A “diploma” of the King then follows in Flemish. It expresses deep concern for the endangered orthodoxy of the King’s subjects and consideration also for their purses. On this ground, in place of condemning to the flames all the bad books, it subjects to a necessary purgation those which are corrigible. For the assistance of the prelates authorised to conduct such purgation, an _Index expurgatorius_ is provided. The Index was not to be published but the bishops were instructed to secure the assistance of selected booksellers in the different towns to whom, without the knowledge of any others, copies of this Index were to be intrusted. They were to communicate it to none but were enjoined themselves to discover in the books in their hands the places marked for correction, to expunge the condemned passages, or to cancel chapters or pages condemned _in toto_. After the expunged copies had received the approbation and the signature of the censor, the books were to be restored to the dealers. Copies which had already come into the possession of individual owners were to be delivered by them to the censors and were to be handed to the booksellers for similar correction. The introductory material closes with the following caution: _Cavetur etiam ne quis hunc indicem parte aliqua augeat, vel minuat neve ex impressis manuscriptum exprimate, citra gubernatoris et concilii auctoritatem_. This caution is followed by a selection of the Tridentine Rules and a general statement or explanation on the part of Montanus, who is the responsible editor. A conference was held at Brussels in May, 1570, for the purpose of organising the work of revising the books to be expurgated. This conference also gave consideration to certain books ordered for correction by the Council of Trent, the list comprising chiefly editions of the Fathers printed with “misleading and pernicious notes and commentaries.” The Index, as finally prepared, was the work of a board of editors which was presided over by Bishop Sonnius, and to which Montanus was appointed as royal commissary (representative). The Index was printed in July, 1571, with edicts of King Philip and Duke Alva, and an introduction by Montanus. The cost of the work was borne by the King. The original edition is very scarce, but reprints have been issued by several of the Protestant publishers of Holland. It was also included with the Index of Quiroga, printed at Toledo in 1571.