622 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 
appeale, for all, but the Students of Christchurche. That you 
add, that yet I shoulde have byn more mylde in consideration of 
S. Cyprian, of a Councell, and other woorthy men, whose learned 
writinges doe glosse that Texte in that sorte; I answere, that with all 
humblenes, I reverence theire authorityes, and I trust I shall not 
seeme to any man to wronge them, if I followe the opinion of 
others, bothe very godly, and excellently <Jp. 54> learned, whoe 
doe interprete that Texte otherwise then he, or thay doe; specialy 
in a case, that touchethe me so meere, wherin I ame to defend my 
selfe, and many my good frendes, from the reproche of open 
infamye. I well wote it littell becommethe me to saye, da veniam 
Cypriane; but yet I ame perswaded, that S. Cyprian as a godly 
man, like a mighty streame, carried with a vehement and a perfett 
hatred, agaynst the detestable abuses of the heathen spectacles 
in his tyme, may be thought, withowte wronge to hym, rather to 
have taken whatsoever he mett withall, that might seeme to have 
any shewe agaynst them then that the place of Deute: in his 
proper and naturall sense, is so to be vnderstood. Lastly that 
you aske, 1 what manner of glosse is myne, which deducethe owte of 
the generall affirmatyve, a particulare negatyve; I say, that thoughe 
the proposition be generall aflirmatyve, All men are abomynation 
that putt on womans apparell, yet because it receyvethe lymyta^ 
tion, bothe in the trwe interpretation, wheron I stande, and in all 
thos cases of necessytye mentioned before, this proposition is 
also trwe, which is a particular negatyve, Some men are not abomy¬ 
nation that putt on weemens rayment. it is trwe that whoe forbiddethe 
the generall, will not have the speciall practised; and evry speciall 
is suspended, when the generall is suspended; but thes rules are to 
be vnderstoode, of thos Generalls, that absolutely com/nande, and 
necessarylye comprehende their Specialls, sub potestate sua; not 
thos Generalls , which must as it weare endure controllment, 
and suffer exceptions to restrayne their powre; which exceptions, 
thoughe thay must alwayes be, de natura generis, yet are thay not, 
sub vi et potestate generis, for generall propositions, bothe in Divinitye 
and Lawe, doe vsually admytt particular acceptations and lymy- 
tations, qux derogant generalitati, of which sorte, this proposition 
which we have in hand, is; as there are many moe of like nature, 
1 But if our glosse be cursed, who say that in the general sentence of the 
Scripture, All men are abomination that put on wemens raiment, the speciall is 
comprised, Players are abomination that put on wemens raiment; a thing which 
your Law-glosses obserue vpon your [p. 17] lawes, as standing with reason, 
and therevpon doe gather (agreeablie to a rule of law) that he, who fordiddeth 
the generall, will not haue the speciall practised; and, every speciall is suspended, 
when the generall is suspended: what a maner a glosse is yours, which deduceth 
out of the generall aflirmatiue a particular negative, that is, a flat contradic¬ 
tory; & turneth, A l are, into, Some are not; and delivereth as a rule that it is 
no dishonestie for a man to weare whatsoever apparell, if his minde be chast? 
[Overthrow, pp. 16-17.] 
