But we must raise a decided protest, in the name of impartial history, against the way in which Dr. Scartazzini, in order to lend some probability to the above remark, afterwards tries to make out that Niccolini had repeatedly sent romances to Florence, in order to represent to the Grand Duke, who was so anxious about Galileo, how much he (Niccolini) had exerted himself for him, and had actually achieved. Thus Dr. Scartazzini comes to the conclusion, which must excite the ire of every right-minded person, that “the Tuscan ambassador, Niccolini, is a liar.”[457] Niccolini then, Galileo’s noblest, most devoted, and indefatigable friend, who was at his side in every difficulty, and certainly did more for him at Rome than was ordered at Florence, and perhaps even more than was approved,—this historical figure, worthy of our utmost reverence,—was a liar! Happily it is with Dr. Scartazzini alone that the odium of the accusation rests; in the annals of _history_, the name of Niccolini stands untarnished, and every Italian, every educated man, will think with gratitude of the man who nobly and disinterestedly stood by the side of Galileo Galilei at the time of his greatest peril. Honour be for ever to his memory! We give, in conclusion, one more instance of a curious kind of evidence that Galileo really was subjected to torture. Professor Eckert thinks he knows with “almost geometrical certainty that Galileo suffered torture during the twenty-four hours which he spent before the Inquisition.” In proof of this assertion the author says: “In conclusion, the two hernias which the unfortunate old man had after his return is a proof that he must have endured that kind of torture called _il tormento della corda_.”[458] This shrewd conclusion falls to the ground in face of the medical certificate of 17th December, 1632, wherein among the rest we find: “We have also observed a serious hernia, with rupture of the peritoneum.”[459] And further, this certificate affords indisputable evidence that both his age[460] and his state of health, in consequence of the rupture, were sufficient to protect him against torture according to the rules of the Holy Office.[461] Galileo would have had to be professionally examined by a physician and surgeon, and, according to their written report, he would either have been subjected to torture, or a dispensation would have been granted against it, and all this would have been minutely recorded in the Acts of the trial.[462] It is needless to say that among these papers there is not a trace either of any protest of Galileo’s, nor of the certificates of the physicians of the Holy Office; and that according to the protocol of the hearing of 21st June, it never went so far, and the Pope himself, as the decree of 16th June undoubtedly proves, never intended that it should.