Creature that which belongs to the Creator only. . . Or that any confessor, or Priest; being Confessor, or Religious or Secular, of whatsoever State or Dignity, has enticed the Daughters of Penance in the Act of Confession, or immediately after it, by provoking or inducing them, by Deeds or Words, to filthy, carnal and immoral Acts.

Or if ye know, or have heard of any Persons, Men or Women, that under Pretence of Astrological Science, or Looks or Aspects of the Stars, or by the Lines and tokens of the Hands, or any such Things, do by this Knowledge, Faculty, or any other Way, answer or foretell future Things depending on the Liberty and Free-will of man or accidental Things that may come to pass, or Things already past that are secret and free, saying and affirming that there is a certain Art, Science, and certain Rules whereby to know these Things, in order to persuade People to seek after and consult the aforesaid Diviners concerning the said Matters, when, on the contrary, the Science is false, vain and superstitious, and turns to the great Damage and Prejudice of Religion and the Christian Faith.

Finally, he [the Inquisitor] assigns a Time of Grace to all Heretics, and their Favorers, and Persons suspected of Heresy, viz, the entire Month, and promises, that if within that Space they come to him freely, or not admonished, by Name, and don’t wait till they are denounced, accused or apprehended, and voluntarily discover their Guilt, and ask Pardon, they shall obtain large Pardon and Mercy, viz. Freedom from Death, Imprisonment, banishment, and Confiscation of Effects, according to the Determination of the Council of Biterre, cap. 2.

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