Whether Bruno perceived the gathering of the storm above his head, whether he was only wearied with the importunities of his host, or whether, as he told the Inquisitors, he wished to superintend the publication of some books at Frankfort, does not greatly signify.  At any rate, he begged Mocenigo to excuse him from further attendance, since he meant to leave Venice.  This happened on Thursday, May 21.  Next day, Mocenigo sent his bodyservant together with five or six gondoliers into Bruno’s apartment, seized him, and had him locked up in a ground-floor room of the palace.  At the same time he laid hands on all Bruno’s effects, including the MS. of one important treatise On the Seven Liberal Arts, which was about to be dedicated to Pope Clement VIII.  This, together with other unpublished works, exists probably in the Vatican Archives, having been sent with the papers referring to Bruno’s trial from Venice when he was transported to Rome.  The following day, which was a Saturday, Mocenigo caused Bruno to be carried to one of those cellars (magazzeni terreni) which are used in Venice for storing wood, merchandise or implements belonging to gondolas.  In the evening, a Captain of the Council of Ten removed him to the dungeons of the Inquisition.  On the same day, May 23, Mocenigo lodged his denunciation with the Holy Office.

The heads of this accusation, extracted from the first report and from two subsequent additions made by the delator, amount to these.  Though Bruno was adverse to religions altogether, he preferred the Catholic to any other; but he believed it to stand in need of thorough reform.  The doctrines of the Trinity, the miraculous birth of Christ, and transubstantiation, were insults to the Divine Being.  Christ had seduced the people by working apparent miracles.  So also had the Apostles.  To develop a new philosophy which should supersede religions, and to prove his superiority in knowledge over S. Thomas and all the theologians, was Bruno’s cherished scheme.  He did not believe in the punishment of sins; but held a doctrine of the transmigration of souls, and of the generation of the human soul from refuse.  The world he thought to be eternal.  He maintained that there were infinite worlds, all made by God, who wills to do what he can do, and therefore produces infinity.  The religious orders of Catholicism defile the earth by evil life, hypocrisy, and avarice.  All friars are only asses.  Indulgence in carnal pleasures ought not to be reckoned sinful.  The man confessed to having freely satisfied his passions to the utmost of his opportunities.

On being questioned before the Inquisitors, Mocenigo supported these charges.  He added that when he had threatened Bruno with delation, Bruno replied, first, that he did not believe he would betray his confidence by making private conversation the groundwork of criminal charges; secondly, that the utmost the Inquisition could do, would be to inflict some penance and force him to resume the cowl.  These, which are important assertions, bearing the mark of truth, throw light on his want of caution in dealing with Mocenigo, and explain the attitude he afterwards assumed before the Holy Office.