A19563:720
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.
Now I refer to thy judgement, indifferent reader, whether I offered the Papists reason or no? and whether they ought not, if they had any thing to show, to have brought it forth here? And for as much as they have brought nothing, (being thus provoked with all their counsel) whether thou oughtest not to judge, that they have nothing in deed to show, which if they had, without doubt we should have hard of it in this place. But we hear nothing at all, but these their bare words, not one of all these Doctors saith as ye do, my Lord, Which I put in thy discretion, ⟨p. 111⟩indifferent Reader, to view the Doctors words by me alleged and so to judge.
Now I referre to thy iudgement, indifferent reader, whether I offered the Papistes reason or no? and whether they ought not, if they had any thing to shew, to haue brought it forth here? And for as much as they haue brought nothing, (being thus prouoked with all their counsayle) whether thou oughtest not to iudge, that they haue nothing in deede to shew, which if they had, without doubt we should haue hard of it in this place. But we heare nothing at all, but these their bare wordes, not one of all these Doctors sayth as ye do, my Lord, Which I put in thy discretion, ⟨p. 111⟩indifferent Reader, to vew the Doctours wordes by me alleaged and so to iudge.
But they say not that there is only bread in the Sacrament (saith Smith) and not Christs body: what then? What is that to purpose here in this place, I pray you? For I go not about in this place to prove that only bread is in the sacrament, and not Christs body: but in this place I prove only, that it was very bread, which Christ called his body, and very wine which he called his blood, when he said, This is my body: This is my blood. Which Smith with all his rabblement of the Papists deny, and yet all the old Authors affirm it with Doctor Steven Gardiner, late Bishop of Winchester also, who saith that Christ made demonstration upon the bread, when he said, This is my body. And as all the old Authors be able to countervail the Papists: so is the late Bishop able to match Smith in this matter, so that we have at the least a Rowland for an Oliver. But shortly to comprehend the answer of Smith: where I have proved my sayings, a dozen leaves together, by the authority of Scripture and old catholic writers, is this a sufficient answer, only to say without any proof, that all my travail is lost? and that all that I have alleged is nothing to the purpose? Judge indifferently gentle Reader, whether I might not by the same reason cast away all Smiths whole book, and reject it quite & clean with one word, saying, All his labour is lost and to no purpose. Thus Smith and Gardiner being answered, I will return again to my book, where it followeth thus.