Valentinus Gentilis – The Tritheist Put to Death In Bern, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Concerning his Writings and the Heads of his Accusation.
AT Bern he continued under Confinement for some time, without having any thing else done to him. At last, by command of the Senate, the Papers, which were found about him, were examined.
The first was a Book wrote with his own hand, and dedicated to Sigismund King of Poland, consisting of 29 Sheets and 175 Leaves. In this Book was contained the whole System of his Doctrine, and Principles; tho he affirmed he had one much more compleat, transcribed by Blandrata. In the Epistle Dedicatory, which is very long, he courts the Favour, and begs the Protection of his Majesty, both for Himself and his Cause. Then repeats the Confessions he made at Geneva, before his Recantation; the last of which Confessions having been confuted by them of Geneva, he subjoins to it, by way of Defence, his Book of Antidotes, which he formerly composed at Lyons. Then he falls upon refuting the 13th. Chapter of the first Book of Calvin's Institutions; and, in the same place, utterly condemns the Doctrine of the Trinity, as it had hitherto been delivered and taught in all Churches whatever. Next to that he produces several Propositions out of St. Austin; especially out of his fifteen Books of the Trinity, which together with their incomparable Author, he rejects and exposes with all *Much like Dr. Sherlock's Modest Examination, &c.imaginable Scurrility. After that he produces several nice Passages out of the Scripture, the Fathers, and the Alcoran, in defence of his Doctrine. And last of all annexes his Annotations upon Athanasius to the end of the Book.
Secondly, There were found some Verses wrote with his own hand, being nothing else but a bitter Scurrilous Libel against the Blessed Trinity, and its Worshippers.
Thirdly, A Book in Italian, with another in Latine of the same strain, concerning the Incarnation of Christ.
Fourthly, A printed Book under a false Name, dedicated to the Governour of Gaium, with a preliminary Discourse to the Clergy; which though it carries Antwerp in the Title Page, yet was indeed Printed at Lyons.
Out of all these Papers were collected several Articles, with the Heads of an Indictment to be preferr'd against him, which are all reducible to these four particulars.
First, That he dissented from Us, and So does Dr. Sherlock.all the Orthodox in the Doctrine of the Trinity.
Secondly, That he had thrown many Scandalous and unheard of Imputations upon our Church, and charg'd her with Heresie.
Thirdly, That his Writings contain many impious Blasphemies, frequently us'd by him in his Disputes concerning the Trinity; and that in his Behaviour he could not abstain from the like impudent Scurrility.
Fourthly, All the Cheats and Impostures were notoriously evident, which he commonly us'd in disguising his Opinions, in working out his own Deliverance, and seducing others, to the danger of their Lives: But of this in its proper place.
When these things were urg'd against him, namely, That
First, He had entertain'd intolerable erroneous Notions about the Trinity. That
Secondly, He had falsly charg'd us with several Errours, which none of us did ever defend, nay, more would never permit any Body else that did harbour or maintain such Notions. That
Thirdly, His Writings were fill'd with many horrid Blasphemies, reflecting not so much on the Persons of his Adversaries, as on the Sacred Subject in dispute, And
Lastly, That by his shuffling and impertinent Digressions, he so mightily perplex'd and obscur'd the Cause, as gave too just reason to suspect he did industriously seek for Evasions. We therefore desir'd him fairly and honestly to give in his Answer to each particular that should be asked him.
Here Gentilis made a long Speech about the Infirmity of his Body, the craziness of his Head, and the weakness of his Memory (which was now so mightily decay'd, that he could scarce remember the Actions of one whole Day, and therefore being in such a condition, might not perhaps be able to give a reasonable Answer to all their Interrogatories) with many more of the like idle Excuses, to avoid being brought to the Bar as a Malefactor, and gain the priviledge of being heard as Plaintiff, which unless they granted him, he protested he could not have Justice done him in so weighty a Cause.