A19563:2427
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.
The law of nature requireth of all men, that so far forth as it may be done without offence to God, every one should seek to defend and preserve his own life. Which thing, when I about three days ago bethought my self of, and there withal remembered how that Martin Luther appealed in his time from Pope Leo the tenth, to a general Council (least I should seem rashly and unadvisedly to cast away my self) I determined to Appeal in like sort to some lawful and free general Council. But seeing the order and form of an Appeal pertaineth to the Lawyers, whereof I my self am ignorant, and seeing that Luther's Appeal cometh not to my hand: I purposed to break my mind in this matter to some faithful friend and skilful in the law, whose help I might use in this behalf, and you only among other came to me remembrance as a man most meet, in this University for that purpose. But this is a matter that requireth great silence, so that no man know of it, before it be done. It is so, that I am summoned to make mine answer at Rome, the xvi. day of this month, before the which day I think it good after sentence pronounced to make mine Appeal. But whether I should first Appeal from the Judge delegate to the pope, & so afterward to the general Council, or else leaving, the Pope, I should Appeal immediately to the Council: herein I stand in need of your counsel. Many causes there ⟨p. 427⟩be for the which I think good to Appeal.
THe law of nature requireth of all mē, that so farforth as it may be done without offence to God, euery one should seeke to defend and preserue his owne life. Which thyng, whē I about three dayes agoe bethought my selfe of, and there withall remembred how that Martin Luther appealed in his tyme from Pope Leo the tenth, to a generall Councell (least I should seeme rashly and vnaduisedly to cast away my selfe) I determined to Appeale in like sort to some lawfull and free generall Counsell. But seyng the order and forme of an Appeale pertaineth to the Lawyers, wherof I my selfe am ignoraunt, and seyng that Luthers Appeale commeth not to my hand: I purposed to breake my mynde in this matter to some faythfull frend and skilfull in the law, whose helpe I might vse in this behalfe, and you onely among other came to me remembraunce as a man most meete, in this Uniuersitie for that purpose. But this is a matter that requireth great silence, so that no mā know of it, before it be done. It is so, that I am summoned to make myne answere at Rome, the xvi. day of this moneth, before the which day I thinke it good after sentence pronoūced to make myne Appeale. But whether I should first Appeale from the Iudge delegate to the pope, & so afterward to the generall Councell, or els leauyng, the Pope, I should Appeale immediatly to the Councell: herein I stand in neede of your counsell. Many causes there