The canons and decrees of the Council of Trent celebrated under Paul III, Julius III, and Pius IV, Bishops of Rome / faithfully translated into English.

A Decree about the Edition and Ʋse of the Sacred Text.

MOreover, the said most Holy Synod, considering how it would not a little contribute to the Welfare of the Christian State, if, of the many Editions of the Bible, one only were pitch'd upon as Authentick, hath therefore appoint∣ed and declared, That the Ancient and Vulgar Edition, for so many Ages al∣low'd of in the Church, be held as Authentick in publick Lectures, Disputati∣ons, Preachings and Expositions; and that none presume to reject it upon any pretext whatever.

Moreover, for the restraining of Petulant and Saucy Wits, the Council does Decree, That no man presume upon his own prudence in matters of Faith and Manners, such as appertain to Edification, wresting the Holy Scriptures to speak his own Sense against that which our Holy Mother the Church hath, and does hold, to whom it of right belongs to judge of the true Sense and Interpre∣tation of the Holy Scriptures; or, against the unanimous consent of the Fathers, dare put his own Interpretation upon Holy Writ, even although those their In∣terpretations should never be made publick: The Ministers of their respective Cures shall declare it, if they know any that contradict this our Order, that they may undergo the punishment according to Law in that case provided.

But being herein desirous to limit the Printers, who, without any Order, that is, supposing themselves to have liberty to print what they please, with∣out the permission of their Superiours in matters Ecclesiastick, do print the ve∣ry Bible it self, and that with Annotations to it, and Expositions, without ever considering what they do, nay very often by a private and unlawful Press; and which is still more grievous, without the Authors Name; and being, thus print∣ed, do sell them in some other Country for fear of a discovery: This Council doth order and appoint, That for the future, the Sacred Scripture, especially this Ancient Vulgar Edition, be most exactly printed; and that it be lawful for none to print, or cause to be printed, any Book touching things Sacred without the Authors Name; nor afterwards vend them, or keep them by them, except first examined and allowed by the Ordinary of the place, under the pain of an Anathema, or Curse, and a pecuniary Mulct, as was order'd in one of the Canons of the last Council held at the Lateran. And notwithstanding the Regularity thereof, they shall not print them, till they have first had the Licence of Superiours after they have narrowly view'd them over, according to their Orders. The Authors likewise that communicate and divulge their Copy to them, before it be first examin'd and approv'd of, shall be liable to the same punishment with the Printer. And that they who shall have, or read such

Books, unless they can discover the Author, shall be held Authors thereof themselves. And this Examination of Books, shall be given in writing, and prefix'd in the Front of the Book, either written or printed, that it may appear to be Authentick, or with Allowance; and all this, that is, both the Exami∣nation and Licence shall be done freely and for nothing; that so those that are approv'd of may be Licensed, but those that are not allow'd of, to be refused. After all this, willing to amend that too much boldness of some who turn every thing to prophane uses, and make the words speak their own sense, turning the Holy Scriptures, forsooth, into Scurrilities, Fables, Vanities, Flatteries, De∣tractions, Superstitions, Wicked and Diabolical Incantations, Divinations, Sor∣ceries, and Infamous Libels; it doth command and appoint, for the removing all irreverence and contempt of this Nature, that none for the future dare any ways pervert the Sacred Text, to these or the like ends; that all such Men, rash Interpreters and Violaters of the Word of God, his Power and good Pleasure, shall be punished at the Discretion of their Bishops.