A19563:255
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 what skilleth it for the diversity of the words, where no diversity is in the sense? And whether we say, very meat, or verily meat, it is a figurative speech in this place, and the sense is all one. And if you will look upon the new testament lately set forth in Greek by Robert Stevens, you shall see that he had three Greek copies, which in the said sixth chap. of John have [Greek or Hebrew] and not [Greek or Hebrew]. So that I may be bold to say, that you find fault here where none is.
And what skilleth it for the diuersitye of the wordes, where no diuersity is in the sence? And whether we say, very meat, or verely meate, it is a figuratiue speache in this place, and the sence is all one. And if you will looke vpon the new testament lately set forth in Greeke by Robert Steuens, you shall see that he had three Greeke copyes, which in the said sixt chap. of Iohn haue 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 and not 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. So that I may be bold to say, that you finde faulte here where none is.
And here in this place, you show forth your old condition (which you use much in this book) in following the nature of a cuttle.1 The property of the cuttle saith Pliny, is to cast out a black ink or colour when soever she spieth her self in danger to be taken, that the water being troubled and darkened therewith, she may hide her self and to escape untaken. After like manner do you throughout this whole book, for when you see no other way to fly and escape, then you cast out your black colours, & mask your self so in clouds, and darkness, that men should not discern where you become, which is a manifest argument of untrue meaning: for he that meaneth plainly, speaketh plainly:2 Et qui sophisticè loquitur, odibilis est, saith the wise man. For he that speaketh obscurely and darkly it is a token that he goeth about to cast mists before mens eyes that they should not see, rather then to open their eyes that they may clearly see the truth.