The ground for his condemnation was a pasquil written against Urban VIII. The pasquil itself, doubtless through oversight, escaped condemnation in the Index. =3. The Congregation of the Index.=--In 1571, Pius V instituted the Congregation of the Index, which was made up of certain cardinals selected by the Pope and was charged with the work of continuing the series of Indexes and of shaping the regulations for the prohibition and supervision of books. The original order or edict of Pius appears not to have been preserved. The organisation of the Congregation was completed in 1572 by the Bull of Gregory XIII. In 1588, fifteen congregations of cardinals were instituted by Sixtus V for various objects. Of these, the seventh had for its function _pro Indici librorum prohibitorum_. The Congregation is at this date (1906) still carrying on its labours, although, under the later policy of the Curia, its responsibilities have been somewhat restricted. Benedict XIV, in the introduction to the _Bulla Solicita_, issued in 1753, says: “There are two Congregations which have been charged by the Curia with the work of supervising pernicious and doubtful books, of reprinting those which by means of expurgation can be rendered suitable for preservation, and of indicating which must be condemned. Paul IV placed this task in the hands of the Congregation of the Inquisition, and still to-day (1753) the Inquisition gives judgment in regard to books of certain classes. The Congregation of the Index was, however, instituted by Pius V, and the responsibilities of this body were confirmed and extended by Gregory XIII, Sixtus V, and Clement VIII. The special duty of the Congregation is to make examination of books concerning the authorisation, the correction, or the prohibition of which question has arisen.” As first constituted, the Congregation comprised four cardinals and nine councillors. Under a Bull issued in 1572, by Gregory XIII, the Congregation was made up of seven cardinals, of whom Sirleto was named as chief. The Pope states as follows the grounds for the institution of the Congregation: