The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

After he saith my distinction is not good off lawful and ordinary: for that whatsoever is lawful in a church established, the same is ordinary, and for proof hereof he addeth that common reason teacheth it: but what is that common reason / it had been good you had set it down. This is a simple confutation which you use / to prove that in an established church / lawful and ordinary are all one. And if I should reply and say / that the distinction is good / and that common reason teacheth so: if I light off as favourable a reader as you / my proof will be as good as yours▪ but this is but to abuse the time / and to delude the world. And it is the more untollerable / that you are not content to have said it once without proof / onlesse it be also quoted in the margin / as though we could not without some great damage / want this high saying. And where you make common reason the judge hereof (although she be an evil schoolmistress oftentimes in these cases) yet she teacheth here plainly against you. For if a man will consider it in natural things / it is evident in the birth off children / that some thing is lawful / which is not ordinary. It is nor ordinary for a woman to bring forth three or four ⟨p. XXXIIII⟩children at once / and yet it is lawful. And if this common reason be considered also in political things: there it shall appear likewise / that things are lawful in a well governed and established common wealth / which are not ordinary As if order be taken that none shall clime the walls of the city / and the citizens climbing the wall upon the sudden coming off the enemy / drive him back: no man can deny but this act is lawful / and yet it is clear / that it is not ordinary / being otherwise (but in such a case as this) punishable.

After he saith my distinction is not good off lavvfull and ordinarie: for that whatsoeuer is lawfull in a churche established, the same is ordinarie, and for proufe hereoff he addeth that cōmon reason teacheth it: but what is that common reason / it had bene good yow had set it downe. This is a simple confutatiō which yow vse / to proue that in an established church / lawfull and ordinarie are all one. And iff I should replie and saye / that the distinction is good / and that common reason teacheth soo: if I light off as fauorable a reader as yow / my proufe will be as good as yours▪ but this is but to abuse the time / and to delude the world. And it is the more vntollerable / that yow are not contente to haue said it once withowt proufe / onlesse it be also quoted in the margent / as thowghe we could not withowt some great damage / want this highe sayinge. And wher yowe make common reason the iudge hereoff (althowghe she be an euill scholemistris oftentimes in these cases) yet she teacheth here plainely against yow. For iff a man will consider it in naturall thinges / yt is euident in the birthe off children / that some thing is lawful / which is not ordinarie. It is nor ordinarie for a woman to bring foorthe thre or fower