to one contemporary, Rispoli's disputation, held on May 15, 1611, was attended by the whole academic world of Paris, the Apostolic Nuntio to the King of France (Roberto Ubaldini), the bishops of Montpellier and Orléans together with a great number of ecclesiastics, and of course the Capitular friars, including the Master of the Dominican Order. Rispoli's performance that day left a deep an impression upon his illustrious audience. Eyewitnesses attested that his words were docte et gloriose (brilliant and persuasive), and that they were received cum laude (with great praise). The impact was so great that the Apostolic Nuntio there and then requested of the Master of the Order that he grants Rispoli the coveted title of Master of Sacred Theology. He was only twenty-nine years old. Academic posts Such a success catapulted Rispoli to the highest ranks of learned Dominicans. Only a few months after his Paris disputation, in 1612, to show his delight in championing such a first rate scholar, and in respect towards his family, for all its worth Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt appointed him his personal theologian and consultor, and made him a familiar of the Order of Knights Hospitaller. Upon terminating his studies in Paris in 1612, Rispoli was also on great demand at the many Studia Generali of the Dominican Order. That same year, the General Chapter of Paris appointed him Regent of Studies at the newly established Studium Generale of Messina, Sicily. Then, in 1613, not having yet completed his one-year assignment at Messina, the Provincial Chapter of Sicily, celebrated at Palermo, appointed him Regent at the Studium Generale of Palermo. He stayed at the Sicilian capital city up till 1617. Accused of heresy During his Regency at Palermo, between 1615 and 1616, he was accused before the Sicilian Inquisition of teaching heretical doctrines. The precise imputations against Rispoli are not known. It appears that the records of the Inquisition at Palermo have not survived the ravishes of time. However, it seems that Rispoli's accusers were numerous and powerful, and that the accusations were quite serious. Expenses for a defence lawyer were shared between Rispoli's religious communities at Palermo and at Vittoriosa. The most heart-rending upshot of the incident was that, between May 1615 and July 1616, pending the charges, Rispoli was incarcerated at one of the Inquisition's dungeons for fourteen months. Eventually, his accusations were proved to be unfounded. He was