A19563:1056
An answerAn aunsvvere
An answer by the Reverend Father in God Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England and metropolitan, unto a crafty and sophistical cavillation, devised by Stephen Gardiner Doctor of Law, late Bishop of Winchester against the true and godly doctrine of the most holy sacrament, of the body and blood of our saviour Jesus Christ Wherein is also, as occasion serveth, answered such places of the book of Doct. Richard Smith, as may seem any thing worthy the answering. Here is also the true copy of the book written, and in open court delivered, by D. Stephen Gardiner ...An aunsvvere by the Reuerend Father in God Thomas Archbyshop of Canterbury, primate of all England and metropolitane, vnto a craftie and sophisticall cauillation, deuised by Stephen Gardiner Doctour of Law, late Byshop of Winchester agaynst the true and godly doctrine of the most holy sacrament, of the body and bloud of our sauiour Iesu Christ Wherein is also, as occasion serueth, aunswered such places of the booke of Doct. Richard Smith, as may seeme any thyng worthy the aunsweryng. Here is also the true copy of the booke written, and in open court deliuered, by D. Stephen Gardiner ...
London: printed by John Daye, 1580London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1580
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Whether I make an exposition of Cyprian by mine own devise, I §1leave to the judgement of the indifferent reader. And if I so do, why do not you prove the same substantially against me? For your own bare words without any proof I trust the indifferent reader will not allow, having such experience of you as he hath. And if Cyprian §2of all other had writ most plainly against me (as you say without proof) who thinketh that you would have omitted here Cyprian's words, and have fled to Melanchthon,1 and Epinus for succour?
WHether I make an exposition of Cyprian by myne own deuise, I §1leaue to the iudgement of the indifferent reader. And if I so doe, why do not you proue the same substancially agaynst me? For your own bare words without any proofe I trust the indifferent reader will not allow, hauing such experience of you as he hath. And if Cyprian §2of all other had writ most plainly agaynst me (as you say without profe) who thinketh that you would haue omitted here Cyprians wordes, and haue fled to Melancthon,1 and Epinus for succor?
- 1Melanchthon. Epinus.Melancthon. Epinus.
And why do you allege their authority for you, which in no wise you admit when they be brought against you? But it seemeth that you be faint hearted in this matter, and begin to shrink, and like one that refuseth the combat, and findeth the shift to put an other in his place, even so it seemeth you would draw back your self from the danger, and set me to fight with other men, that in the mean time you might be an idle looker on. And if you as grand captain, take them but as mean soldiers to fight in your quarrel, you shall have little aid at their hands: for their writings declare openly that they be against you more then me, although in this place you bring them for your part, and report them to say more, and otherwise then they say indeed.