“Since it has been found by experience that if the Sacred Scriptures are
allowed everywhere without distinction in the vulgar tongue, more harm
than good arises in consequence of the rashness of man; let this be left
to the judgment of the Bishop or Inquisitor; so that with the advice of
the parish priest or confessor he may allow the use of the Bible in the
vulgar tongue, when translated by Catholic authors, to such persons as
they may consider capable of receiving not injury, but an increase of
their faith and piety, from this kind of reading: which permission they
must receive in writing. But any one who shall presume without such
permission either to read or to possess them, shall be forbidden the
absolution of his sins, unless he first restore the Bible to the
ordinary. Booksellers also, who shall sell the Bible in the vulgar
tongue to any one without the aforesaid permission, or shall in any other
way provide it, shall forfeit the price of the books, to be employed in
pious uses by the Bishop, and shall be subject to such other penalties as
the Bishop may think it right to inflict, according to the character of
the offence. Regulars may neither read nor purchase them without
receiving permission from their prelates.”
N.B.—It is very important to observe that this rule refers to Roman
Catholic versions, i.e., to their own authorized translations, and
forbids even the regulars to possess a copy without permission from the
Bishop.