to leave Rome, where he had suffered so much, and therefore addressed the following petition to Urban VIII.:—
"Most Holy Father! Galileo Galilei most humbly begs your Holiness to exchange the place assigned t0 him for his prison near Rome, for some other in Florence, which may appear suitable to your Holiness, in consideration of his poor health, and also because the petitioner is expecting a sister with eight children from Germany, to whom no one can afford help and protection so well as himself. He will receive any disposition of your Holiness as a great favour."
But in the Vatican the opinion prevailed that to allow Galileo to return to Florence already would be a superfluity of indulgence. The Pope said to Niccolini: "We must proceed gently, and only rehabilitate Galileo by degrees."[2] Still Urban was disposed to grant the ambassador's request, and to alter the penalty so far as to allow the exile to go to Siena, to the house of the Archbishop Ascanio Piccolomini, whom we know as a warm friend of Galileo's. Niccolini's urgent entreaties succeeded in obtaining a papal decree of 30th June, ordering Galileo to go by the shortest route to Siena, to go to the Archbishop's at once, to remain there, and strictly to obey his orders; and he was not to leave that city without permission from the Congregation.[3] Galileo was informed of this decree on 2nd July by the Commissary-General of the Inquisition, Father Vincenzo Maccolani di Firenzuola, in person.[4] On lOth July, Niccolini reported to Cioli: "Signor Galileo set out early on Wednesday, 6th July, in good health, for Siena, and writes to me from Viterbo, that he had performed four miles on foot, the weather being very cool.[5]
