Most probably he begged for grace, but grace was not accorded on his own terms; and he chose death rather than dishonor and a lie in the last resort, or rather than life-long incarceration.

It is also singular that but few contemporaries mention the fact of his condemnation and execution.

Rome was crowded in the jubilee year of 1600.

Bruno was burned in open daylight on the Campo di Fiora.

Yet the only eye-witness who records the event, is Gaspar Schoppe, or Scioppius, who wrote a letter on the subject to his friend Rittershausen.