A04459:218
A04459:218
An apology or answer in defence of the Church of England with a brief and plain declaration of the true religion professed and used in the same.An apologie or answere in defence of the Churche of Englande with a briefe and plaine declaration of the true religion professed and vsed in the same.
Londini: printed by Reginald Wolfe, 1564
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Every one of the Colleges have their Professors of the tongues and of the liberal Sciences (as they call them) which do trade up youth privately within their Halls, to the end they may afterward be able to go forth thence into the common schools as to open disputation, as it were into plain battle, there to try themselves.
Euery one of the Colleges haue their Professours of the tonges and of the liberal Sciences (as they cal them) which do trade vp youth priuatly whithin their Halles, to thend they may afterward be able to go furth thence into the common scholes as to open disputatiō, as it were into plain battail, there to try themselfe.
In the common Schools of both the Universities, there are found at the Kings charge, and that very largely, five Professors & Readers, that is to say, ⟨image 137⟩The Reader of Divinity. The Reade• of the Civill law. The Reader of Physic. The Reader of the Hebrew tongue. and The Reader of the Greek tongue.
In the cōmon Scholes of both the Vniuersities, there are found at the Kinges charge, and that very largely, fyue Professours & Readers, that is to saye, ⟨image 137⟩The Reader of Diuinitie. The Reade• of the Ciuill lawe. The Reader of Physike. The Reader of the Hebrewe tongue. and The Reader of the Greeke tongue.
And for the other Professors, as of Philosophy, of Logic, of Rhetoric, and of the Mathematicalles, the Universities themselves do allow stipends unto them. And these Professors have the ruling of the Disputations and other school exercises which be daily used in the common Schools: Amongest whom, they that by the same Disputations & exercises are thought to be come to any tipenes in knowledge, are wont according to the use in other universities, solemnly to take degrees, every one in the same science and faculty which he professeth.
And for the other Professours, as of Phylosophie, of Logique, of Rethorike, and of the Mathematicalles, the Vniuersities themselues doe allowe stipendes vnto them. And these Professours haue the ruling of the Disputaciōs and other schole exercises whiche be dayly vsed in the common Scholes: Amongest whome, they that by the same Disputations & exercises are thought to be come to any tipenes in knowledge, are wont according to ye vse in other vniuersities, soleniply to take degrees, euery one in ye same science and facultie which he professeth.
We thought good to annex these things, to the end we might confute & ⟨image 137⟩confound those that spread abroad rumours, how that with us nothing is don in order & as ought to be don: that there is no Religion at all, no Ecclesiastical Discipline observed, no regard had of the salvation of mens souls, but that all is don quite out of order and seditiously, that all antiquity is despised, that liberty is given to all sensuality and lewd lusts of folks, that the livings of the Church be converted to profane and worldly uses, whereas in very truth we seek nothing else but that, that God above all most good, may have still his honour truly and purely reserved unto him, that the rule and way to everlasting Salvation may be taken from out of his very word, and not from mens fantasies, that the Sacraments may be ministered not like a Maskary or a stage play, but religiously and reverently according to the rule prescribed unto us by Christ, and after the example of the holy Fathers which flourished in the primitive ⟨image 138⟩Church: that that most holy and godly form of discipline, which was commonly used amongest them, may be called home again: that the goods of the Church may not be launched out amongest worldlings & idle persons, but may be bestowed upon the godly Ministers and Pastors which take pain both in Preaching and teaching: that there may from time to time arise up out of the Universities learned & good ministers & others meet to serve the common wealth: And finally, that all unclean and wicked life may be utterly abandoned and banished, as unworthy for the name of any Christian. And albeit we are not as yet able to obtain this that we have said, fully & perfectly, (for this same Stable, as one may rightly call it, of the Romish Augias, cannot so soon be thoroughly cleansed and rid from the long grown filth and muck) nevertheless this is it whereunto we have regard: hither do we tend: to this mark do we direct ⟨image 138⟩
The Lord defend his Church, govern it with his holy Spirit, & bless the same with all prosperous felicity.
The Lorde defende his Churche, gouerne it with his holy Spirite, & blesse the same with all prosperous felicitie.
Amen.
Imprinted at London in Pauls church yard, at the sign of the Brazen serpent, by Reginald Wolfe.
Imprinted at London in Paules churche yard, at the signe of the Brasen serpent, by Reginalde Wolfe.
Anno Domini. M. D. LXIIII,
Faults escaped in the printing. Erase. | Faults. | Correction. B. 4. | such one for heretics. | such ones F. 5. p. 2. | Peter did not this | did not thus F. •. p. 2. | yet bear they | yet bare they• F. 8. | they were a rebellious | they be a rebel. G. 3. p. 2 | pardon• […] | pardons so large••. K. 5. p. 2. | intend bear | intend to bear. N. 1. | have thought so▪ | thought good so.
Faultes escaped in the printinge. Erase. | Faultes. | Correction. B. 4. | suche one for heretikes. | such ones F. 5. p. 2. | Peter did not this | did not thus F. •. p. 2. | yet beare they | yet bare they• F. 8. | they were a rebellious | they be a rebel. G. 3. p. 2 | pardon• 〈…〉 | pardōs so large••. K. 5. p. 2. | intend beare | intende to beare. N. 1. | haue thought so▪ | thought good so.
Wee thought good to annexe these thinges, to thende wee might confute & ⟨image 137⟩confounde those that spread abroad rumours, how yt with vs nothinge is don in order & as ought to be don: yt there is no Religiō at al, no Ecclesiastical Discipline obserued, no regard had of the saluacion of mennes soules, but that all is don quite out of ordre and seditiouslye, yt all antiquitie is despised, that libertie is giuen to all sensualitie and lewde lustes of folkes, that the liuings of the Church be conuerted to prophane and worldlye vses, wheras in very trouth we seke nothing els but that, that God aboue all moste good, may haue still his honoure truely and purely reserued vnto hym, that the rule and waye to euerlastinge Saluacion maye be taken from out of his very word, and not from mens fantasies, that the Sacramentes maye be ministred not like a Maskary or a stage playe, but religiously and reuerently according to the rule prescribed vnto vs by Christ, and after the example of the holy Fathers whiche florished in the primatiue ⟨image 138⟩Churche: that that most holye and godly fourme of discipline, whiche was commonly vsed amongest them, may be called home againe: that the goodes of ye Churche may not be laūched out amō gest worldlinges & ydel persōs, but may be bestowed vpon the godlye Ministers and Pastours which take paine both in Preaching and teaching: that there may from tyme to tyme arise vp out of the Vniuersities learned & good ministers & others meete to serue ye cōmon welth: And finally, that all vncleane and wicked lyfe may be utterly abandoned and banyshed, as vnworthy for the name of any Christian. And albeit we are not as yet able to obteine this yt we haue said, fully & perfitlie, (for this same Stable, as one may rightly call it, of ye Romish Augias, cannot so soone be thorouglye cleansed and ridd from the long growen filth and mucke) neuerthelesse this is it whereunto we haue regarde: hether doe wee tende: to this marke do wee direct ⟨image 138⟩our paine and trauaile, and that hitherto (thorough God his gracious fauour) not without good successe and plenteous encrease: whiche thing may easily appeere to euery body, yf either we be cō pared with our own selues in what maner of case wee haue ben but few yeares synce, or els be compared with our false accusers, or rather our malicious slaunderours.