An answer to a certain book, writtenAn answere to a certeine booke, written

A number such places could I allege, where the vulgar translation, differing and swerving from the undoubted original text, is by you followed, because it carieth some sound and show of your opinions and errors. Many excuses may you make for your selves, & your translators have in their preface handsomely laid out their excuses, (which I doubt not shall be weighed and examined throughly) but soon may any man perceive, what cause indeed moved you to be so friendly to the translation, and soe hard to the text: because the text doth plainly discover your nakedness, the translation bringeth some small rags to hide it.

A number such places could I alledge, where the vulgar translation, differing and swaruing from the vndoubted originall text, is by you followed, because it carieth some sound and shewe of your opinions and errors. Manie excuses may you make for your selues, & your translatours haue in their preface handsomely laid out their excuses, (which I doubt not shal be weied and examined throughlie) but soone may anie man perceiue, what cause indeede moued you to be so friendlie to the translation, and soe harde to the text: because the texte doth plainlie discouer your nakednes, the translation bringeth some small ragges to hide it.

Before you answer my arguments alleged for defence of the Hebrew and Greek text,¹ you set down certain words of mine, wherein I seem (you say) to avouch, that only to be the word of God, which is written in the language, wherein first the holy ghost by the Prophets and Apostles uttered it.² My words are plain, Master Rainolds, my meaning cannot seem ambiguous: you seek not ⟨p. 235⟩for truth, but for a cavil. The word of God I know may be uttered in other languages, then wherein first it was by writing delivered to the Church: and translations agreeing with the original text are the word of God. For Gods word is not the language, but the doctrine. Howbeit translations set forth by sundry persons are so far forth only the word of God, as they faithfully express the meaning of the Authentical text, the which being written by the Prophets and Apostles, chosen instruments for that purpose, is wholly and undoubtedly the word of God. Then it may worthily be wondered at in you, who taking upon you to translate the new testament into english, have not translated the text of the Apostles and Evangelists, but the translation of S. Jerome or some other, you know not whom: which translation in very many places is corrupt, and therefore in those places cannot be the word of God. Religion and reason would have required that in translating the scriptures you should have followed the original fountains,