would introduce Galileo to Cardinal Barberini, and ask him for his kind mediation with his Holiness, and beg him, in consideration of Galileo's age, his reputation, and his ready obedience, to allow him to remain at the hotel of the embassy, and not to be taken to the Holy Office.[1]
This request was tacitly granted for the time being, and afterwards officially confirmed. To Galileo's great surprise, no notice was taken of his presence at Rome for some time. Cardinal Barberini gave him a friendly hint, not at all ex officio, that he had better keep very retired in the ambassador’s house, not receive any one, nor be seen out of doors, as any other conduct might very likely be to his disadvantage.[2] Of course the savant, anxious as he was, scrupulously obeyed the admonition, and awaited the event in quiet retirement, though with great impatience. Not the smallest instruction was issued by the Holy Office; to all appearance it did not in the least concern itself about the arrival of the accused which it had urged so strenuously. But it was appearance only. For only two days after he came, Mgr. Serristori, counsellor to the Holy Office (the same to whom a year before Count Magalotti had, by Galileo's wish, presented one of the eight copies of the "Dialogues" brought to Rome), called several times on Galileo, but always said expressly that his visits were entirely of a private character and originated with himself. But as he always discussed Galileo's cause very particularly, there is good reason to think that he was acting under orders from the Holy Office, who wanted to discover the present sentiments and defensive arguments of the dreaded dialectician, that they might act accordingly at the trial,—a measure entirely in accordance with the traditional practice of the Holy Office. Niccolini put this construction on the Monsignore's visits,[3] but not so Galileo. For
