A defence of the Apology of the Church of England containing an answer to…A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to…

So many lies, M. Harding, and, as ye say, so far paste shame, and such hot Tragedies, and the cause no greater? What stir would ye have kept, if it had been matter worthy the hearing? what if the Author of the Apology had been overseen in the report of one year, or two, or in some other like Circumstance, the Substance of the Story nevertheless still reserved? If ye had remembered some of your own often oversights, ye could not for shame have been so terrible against others. For it appeareth well, by all that ye have hitherto sent us over, your insight in matters is not so deep, but ye may often, and foully be deceived. You your self, M. Harding, both in this self same place, and in this self same story, and in the report of one poor note, have committed four, foul, and gross errors, with one breathe, altogether. You your self, I say, M. Harding: I speak of none other, but of your self. If ye think, the beams of your knowledge shine so clear, that it can never be overcast with cloud of error, then, I beseech you, consider well your Note specially marked in your Margin.¹ Thus ye direct us to the Author of your Story: Sabellicus Decadis 2. li. 1. 1220. In this one little short note, I say, ye have sent us four errors. For first,² every child knoweth, that Sabellicus never wrote Decades, but only Enneades. And therefore, if I were not better acquainted with your Learning, I might seem to have just cause to say, either ye never saw Sabellicus Books, or else ye never read them. I will not here keep an Audite, as you do, nor say, as you say,³ This is one lie. Further ye say, it is written in the Second Decade: ⟨p. 415⟩But Sabellicus the Author him self saith.⁴ It is written in the ninth Enneade. I will not say, as you say, There be two Lies. Again you say, It is in the First Book: But Sabellicus him self saith, It is in the Seventh Book. Yet will not I follow you, nor say, There be three Lies. For a surplusage, and more likelihood of your tale,⁵ ye note also the year of our Lord 1220. with as good discretion, as the rest. For at that time, neither Pope Clemens, nor Francis Dandalus was yet borne. For this thing happened, as it most plainly appeareth by all stories, about the year of our Lord 1310.