Vaticinia seu praedictiones illustrium virorum... Vaticini overo predittioni d' huomini illustri

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...consider them as worthless. For no one is forced to agree or disagree with them. Nor are they brought to light as if they were endowed with all certainty or taught from heaven, such that no one could contradict them in any way. Nor should malevolent people take occasion from here to disparage the most holy Pontifical dignity when they find the errors of some. This is both because perhaps the Author was deceived and these things were not revealed to him by those above, and because, as they may pertain to others, nothing prevents asserting that they were things to happen during that Pontificate. I omit that such errors or faults in these Fathers do not have such great enormity that anything else can be noticed in them besides the light fragility that belongs to all men. They certainly deserve to be excused when they are seen to wander at times. For they live surrounded by this burden of the flesh, just as we are, which is exceedingly heavy, drawing them perpetually to the depths and resisting the spirit. If the talkative ones will observe these two things with an equal mind, they will be content and restrain the bitterness of their words.

TO THE FRIENDLY READER.

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IT MUST not be considered impossible, nor should it be estimated as vain by anyone, that after those of the ancient centuries (to whom it pleased God to reveal many things), many others have been found who have had knowledge of future events from the heavens, and have seen them with the spirit in times past. And because, among all things held in consideration by Christians for dignity and for investigation, that of the Roman Pontiffs is judged most principal, I have come to believe that it will not be at all unpleasant to men if a similar collection of such predictions is seen in the light, left to us by the most esteemed intellects of greatest credit in this affair. Upon these, Pasqualino...

...Regiselmo made many observations, and in many places he demonstrates curiously how they have been verified and fulfilled. It is true that they are seen written by the Author in such a dark manner and full of difficulty that in more than one of them, excessive sharpness and a non-vulgar subtlety of wit is required. However, Readers will be careful to be very cautious in condemning them. For, although they themselves do not extract the sense, or because they are not yet well understood by other subtle wits, they may nonetheless be true. And who does not know that there are more things that are not known than those learned and understood? Writers, in treating of future things, have studiously used obscure speech and methods, it not being fitting to speak of such secrets manifesty, so as not to debase them and place them too much in the mouths of common men, from which many inconveniences could be drawn. And not only in those who have written of worldly things is this aim found, but also in those who treat notable things. Now, however it may be, when these predictions perhaps do not please some too-delicate taste, let him leave them be. For no one is forced to lend them faith or to reprove them, nor are they published as if anyone were obliged to believe them as true, or revealed in such a manner that they cannot be contradicted. Also, while one may see the Author hint at some work unworthy of a Pope, the malevolent will not take the occasion to tear apart that most holy dignity. This is because perhaps the vision was not from heaven, or those words will refer to others and will take place under that Pontificate. I do not say these errors are of such a degree that they show anything beyond a simple or mediocre fragility, with which they must be excused if they are sometimes seen to stray from the right path. This is because, like us, they live surrounded by this fleshy burden, which, pulling us downward, continually contests the spirit. By noting these things, the talkative will restrain the bitterness of their tongues, and will willingly be satisfied by the good will of these pages.