A19563:758
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.
Canterbury.
Caunterbury.
IF thou takest not very good heed, reader, thou shalt not perceive where the cuttle becometh. He wrappeth himself so about in darkness, and he cometh not near the net by a mile, for fear he should be taken. But I will draw my net nearer to him, that he shall not escape. I say that the words which Christ spake of the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood were spoken by a figure, and he would avoid the matter, by saying that those words have a spiritual mystery in them, which is most true, and nothing contrary to my saying, but confirmeth the same. For the words of eating and drinking be figurative speeches, because they have §1a secret and hid spiritual mystery in them, and cannot be taken otherwise then in that spiritual mystery, which is a figure. And moreover you plainly here confess, that to eat Christs flesh and to drink his blood be figurative speeches. But you traverse the cause wherefore they be figurative speeches, which is not material in this place, where my process is only to prove, that they be figurative speeches. And forasmuch as you grant here all that I take upon me to prove (which is, that they be figurative speeches) what needeth all this superfluous multiplication of words, when we agree in the matter, which is here in question?
IF thou takest not very good heed, reader, thou shalt not perceiue where the cuttill becometh. He wrappeth himself so about in darcknesse, and he commeth not neere the net by a myle, for feare he should be taken. But I will draw my net nearer to him, that he shall not escape. I say that the words which Christ spake of the eating of his flesh and drinking of his bloud were spoken by a figure, and he would auoyd the matter, by saying that those words haue a spirituall mistery in them, which is most true, and nothing contrary to my saying, but confirmeth the same. For ye words of eating and drinking be figuratiue speches, because they haue