Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 29 · Examination 5
*The fift examination of Richard Woodman, had before the Bishop of Winchester, the Archdeacon of Cant. Doct. Langdale, with a fat headed Priest and other whose names I know not, with certain also of the Cōmissioners, at S. Maryes Oueries church in Southwarke, in the presence, of three C. people at the least, the xv. day of Iune. An. 1557.
WInchester.
The fift examination of Richard Woodmā, before the B. of Winchester, and diuers other. Iune. 15. Anno. 1557.Woodman, you were before vsus the last day and would not be acknowne in anye wise that you were sent to prison for heresie, and called for your accusers and stoode stoutly in defending of your selfe, and in youre departing I had thought you had spoken agaynst priestes Mariages, thinking by youre wordes wee shoulde hauehave found you an honest man, and conformable when we had called you before vsus agayne. You tolde such a fayre tale for your selfe, as though you had bene free from all that was layd to your charge. For you sayde it was all lyes that I tolde agaynst you: but since I hauehave proued the contrarye, as here is your owne hand to shew. By the which I hauehave proued that you reproued not the priest for lacking of authoritie, and because he had not put away his wife, but because you liked not hys preaching. For in deede I tooke it that you reproued him for because hee was not lawfully authorised, but I hauehave proued the contrary since.
Wood.
I told you not that I did either reproue hym for lacke of authoritie, or because I liked not his preachynge, but I told you wherefore I was first sent to prison. For you sayd I was sēt to prison for heresie, & made a long tale agaynst me. And in deede I told you that there was neuer a word of your sayinges true, but was all lyes, as it was in deed. For I neuer was sent to prison for heresie, neither held I any then, nor do now. I take heauen and earthe to witnesse, but I tolde you I was sent to prison vppon the breach of a Statute, which was for speaking to a Priest in the Pulpit, and for that cause the Iustices of that country had thought I had offended the Statute, and called me before them, and would hauehave had me to hauehave bene bound to my good abearing, and because I refused it, they sent me to prisō. And these be ye wordes of the Statute, as I told you ye last day. If any man do interrupt any preacher or preachers, lawfully authorised by the Queenes Maiestie, or by any other lawfull Ordinary, The wordes of the statute.that then eueryevery partie that so offendeth, shall suffer three monthes imprisonment, and furthermore be brought to the quarter Sessions, and there being sorye for the the same, aad also bound for his good abearing, one whole yeare, to be released, or els to remayne to prison agayne.
And when I was in prison, I bought a Statute book which when I had perused ouer,No breach of this Statute, & why. I founde by the wordes therof that I had not offēded, because he was not lawfully authorised, as the Bishop of London was certified by the handes almost of xxx. men: both Esquiers, Gentlemen and Yeomen, the chiefest in all that Countrey. For he had not put away his wife, and therefore the Statute took no place on me, as I told you the other daye. Wherefore my Lord of London seeing me hauing so muche wrong, dyd like a good man to me in that matter, & released me. Now when I had tolde you this matter, you bad the Sheriffe hauehave me away: You sayd you were glad I h…lde agaynst Priestes Mariages, because I aunswered to the question you asked me.
The fat Priest.
My Lord, do you not heare what he sayth by my Lord of London?The Priest scannet… vponupon the meaning of Woodman. He sayth he is a good man in that he released him, but he meaneth that hee is good in nothyng els.
Wood.
What? can you tell what I meane? let euerye man say as he findeth: he did iustly to me in that matter. I saye if he be not good in any thing els, as you say, he shal aunswere for it, and not I: for I hauehave nothing to doe wyth others mens matters.
Winc.
Well, how say you? howe liked you his preaching? I pray you tell vsus.
Wood.
That is no matter how I liked it. How soeuer I liked it, I offended not the Statute.See how neerly these men seeke matter agaynst him whereby to trap him. Wherefore you hauehave nothing to say to me for that I am sure.
Winc.
Well, how like you this then? Here is youre owne hand writing: I am sure you will not denye it. Will you looke on it?
Wood.
It is mine owne handy worke in deede, the which by Gods helpe I will neuer denye, nor neuer did yet, I prayse God therefore.
Winchester.
And heare is good geare I tell you. I praye you harken wel to it: these be the wordes, before the Commissioners. How say you? Doe you not beleeue, as soone as the wordes be spoken by the Priest, that there remayneth neyther bread nor wyne, but onelyonly the verye bodye of Christ, both flesh and bloud as he was borne of the virgine Mary? these were the wordes of the Commissioners.
And then thou saydest: thou durst not saye otherwise then the scripture sayth.Luke. …. W…odman charged with his aunsweres before the Commissioners at his last examination. I cannot finde (sayde you) that it is the body of Christ before it is receaued by fayth, bringing in the xxii. of Luke, saying: Christ sayde, take, eate, this is my body: so I cannot proue that it is his bodye before it is eaten. Then sayd the Commissioners: did not Iudas eate Christes body? And if you can proue that Iud…s is saued (sayd you) I must graunt that he eate his body. For christ sayth in the sixt of Iohn: Who so eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloud, hath eternall lyfe, and I will rayse hym vp at the last day: which words prooue (said you) that if Iudas eate the body of Christ, he must needes be saued. How say you now? did Iudas eate the body of Christ, or no?
Wood.
Then I perceiued they went about nothyng but to catch words of me in his Dioces, to condemn me with.D. White B of Winchester bent to hauehave the bloud of Woodman. Though I should confound him neuer so much, I perceiued that he was fully bent thereto. To whom I answered and sayd:
I will answer you to no such thing, for I am none of your Dioces: Wherfore I will not answer to you.
Winchester.
Thou art within my Diocesse, and thou hast offended within my Dioces: and therefore I will hauehave to do with thee.
Wood.
HaueHave to do with me and you will:Richard Woodman appealeth from the B. of Winchester, to his owne Ord…nary. but I wil hauehave nothing to do with you. I tell you plainly: For though I be now in your Dioces, I hauehave not offended in your dioces: if I hauehave, shew me wherein.
Winc.
Mary here is thine owne hand writyng, the which thou affirmedst in my Dioces.
Wood.
I do not deny, but it is myne owne hand writing: but that prooueth neuer the more that I hauehave offended in your Diocesse: for that doth but declare what talke there was betwixt the Commissioners and me, the which you hauehave nothing to do withall.
Winchest.
No? hold hym a booke, and thou shalt sweare, whether thou holdest it now or not, & whether thou wrotest it not in my Dioces, as I thinke thou didst: Lay thy hand on the booke.
Wood.
I wil not be sworne for you:Woodman refuseth to sweare or aunswere before Winchester being not his Ordinary. for I am not of your Dioces, and therfore you hauehave nothyng to doe with mee. And as for the writing of that same, I neuer wrote worde of it in your Dioces.
Lang.
No? did you not? my Lord let me see: I wyll finde where you wrote it.
Wood.
Then he tooke it & looked on it, and anone he found that I was sent for out of the Kings bench, to come before the Commissioners.
Lang.
My Lord, here you may see it was in the Kinges Bench, the which is in your Dioces.
Wood.
Although I were fet out of the Kings Bench, that prooueth not that I wrote it there, nor I did not, I promise you truly.
The fat Priest.
Where wrote you it then?
Wood.
Nay, I owe you not so much seruice to tell you: find it out as well as you can: For I perceiue you go about to shed my bloud.
Winchester.
It is no great matter where it was written: it is here, and he denyeth not but he wrote it. You shall heare more of it. Here the Commissioners asked you whether Iudas did eate any more thē bare bread, and you answered, that he eate more then bare bread.
Whereupon they sent you away backe to the Kynges Bench agayne, and asked you not what more, for ye whiche cause (as you hauehave written here) you had a hell burnyng in your conscience.… For you had thought they would hauehave sent a discharge to the Kinges Benche, and so let me goe (sayd you) and Register my name in their bookes, that I had graunted that Iudas did eate the body of Christe, and so the Gospell should hauehave bene slaundered by me. For the which cause I was in such case, I could scantly eat, drink, or sleepe for that space, as all my prison fellowes can testifie. If al you (I say) that go to the Church of Sathan, and there heare the detestable doctrine, that they spit, and spue out in their Churches, and Pulpits to the great dishonor of God, if all you (I say) that come there, hadde such a hell burning in your conscience for the time, as I hadde till I came before thē agayne & had vttered my conscience, more playnely. I dare saye you woulde come there no more. All this is your writing is it not? how say you?
Woodman.
I do not deny, but it was mine owne deed.
Winch.
And I pray you, where is there such spitting and spuing out of false doctrine as you speake of?
Wood.
In the sinagogue of Sathan, where God is dishonoured with false doctrine.
Winc.
And I pray you, where is one of them?
Wood.
Nay, that iudge your selfe: I came not hether to be a iudge.
Winc.
Wel, here you hauehave affirmed that Iudas (your M.) eate more then bread: but yet he eate not the body of Christ as you hauehave declared by your wordes. For you had a hell burning in your conscience, because you were in doubt, yt the commissioners vnderstoode by your wordes yt Iudas had eaten the body of Chryst, because you sayd, he eat more then bread. Therefore thou haddest a great sorte of Deuils in thee, for in hell he many Deuils: and therefore ye Deuil, and Iudas is thy mayster, by thyne owne wordes.
Wood.
Nay, I defie Iudas, and the Deuill, and his seruauntes: for they bee youre maysters and you serue them, for any thing that I can see, I tell you truth.
Winchest.
Nay, they bee thy maysters.*The Bishops Argument. The deuill is maister in hel… Woodman felt a burning hell in his …. Ergo, the deuill was Wood… Maister. *Aunswere. Hell is takē in Scripture two wayes, … for the place where damned spi… and soules be tormented for euer … this lyfe: or els for Gods correc… and anguish of the soule in this life … somtime is felt so sharpe, that it …embled to hell it selfe. As where …: The Lord bringeth to hell and … out agayne. &c. Tob. 13. The … of hell hauehave found me. &c. Psal. …. For ye deuill is mayster wher hell is, and thou saydest thou hadst a hell burning in thee. I pray thee tell me howe thou canst auoyde it but that the Deuill was in thee by thine owne saying.
Wood.
The hell that I hadde, was the louing correction of GOD toward me, to call me to repentance that I should not offend God and his people in leauing thinges so darke, as I left that. For ye whiche cause, my consciēce bare me record I had not done wel, as at al times I hauehave felte the sting of it when I hauehave broken the commaundemēts of God by any meanes, as al gods people do, I dare say, and it is the louing kindnes of god towardes them, to driue them to repentaunce. But it is to be thought that your conscience is neuer troubled, how wickedly soeuer you do. For if it were, it shoulde not be so straunge to you as you make it, which declareth playnely whose seruaunt you be.
Winch.
What a naughty fellow is this? This is such a peruerse villayne as I neuer talked with in all my lyfe. Hold him a booke, I will make him sweare, to aunswere dyrectly to such thinges, as I will demaund of him: and if he will not aunswere, I will condemne him.
Wood.
…Call you me a fellow? I am suche a fellowe, I tell you, that will driue you all to hell if you consent to the shedding of my bloud, and you shall hauehave bloud to drynke as sayd S. Iohn in his Reuelation the ix. chapter and being in hell, you shall be compelled to say for payne of conscience: this is the man that we had in derision, & thought his life madnes, and his ende to be without honour, but now we may see how he is counted among the sayntes of God, and wee are punished. This shall you see in hell, if you repent it not, if you do condemne me. This you shall finde in the fift chapter of the booke of wisedome, & therefore take heede what you doe, I geue you counsell.
Winchester.
Wisedome? What speakest thou of wisdome? thou neuer haddest it: for thou art as very a …oole as …uer I heard speake.
Wood.
Do you not know that the foolishe thin…es of thys world must confound the wise thinges?1. Cor. …. Wher…ore it greeueth me not to be called a foole at your hand.
Winchest.
Nay thou art none of those fooles: thou art an obstinate foole, and an heretike. Lay hand on the booke, and aunswere to suche thynges as I wyll laye agaynst thee.
Woodman.
I will not laye hand on the booke for none of you all, You be not my Byshop, and therefore I wil hauehave nothing to do with you.
Winch.
I wyll hauehave to doe with you.Rich. Woodman agayne refuseth to sweare or aunswere before the Bishop being not his Ordinary. This man is with out law, he careth not for the king nor Queene, I dare say for he will not obey theyr lawes. Let me see the Kynges Commission. I will see whether hee will obeye that or not.
Wood.
I would you loued the king and Queenes Maiesty, no worse then I do, if it pleased God: You would not do as you doe then.
Winch.
Holde him a booke, he is a ranke hereticke. Thou shalt aunswere to suche thynges as I wyll demaund of thee.
Wood.
I take heauen and earth to recorde I am no hereticke, neither can I tell wherfore I am brought to prison, no more then any man can here tel, and therwith I looked round about on the people, and sayde to the Bishoppe: If you hauehave any iust cause agaynst me, worthy of death …ay it agaynst me, and let me hauehave it: for I refuse not to dye (I praise God) for the truthes sake, if I hadde x. liues. If you hauehave no cause let me goe home (I pray you) to my wife & children to see them kept, and other poore folk yt I would set a worke by the helpe of God. I hauehave set a worke a hundreth persons ere this, all the yeare together, and was vniustly taken from them: but God forgeue them that dyd it if it be his will.
Winchester.
Do you not see how he looketh about for help: But I would see any man shewe thee a cheereful countenaunce, and especially you that be of my Dioces.A charitable commaundemēt of a Catholicke Prelate vnderunder paine of excommunication, no man to say: God strengthen him. If any of you bid God strengthen him, or take him by the hand, or embrace him, or shew hym a chearefull countenaunce, you shall be excommunicated, and shall not bee receaued in agayne, till you hauehave done open penaunce, and therfore beware of it.
Wood.
I looke for no helpe of men, for God is on my side I prayse him therefore, and therefore I neede not not care who be agaynst me, neither do I care.
Then they cryed: away with him, and bring vsus an other. So I was caryed agayne to ye Marshalsea, where I am now mery (I prayse God therfore) as a sheep appointed to be slayne. But for lack of time, I hauehave left out much of our talke, but this is the chiefest of it.