Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Examination 1 – Account 29
The examination and answeres of Mathewe Plase Weauer, of the Parish of Stone in the Countie of Kent, before Thornton Bishop of Douer, Harpesfield Archdeacon, Collins Commissarie, & other Inquisitours. An. 1557.
FIrst when I came before the bishop, he asked me whether I were not of that Dioces, and where I dwelt, for that was my first Article.Examinatiō … Mathew P…se before the B. o… Douer, Harpsfie…d Archdeacon and Collins C…mmisia… &c.
Ans.
I aunsweared, I was of the Parishe of Stone in Kent, and subiect vntounto the King & Queene of England.
Bish.
Then he sayd, I was indicted by xij. men, at Ashford at the Sessions, for heresie.
Auns.
I sayd, that was sooner sayd then prooued.
Bish.
Then he sayde, it was the truthe that he had spoken to me, for he had whereby to prooue it.
Auns.
Then I desired him to let me heare it, and I would answere to it.
Bish.
But he sayd he would not so do, but I should aunswere to my Article, yea or nay.
Auns.
I said, he could not: for I was not at Ashforde, and therfore he had nothing to lay to my charge. But nowe I perceiue you goe about to lay a net to hauehave my bloud.
Arch.
After many woordes betwixt the bishop and me, the Archdeacon said: peace, peace, we do not desire thy bloud, but we are glad to heare that thou art no hereticke, wyth many flattering woordes, and said: yet I was suspected of heresie, and if I woulde be content to confesse howe I did beleeue as concerning those Articles, they woulde gladly teache me.
Auns.
But I sayd, I did not so thinke, for I talked wyth one of your doctors, and after long talke, he would nedes know how I did beleeue in the Sacrament, and I recited vntounto him the text, and because I would not make him an exposition, he would teach me nothing: yet I praied hym for my learning to wryte his minde, & if it were the truth, I would beleeue him: and this I did desire him for ye louelove of God, but it would not be.
Arch.
Then sayd he, it was not so, he durst sweare vponupon a booke.
Auns.
I sayd, it would be so prooued.
Arch.
Then he stoode vp with a long processe, and sayd: he would tell me the truth, and was sure that the same Doctour did beleeue as he did.
Auns.
I asked him how he knew that, seing S. Paul doth say, that no man knoweth what is in man but the spirite which dwelleth in him: but if you wist what Christ meant by these woords,Ose. 6. Math. 12. I require mercy and not sacrifice, you wold not kill innocents.
Bishop.
The Bishop began with me againe, and charged me in the king and Queenes name, and the Lord Cardinals, to answere yea or nay, to the Articles that followed.
Auns.
Then I commanded him in his name that should come in flaming fire with his mighty Aungels to render vengeance to the disobedient, and to all those that beleued not the gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ, which should be punished with euerlasting damnation, yt he should speake nothing but the truth grounded vponupon Christ and hys Apostles, and then I would answer him, or els not.
Bish.
Then he was very angry, and sayd: if I would not answer he would condemne me in dede: vnlesse I would answer eueryevery Article.
Auns.
Wel said I, if you do, you shalbe giltie of my bloud, and prooue your selfe a murtherer.
Arch.
Then the archdeacon tooke the articles in his hand, & red the seconde Article, which was, that I was a Christian man,The Catho… church. and did beleeue in theyr mother the Catholicke church, and the determination thereof.
Auns.
I sayd, I was a Christian man in deede, and therefore they had nothing against me.
Arch.
Thē said he, what saiest thou to ye catholicke church, which hath so long cōtinued, except it were 9. or 10. yeres, that this heresie hath sprong vp here in this realme.
Auns.
I sayde, no man can accuse me of any thing spoken against the catholicke church of Christ.
Bish.
Then saide ye bish. doest thou not beleue the Creede?
Ans.
Yes verely I beleue my Creede,This article of the K. & Qu…e is no … his Catholicke Creede. & all that is written in the Testamēt of Christ, with the rest of the Scriptures.
Bish.
Then sayth he: thou doest confesse that there is a Catholicke church, I am glad of that: but tell me, is the King and Queene of that Church or not?
Ans.
Wel said I, now I perceiue, you go about to be both mine accuser, & also my iudge, contrary to all right.And yet he sayd before that he went not aboute to seeke his bloud. I confesse Christ hath a Church vponupon earth, which is built vponupon the Apostles & Prophets, Christ being the head therof, and as touching the King and Quene, I answere, I hauehave nothing to do with no mās faith but with my owne: neither came I hether to iudge, for I iudge not my selfe, but the Lord must iudge me.
Bishop.
Then sayd he: Is there no part of that church here in England?
Auns.
Well I perceiue, you would faine hauehave some thing to lay to my charge. I will tell you where. Christ sayeth, whereas two or three be gathered together in his name, there is he in the middest among them.
Then the archdeacon stoode vp with his mockes,Iudgement without truth. to put me out of comfort, & said to the people: that I had no wit, but yt I thought all they were deceiued so long time, and that halfe a dosen of vsus should hauehave the truth in a corner, & that al they should be deceiued, with such like taunts and mockes: but would not suffer me to speake one woord.
Arch.
Then he red the Article of the Sacrament, and said, I did denie the reall presence to be in the Sacrament after it was once consecrated, and that I sayde, Christes body was in heauen & no where els, and that the bread was nothing but a signe, token, or remembrance.
Ans.
Then I said: you hauehave to shew where and what my woordes were: and heereof we talked a great while.
Bish.
At the last the bishop was so angrie, that he charged me in the Kinges, Queenes, and Cardinals name before the Maior and his brethren, taking them to witnesse, if I did not say yea or nay, he would condemne me.
Ans.
Then I saide: seeing you hauehave nothing to accuse me of, wherefore should I so answer?
Arch.
Then the archd. said, I was gilty: and sayd I was like a thefe at the barre, which would not cōfesse his fault because his accusers were not present: with a great many wordes, & would not let me open my mouth against him.
Ans.
Then I sawe where about they went, graunting to answere them by the woorde, or els I thinke they woulde hauehave cōdemned me for holding of my peace: and this was my beginning: I beleue that Christ tooke bread,Mathew Plaise confesseth his minde of the Sacrament. and when he had geuen thankes, he brake it, and gaue it to his disciples, and sayde: Take, eate, this is my body which is geuen for you, this doe in remembrance of me.
Arch.
Doest thou beleeue yt Christ meant euen as he sayd?
Ans.
I said, Christ was no dissembler, but he spake the very truthe.
Arch.
Thou hast very well sayd: we will make the best of thy words. Then he praised me with many words, going about to prooue it his body reall and substantiall, and said: Christ called himself bread: and this to proue, when Christ saide. This is my body: the breade was his body, saide he, in dede, real & substantial, not so long & so big as it hong on ye Crosse, as the Capernaites did thinke: but we eate it, as mās weake nature can eate Christ. Therfore when he had sayd: This is my body, the bread was his body in very dede.Capernaicall doctrine.
Ans.
Then I asked him, what Christ meant by these wordes. Which is geuen for you?
Arch.
He saide: Christ spake that by the bread also, but it was not written in Mathew, but Luke had those words.
Ans.
Then I asked him, if Christes bodye were made of bread, that was geuē for our redemption, or whether the bread was crucified for vsus, or not?
Arch.
Then he sayd: no by saint Mary, I say not so.
Ans.
You hauehave said the truth in dede, & euen as I beleue.
Arch.
Then he stoode vp with a great many of words,Christ called it his body: Ergo, he made it his body. It followeth not: For a thing may be called, & yet no nature chaunged. and sayd: that I did think it but bare bread stil, as other bread is: but he was sure Christe called it his body, and then it was his body in deede, for he would beleeue Christ.
Ans.
When he had spoken his pleasure by me, thinking to hauehave condēned me by their law, I said: he had not iudged right of mee, for I hadde not so spoken, but did beleue the wordes of Christ as well as he, and as much as he coulde prooue by the woorde.
Arch.
Then he would heare what I did say it was.
Ans.
I said, I did beleeue it was that he gaue them.
Arch.
Then he asked me, what it was that he gaue them.
Auns.
I sayd, that which he brake.
Arch.
Anno 1556. Iune.Then he asked me, what was that he brake?
Auns.
I sayd, that he tooke.
Arch
What was it that he did take?
Auns.
I sayd the text sayth, he tooke bread.
Arch.
Wel, then thou sayest it was but bread that his Disciples did eate, by thy reason.
Auns.
Thus much I say: looke what hee gaue them, they did eate in deede.
Arch
Why, then was not that his body that they did eate?
Auns.
It was that which he brake.
Arch.
Well sayd he, I perceiue thy meaning well inough, for thou doest thinke it is but breade still, and that hee was not able to make it his body.
Auns.
That is your exposition vponupon my minde.
Arch.
Then saide he, what diddest thou receiue when thou diddest receiue last?
Auns.
I sayde, I doe beleue, that I did eate Christes flesh, and drinke his bloud. For he saith: My flesh is meat in deede, and my bloud is drinke in deede.
Arch
Then he sayd, I had well aunsweared, thinking to hauehave had some aduauntage at my hand, and praied me to tell him, how I did eate his flesh and drinke his bloud.
Auns.
Then I sayde, I must aunswer you by the woorde, Christ sayeth: He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my bloude, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
Arch▪
Then he faced out the matter with Sophistrie, and sayde, I did eate Christe, as that Church was in his eye, with many such like mockes, but woulde not let me aunswere one woorde.
Commis.
Then the Commissarie did aske mee, if I did not remember S. Paule, which did rebuke the Corinthes for theyr euill behauior, and because they made no difference of the Lordes body, and brought in to prooue hys matter, howe he called him selfe bread in the 6. of Iohn. So Paul sayth:False alleaging the Scriptures. So oft as ye eate of this breade (meaning Christes body) vnwoorthely, ye eate and drinke your owne damnation, because ye make no difference of the Lordes body. For thus sayeth Christ: The bread that I will geue you is my flesh. Now, it is no bread, but it is his flesh. And thus he alledged eueryevery Scripture false to make vp the matter.
Auns.
Then I sayde, I did beleeue the woordes of Paule very wel, euen as he had spoken them. For thus he sayeth: He that eateth and drinketh vnwoorthely, eateth and drynketh hys owne damnation, because hee maketh no difference of the Lordes body.
Commis.
What is the cause that he eateth his owne damnation?
Auns.
I sayd, Saint Paule declareth it plainly wyth these woordes: If ye had iudged your selues, ye should not hauehave bene iudged of the Lord.
Arch.
Then the Archdeacon sayde, he marueiled whye I would not say,They sayd that Christ called it his body: but they sayd not, that it was his body. that he called the breade hys bodye, seeing Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer with many other, sayd he called it his bodye.
Auns.
I saide, you hauehave condemned them as heretickes, and you wold hauehave me say with them, because you wold kill me.
Arch.
Then he saide: In that they said it was his bodye, they did say the truth.
Auns.
I asked wherefore they were killed, seeing they sayd the truth?
Bishop.
Then sayde the Byshop, that he had all theyr aunsweres, and that they did not beleue as they said. For they sayd, Christ called it his body, but it was not his naturall body: but thou shall answere me by and by, whether it be his body or not, or els I will anger thee.
Auns.
Then I sayd: I had answeared him by the word already, and did beleeue it also: therefore if he did condemne me for that, my life was not deare vntounto me, & I was sure he should not scape vnpunished: for God wil be reuenged vponupon such murtherers.
Arch.
Then the Archdeacon intreated mee to be ruled by him, & take mercy while it was offered: for if I were condemned, I must needes be burned. Yet he would not say but my soule might be saued: with many moe wordes, and desired me that I would beleue hym, for he would speake the truth, beginning how Christ fed fiue thousande wyth foure loaues, and how he turned ye water into wine: euen so Christ tooke breade and blest it, and when he had done, he brake it, and sayd: This is my body, and then he commā ded them to eat it, and therfore it must nedes be his body.
Auns.
Then I desired him to speake the text right, or els I would not beleeue him.
Arch.
Then he stoode vp and put off his cap, and thanked me for teaching of him, and sayde: I was a stubberne fellow, and tooke scorne to be taught.
Auns.
I sayd, I ought to holde him accursed, if he taught doctrine contrary to Christ and his Apostles.
Arch.
Then he asked me, whether I did beleue that Christ did geue that he tooke, or not?
Auns.
I said, I do beleue as much as can be proued by the Scripture, and more I will not beleeue.
Arch.
Then he began with Moyses rod, howe God commanded him to lay it down, and it was turned into a serpent. Seing that this was by Moyses being but a man, how much more Christ being both God & man tooke one thing, and gaue to his Disciples an other?Comparison betweene turning Moyses rod and the bread into Christes body: not lyke. The opinion of the Papistes much lyke to the Capernaits.
Ans.
I said, his comparison was nothing like, for Moyses rod when it was laid downe, he saw that it was tourned into a verye Serpent in deede, but in this Sacrament no mā can see neither qualitie nor yet quantitie to be chāged.
Bish.
Then sayd the Bishop, that mine opinion and Faith was like vntounto the Capernaites.
Ans.
I sayd, theirs was more like theyr opiniō then mine.
Arch.
The Archdeacon asked me, whether Christe tooke not one thing, and gaue an other?
Auns.
I sayde, Looke what he brake, hee gaue vntounto them, and had them eate: and other answere I will make none, contrary to the woorde.
Arch.
Then he sayd, he marueiled why I woulde not beleue them, seeing this learning had continued this fiftene hundred yeares: neither yet did saye, as other had before, howe Christ did call it his bodye.
Auns.
Then I sayde, when Cranmer whyche was heere Byshop, was in authoritie, he sayde, that he did holde the truth, and commaunded vsus to beleeue him, and hee hathe geuen his life for his opinion, and would you hauehave me to beleeue you, because you say, that you holde the truth? and that which makes me beleeue chiefly, is ye scripture, which I am sure is the truth in deede.
Bish.
The Bishop sayd, he hath spoken the truthe, & that I would not beleeue him.
Auns.
I sayde, if he did not nowe speake the truthe, I was sure he had spoken the truthe, for hee had preached before, doctrine cleane contrary vntounto this.
Then were the rest of my articles read: which I aunswered, and in eueryevery article, we had vp this breaden god. And they sent for a candle light, & I thought they woulde hauehave condemned me, but God would not suffer their cruel hearts to hauehave theyr pleasure at that time: blessed he hys name for euermore. Amen.
Arch.
Then the Archdeacon was angry, & began to chide with me, because I woulde not desire a day of the byshop, and said: I was a noughty stubberne felowe, and sayde, it had bene my duety to hauehave desired him to hauehave bene good to me, that I might hauehave a day.
Auns.
Then I sayde: I hauehave spoken the truth, and therefore I would aske him no day, except he would geue me a day of his owne minde.
Commis.
Then sayde the Commissarie: Doest thou not thinke that thou maiest be deceiued, seeing hee may be deceiued that hath gone to study all the daies of his life?
Auns.
I saide, Yes, I mighte be deceiued in that I was a man: but I was sure Gods woord could not be deceiued.
Com.
Then hee praied me to be content, and confesse that I might learne, and said, they would be glad to teach me.
Auns.
And I sayde, I would be as glad to learne as any man. And thus they roase vp and went away, saying nothing.
What became of this Mathewe Plaise after, whether he died in prison, or was executed, or deliuered, I hauehave as yet no certaine knowledge.
The hystorie of ten true godly Disciples, and Martyrs of Christ, burnt together in one fire at Lewes. An. 1557. Iune 22.
Iune. 22.IN the towne of Lewes were ten faithfull seruauntes of God put in one fire, the xxij. day of Iune, whose names followe.
1 Rich. Woodman.
2 George Steuens.
3 W. Mainard.
4 Alexander Hosman his seruaunt.
5 Tomasin a Wood, Mainards maide.10. Godly Martyrs.
6. Margerie Moris.
7. Iames Moris her sonne.
8. Denys Burgis.
9. Ashdons wife.
10. Groues wife.
Of the which noumber Richarde Woodman was the firste. Concerninge whose apprehension firste by hys enemies, and of hys deliueraunce oute of Byshoppe Bouers handes, then of hys second taking againe by the procurement of hys father, brother, kinsfolkes and frendes, also of hys sundrye examinations and couragious aunsweres before the Bishoppes, and lastly of his condemnation, and of his letters sent to his faithfull friendes,The lyfe & story of Richard Woodman. heere foloweth to be declared by his owne woords, and relation reported. Which Rich. Woodman, by his occupation was an Ironmaker,Anno …557. …. dwelling in the Parish of Warbleton, in the Countie of Sussex, & Dioces of Chichester, of the age of 30. yeres, and somewhat more. The occasion of his first apprehension was this.
There was one Fairebanke, who somtimes had bene a maried priest,… and serued the Cure of Warbleton, where he had often perswaded the people not to credite any other doctrine, but that which he then preached, taught, and set forth in K. Edwards dayes. And afterward in the beginnyng of Q. Maries raigne, the sayd Fayrebanke turnyng hed to taile, preached cleane contrary to that which he had before taught.
Whereupon Richard Woodman hearyng hym in the Church of Warbleton so to preache contrary to hymselfe, admonished hym of hys inconstancie, how before tyme he had taught them one thing,… and now another, and desired hym to teach them the truth. For the which words he was apprehended and brought before M. Iohn Ashbornham, M. Toston, M. Culpeper, and M. Robertes, Iustices of Peace in the Countie of Sussex, and by them committed to the Kyngs Bench, where he continued from Iune, the space almost of a yeare and a halfe: and from thence was transferred by D. Story into Boners Colehouse, where he remayned the space of a monethmonth before he came to examination.
At length, the same day when M. Philpot was burned,R…hard …o…dman … of his … trouble. R…chard Woodman ag…yne apprehended, … of Richard Woodman. which was the 18. of December, he with 4. other prisoners was deliuered and set at libertie by Boner himself. Notwithstandyng, shortly after he was sought for again, and at last found out and taken by meanes of hys father, brother, and certaine other his acquainted friendes, and so was sent vp agayne to London to B. Boner, where he remayned in the Colehouse 8. weekes. He was there sixe tymes examined, and 26. tymes before, so that his examinations in all, were 32. from his first apprehension, to his condemnation. Touching the whole discourse wherof, for so much as the matter is something strange, and will peraduenture scarce find credit vponupon my narration, with thē which deny all thynges, that lyke them not to beleeue, ye shall heare himselfe speake, and testify both of the maner of his troubles, and also his owne examinations by himselfe recorded, in order as followeth.