A19563:712
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 when you have confessed the whole matter that I do here prove,§5 which is only this, that Christ called bread his body & wine his blood. when he said, This is my body, This is my blood: yet you conclude your answer with an issue of mine ignorance, that it is so great, that I understand not what I say, if my knowledge be no better, then is uttered here in my pen. And yet my words be so plain, that the least child (as they say) in the town, may understand them. For all my study is to speak plain, that the truth may be known, and not with dark speeches (as you do) to hide the truth. But when I had made a plain issue against all the Papists in general, it had been your part to have joined in the said issue and not to devise new issues.
And when you haue confessed the whole matter that I do here proue,§5 which is onely this, that Christ called bread his body & wine his bloud. when he sayd, This is my body, This is my bloud: yet you conclude your aunswere with an issue of mine ignoraunce, that it is so great, that I vnderstand not what I say, if my knowledge be no better, then is vttered here in my pen. And yet my wordes be so playne, that the least chyld (as they say) in the town, may vnderstand them. For all my study is to speak plain, that the truth may be known, and not with darke speches (as you do) to hide the truth. But when I had made a plaine issue against all the Papists in general, it had bene your part to haue ioyned in the sayd issue and not to deuise new issues.
But because neither you nor Smith dare join with me in mine issue I shall repeat mine issue again,1 and take it for confessed of you both, because ⟨p. 109⟩neither of you dare say the contrary, & join an issue with me therein. My issue is this,