The second reply of Thomas CartwrightThe second replie of Thomas Cartwright

In the next division / there is nothing to be answered / or which hath not been answered before. In the next / where he saith / that the private sentences off men in their Epistles of these points, are off more credit, then that which they have published unto the whole world: it is a saying / meet for such a cause as he defendeth. For all understand / that men be more sudden in letters to their friends / then in their books: and that they burn more candle / and make the file off their Judgement / and understanding pass oftener upon those writings / which they will submit to the Judgement off all men / then to the judgement off one: upon those / which they know shall come on the rack off their wrangling enemies / then which shall find rest / in the bosom of an easy and friendly interpretation: upon those / which they think shall remain unto all posterity / then which they think shall dye / at the least with him to whom they wrote. And therefore if there were occasions / to move them to speak otherwise in their public writings / then in their private: yet that turneth all to the advantage off those / which allege that which was spoken upon the house top: rather then off those / which press that was rounded in the ear off one man. If their private writings / vary not from their public / it is so much better for us: which are well assured / that the public we have alleged / stand off our side.

In the next diuision / there is nothing to be answered / or which hath not bene answered before. In the next / where he saithe / that the priuate sentences off men in their Epistels of these pointes, are off more credite, then that which they haue published vnto the whole world: yt is a saying / meet for such a cawse as he defendeth. For all vnderstand / that men be more soudeine in letters to their freindes / then in their bookes: and that they burne more candell / and make the file off their Iudgement / and vnderstanding passe oftener vppon those writinges / which they will submit to the Iudgement off all men / then to the iudgement off one: vpon those / which they knowe shall come on the racke off their wrangling ennemies / then which shal finde rest / in the bosome of an easie ād frendly interpretation: vpon those / which they thincke shall remaine vnto all posteritie / then which they thincke shall dye / at the least with him to whom they wrote. And therefore iff there were occasions / to moue them to speake otherwise in their publike writinges / then in their priuate: yet that turneth all to the aduantage off those / which alledge that which was spoken vppon the howse toppe: rather then off those / which presse that was rounded in the eare off one man. Yf their priuate writinges / varie not from their publike / yt is so muche better for vs: which are well assured / that the publike we haue alledged / stand off our syde.