CLEMENS PAPA VIII.

Ad perpetuam rei memoriam

 

CVM sacrorum Bibliorum vulgatæ editionis Textus summis laboribus, ac vigilijs restitutus, & quàmaccuratissime mendis expurgatus, Benedicente Domino, ex nostra Typographia Vaticana in lucem prodeat; Nos, ut in posterum idem Textus incorruptus, ut decet, conseruetur, opportune prouidere uolentes, auctoritate Apostolica, tenore præsentium districtius inhibemus, ne intra Decem annos a data præsentium numerandos, tam citra, quàm ultra montes alibi quàm in nostra Vaticana Typographia a quoquam imprimatur.

Elapso autem præfato decennio, eam cautionem adhiberi præcipimus, ut nemo hanc sanctarum Scripturarum Editionem typis mandare præsumat, nisi habito prius exemplari in Typographia Vaticana excuso: cuius exemplaris forma, ne minima quidem particula de Textu mutata, addita, uel ab eo detracta, nisi aliquod occurrat, quod Typographica incuria manifeste adscribendum sit, inuiolabiliter obseruetur.

Siquis uero Typographus in quibuscumque Regnis, Ciuitatibus, Prouincijs, & locis tam nostræ & S.R.E. ditioni in temporalibus subiectis, quàm non subiectis, hanc eandem sacrarum Scripturarum Editionem intra Decennium prædictum quoquomodo, elapso autem Decennio, aliter quàm iuxta huiusmodi exemplar, ut præfertur, imprimere, uendere, venales habere, aut aliàs edere vel euulgare, aut siquis Bibliopola a se vel ab alijs quibusuis, post datam præsentium, huius Editionis impressos libros, seu imprimendos a præfato restituto & correcto Textu in aliquo discrepantes, seu ab alio, quàm a Typographo Vaticano, intra Decennium excusos, pariter uendere, venales proponere vel euulgare præsumpserit, ultra amissionem omnium librorum, & alias arbitrio nostro infligendas pœnas temporales, etiam maioris excommunicationis sententiam eo ipso incurrat: a qua nisi a Romano Pontifice, præterquam in mortis articulo constitutus, absolui non possit.

Mandamus itaque uniuersis & singulis, Patriarchis, Archiepiscopis, Episcopis, ceterisq. Ecclesiarum, & locorum; etiam regularium Prælatis, ut præsentes litteras in suis quisque Ecclesijs & iurisdictionibus ab omnibus inuiolate perpetuo obseruari curent ac faciant. Contradictores per censuras Ecclesiasticas, aliaq. opportuna iuris & facti remedia, appellatione postposita, compescendo, inuocato etiam ad hoc, si opus fuerit, auxilio brachij secularis; Non obstantibus constitutionibus, & ordinationibus Apostolicis, ac in Generalibus, Prouincialibus, vel Synodalibus Concilijs editis generalibus, vel specialibus, ac quarumcumque Ecclesiarum, Ordinum, Congregationum, Collegiorum, atque Vniuersitatum, etiam Studiorum generalium iuramento, confirmatione Apostolica, vel quauis firmitate alia roboratis, statutis, & consuetudinibus, ac priuilegijs, indultis, ac litteris Apostolicis in contrarium quomodocumque emanatis, & emanandis: quibus omnibus ad hunc effectum latissime derogamus, ac derogatum esse decernimus.

Volumus autem, vt præsentium transumptis etiam in ipsis voluminibus impressis eadem, in iudicio & extra, fides ubique adhibeatur, quæ ipsis præsentibus adhiberetur, si forent redditæ, vel ostensæ.

Dat. Romæ, apud Sanctum Petrum sub Annulo Piscatoris Die ix. Nouembris. M.D.XCII. Pontif. Nostri Anno I.

M. Vestrius Barbianus.

 

CLEMENS POPE VIII.

For a permanent record of the matter

 

Since the text of the Vulgate edition of the Holy Bible, restored with the greatest labor and vigils, and most accurately purged of errors, is being published by our Vatican Printing House with the Lord’s blessing; We, wishing to provide opportunely so that in the future the same text may be preserved uncorrupted as is fitting, by our Apostolic authority and by the tenor of these presents, strictly forbid anyone, within the space of ten years to be counted from the date of these presents, whether on this side or the other side of the mountains [the Alps], to print it anywhere other than in our Vatican Printing House.

Moreover, when the aforementioned ten-year period has elapsed, we command that this precaution be applied: that no one presume to commit this edition of the Holy Scriptures to type, unless they have first obtained a copy printed by the Vatican Printing House; the form of which copy must be inviolably observed, with not even the smallest particle of the text changed, added, or taken away from it, unless something occurs that is manifestly attributable to typographical carelessness.

If, however, any printer in any kingdoms, cities, provinces, and places, whether subject to our and the Holy Roman Church’s temporal dominion or not, should presume in any way to print, sell, offer for sale, or otherwise publish or circulate this same edition of the Holy Scriptures within the said ten years—or after the ten years have elapsed, in any way other than according to such copy as mentioned above—or if any bookseller shall presume to sell, offer for sale, or circulate books of this edition printed by himself or by any others after the date of these presents, or books to be printed that differ in any way from the aforementioned restored and corrected text, or those printed by someone other than the Vatican Printer within the ten-year period: let him, beyond the loss of all his books and other temporal penalties to be inflicted at our discretion, incur by that very act the sentence of major excommunication; from which he cannot be absolved except by the Roman Pontiff, unless he be at the point of death.

We therefore command all and singular Patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops, and others of the Churches and places, including Prelates of the regulars, that each ensure these present letters are perpetually and inviolably observed by all in their own Churches and jurisdictions. Restraining contradictors by means of ecclesiastical censures and other opportune remedies of law and fact, setting aside any appeal, and even calling in for this purpose, if necessary, the help of the secular arm; notwithstanding Apostolic constitutions and ordinances, as well as those issued in General, Provincial, or Synodal Councils, whether general or special, and those of any Churches, Orders, Congregations, Colleges, and Universities—even those of general studies strengthened by oath, Apostolic confirmation, or any other firm establishment—statutes, customs, privileges, indults, and Apostolic letters issued in any way to the contrary, whether already emanated or yet to be emanated: from all of which, for this purpose, we most broadly derogate, and we decree them to be derogated.

We wish, moreover, that the same faith be everywhere applied to transcripts of these presents, even those printed in the volumes themselves, whether in court or outside of it, which would be applied to these presents themselves if they were produced or shown.

Given at Rome, at Saint Peter’s, under the Ring of the Fisherman, on the 9th day of November, 1592, in the 1st year of our Pontificate.

M. Vestrius Barbianus.

 

 

Marcello Vestri Barbiano was a chancery official of the Roman Curia, likely serving within the office responsible for papal briefs. His name appears on documents not as an author or theological authority, but as an administrative authenticator responsible for the formal issuance and validation of papal acts under the authority of the Pope. His role reflects the bureaucratic mechanisms of the late 16th-century Vatican, particularly in ensuring that official documents conformed to established chancery protocols. While active during the period of the Clementine Vulgate, his involvement was administrative rather than editorial or doctrinal.