The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

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HISTORY OF THE POPES.
of June 6th, 1566,^ is merely a fuller statement of the ideas
of Paul IV. ; this edict is an exhortation to the princes,
and a command to all other Christians to obey the Cardinals
of the Holy Ofhce in all that concerns the Inquisition, and
it gives the Inquisition precedence over all other tribunals
in its right to pronounce judgment on offenders. The opening
words of the decree in which Pius V. orders that matters
concerning the faith, which is the substance and basis of
Christianity, must take precedence of all other matters,
are copied literally from the decree of Paul IV. The obliga-
tion of secrecy concerning all matters treated of by the tribunal,
which had been imposed by his two predecessors, was in-
sisted upon even more strictly by Pius V. ;
any infringement
of this secrecy was to be considered as a personal affront to
the Pope.^ The advice of the consultors was taken under
Pius V. with regard to the old custom of not making known
to one who was accused before the Inquisition the names of
the witnesses, and of taking precautions against their becoming
known ; as the result of their advice the existing custom
was retained.^
Probably the contrast between Pius V. and his predecessor
comes out most clearly in a constitution upon the procedure
of the Inquisition which he issued towards the end of the
first year of his reign.* He appeals in the first place to his
^ Bull. Rom., VII., 422, without date ; with date in Cod. Barb.
Lat. 5195, p. loob-ioib, Vatican Library. The decree was only
issued at the beginning of October, 1566 (*Avviso d' Roma of
October 5, 1566, where the decree is also assigned to June ; Urb.
1040, p. 294, Vatican Library). Cf. the decree of Paul IV. of
October i, 1555, in Pastor, loc. cit. 15 seq.
^ Decree of January 31, 1566, in Pastor, loc. cit. 28 seq. ;
Laderchi, 1566, n. 2. On June 10, 1569, Pius IV's prohibition
of making copies of the acta of the Inquisition was renewed (see
Vol. XVI. of this work, p. 315). Pastor, loc. cit. 31.
^ Decree of March 14, 1566, in Pastor, loc. cit. 29 ; Diana, 579 ;
Amabile, I., 291. Cf. HiNSCHius, VI., 346, n. 10.
* Of December 21, 1566, -Bull. Rom., VII., 499 seqq.; cf.
Laderchi, 1566, n. 95.