A19563:1057
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.
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.
And why do you alleage their authority for you, which in no wise you admit when they be brought agaynst you? But it semeth that you be faint harted in this mater, and beginne to shrinke, and like one that refuseth the combat, and findeth the shift to put an other in his place, euen so it semeth you would draw backe your selfe from the daunger, and set me to fight wt other men, that in the meane tyme you might be an idle looker on. And if you as graund capitayne, take them but as meane souldiours to fyght in your quarell, you shall haue little ayd at their hands: for their writings declare opēly that they be agaynst 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.
And as for Cyprian and S. Augustine, here by you alleged, they serve nothing for your purpose, nor speak nothing against me, by Epinus own judgement. For Epinus saith, that Eucharistia is called a sacrifice, because it is a remembrance of the true sacrifice, which was offered upon the cross and that in it is dispensed the very body and blood, yea the very death of Christ, (as he allegeth of S. Augustine in that place) the holy sacrifice whereby he blotted out and cancelled the obligation of death, which was against us, nailing it upon the cross, and in his own person wan the victory, and triumphed against the princes & powers of darkness. This passion, death, and victory of Christ is dispensed and distributed in the Lords holy supper, and daily among Christs holy people. And yet all this requireth no corporal presence of Christ in the sacrament nor the words of Cypriā ad Quirinum neither. For if they did, then was Christs flesh corporally present in the sacrifice of the old testament 1500. years before he was borne: for of those sacrifices speaketh that text alleged by Cyprian ad Quirinum,