Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 29 · Examination 1
The first examination of Rich. Woodman, before Doctor Christopherson Bishop of Chichester, Doctor Story, Doctor Cooke, and other.
FIrst you shal vnderstād, that I was sent from the sheriffes to London, the 12. day of Aprill, in the yere of our Lord. 1557. and afterwarde vppon the 14. daye of the same monethmonth I was brought before the Bishop of Chichester, and doctor Story, and doctor Cooke. So the sheriffs man deliuered my warrant and me to the bishop.Richard Woodman brought before the B. of Chichester., D. Story, and D. Cooke. Then the bishop asked me what my name was. My name (quoth I) is Richard Woodman.
Chichester.
I am sory for you, and so are all the worshipfull men of your Countrey. For it hath bene reported to me, that you hauehave bene a man of good estimation in all the Countrey, amongest the poore and riche, till nowe of late. Wherefore looke wel vponupon your selfe, your wife, and children, your Father, and other of your frends, and be ruled. Thinke not your selfe wiser then all the Realme. Be enfourmed, and you shal hauehave theyr fauors all, as muche as euer you had.
Wood.
You hauehave charged me with many things, wherin I hauehave neuer offended, and if you will geue mee leaue, I will shewe you.
Chichester.
Yes, I pray you, say your minde.
Wood.
If it please you, you hauehave charged me as thoughe I made my selfe wiser then all the Realme: God doeth knowe, I stande to learne of euerye man that will or can teache me the truthe. And where as you say, I hauehave beene wel estemed both of the poore and riche, God doth know, I knowe not that I hauehave geuen any iust offence, either to rich or poore. And as for my wife and children.Richard Woodman preferreth the kingdome of Christ, before lyfe, or wyfe, & all worldly respectes. God doeth know how I louelove them in him, and my life also. My life, my wife, and my children are all in Gods handes, and I hauehave them all as I had them not, I trust, according to S. Paules woords. But if I had x.M. pound of gold, I had rather forgoe it all, then them, if I might be in choice, and not displease God.
Chichest.
The sheriffe tooke paine to come to me of louelove, he sayd which he bare to you, as to himselfe: and sayd, you were desirous to speake with me.
Wood.
I thought it mete to appeale to my Ordinarie. For they goe about to shed my bloud vnrighteously.Woodman appealed to his Ordynary. For they hauehave laid many vniust things to my charge. Wherefore I thoughte it meete to appeale to you, that if you can finde any fault in me, meete to be reformed by Gods woorde, I stād to be reformed: and likewise, if my bloud shalbe shed vnrighteously, that it mighte be required at your handes, because you hauehave taken vppon you to be the Phisition of our countrey.
Story.
Is not this a peruerse felow, to lay to your charge, that his bloude shalbe required at your hands?D. Story a great spiller of bloud by his owne confession. Thinkest thou that thou shalt be put to death vniustly, yt thy bloude should be required? No, if he should condemne a hundred such heretickes as thou art, I helped to ridde a good sort of you. And I promise thee I will helpe to ridde thee too, the best that I can.
Wood.
Then I would hauehave answeared him, but the Bishop desired vsus both to geue him place.
Chichest.
Well, neighbour Woodman: I call you neyghbour, because you be one of my Diocesse: and you are sent to me that I should geue you spirituall counsell: for I am your spiritual Pastour. Therefore heare what I shall say to you.
Wood.
First I desire you to heare me a few woordes. You hauehave said, you wil geue me spiritual counsell. Be you sure that you hauehave the spirite of God?
Chichest.
No, I am not sure of that?
Wood.
No, be you not sure of that?The Papistes in doubte whether they hauehave the spirite of God.
Chich.
So by S. Mary, I dare not be so bold to say so: I doubt of that.
Wood.
Then you be like the waues of the sea, as saith S. Iames, that be tossed about with the wind, and be vnstable in all your wayes, and can looke for no good thyng at the Lordes hand: Yea, yee are neither hote nor colde, and therefore God will spew you out of his mouth, as sayeth S. Iohn. Then they were in a great furie, especially doc. Storie, saying:
Storie.
What a peruerse fellow is this? he hath the Deuil within him, and is madde. Hee is woorse then the Deuill.D. Story in a fury. Nowe I perceiue that it is true that is reported by thee, and it is the pride of all suche heretickes, to boaste themselues.
Chich.
Yea surely, hee is sent to mee to learne, and taketh vponupon him to teache me.
Wood.
I seeing their blindnesse and blasphemie, it made my heart melt, and mine eies gush oute with teares, saying: The Iewes saide to Christ, he hadde the Deuill, and was madde, as you hauehave said heere by me. But I knowe, the seruant is not aboue his maister. And God forbid that I should learne of him that confesseth that he hath not the Spirite of God.
Chich.
Why, doe you thinke that you hauehave the Spirite of God?He is no true Christian that hath not the spirite of God.
Wood.
I beleeue verely that I hauehave the spirite of God.
Chich.
You boast more then euer Paul did, or any of the apostles, the which is great presumption.
Wood.
Anno 1556. Iune.I boast not in my selfe but in the gift of God, as Paule did: for he sayd, he beleued verily that he had ye spirit of God, makyng thereof no doubts, in the 1. to the Cor. the 7. chap.
Chich.
1. Cor. 7.It is not so, you belye the text.
Wood.
If it be not so, let me be burned to morow.
Story.
Thou shalt not be burned to morow, but thou shalt be burned within these 6. dayes, I promise thee.
Chich
If it be so, it is wrong translated, as it is in a thousand places more.
Wood.
Whether Paule was sure to rece…ue the spirite of Christ.Then one looked in a Latine Testament, and another in a Greeke Testament, and they said, it was in them both, that Paul supposed that he had the spirit of God, but he was not sure.
Chich.
Euen so I hope and suppose that I hauehave the spirite of God, but I am not sure.
Wood.
If that place be wrong trāslated, and so many places of the Bible as you say, then I may say with Christ, it cannot be auoyded, but offences must be geuen: But woe vntounto them by whom they come. I may say woe vntounto false Translaters. For cursed are they that adde or take away. But take you heed that you belie not the Translaters. I beleeue they had the feare of God more before their eies then you report of them. And yet if that place bee wrong translated, I can prooue places enough that Paule had the spirit of God, as I my selfe and all Gods elect hauehave.
Chich.
How prooue you that?
Wood.
No man can beleeue that Iesus is the Lorde, but by the holy Ghost. 1. Cor. 7.First to the Corrinth. the 7. chap. I do beleeue that Iesus Christ is my redeemer, and that I shall bee saued from all my sinnes, by his death and bloudsheding, as Paule and all the Apostles did, and as all faithfull people ought to do, which no man can doe without the spirite of God. And there is no damnation to thē that are in Christ Iesus: so is there no saluation to them yt are not in Christ Iesu.Rom. 8. For he that hath not the spirit of Christ, is none of his, but is a cast away as he saith in the same text. And againe: We hauehave not receyued the spirite of bondage, Rom. 8. G…l. …. 2. Tim. 8.to feare any more, but we hauehave receyued the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba father. The same spirit certifieth our spirites that we are the sons of God. Here are proofes enough, that Paule was sure that he had the spirite of God.The Papistes bewray their owne blyndnes. Also S. Iohn sayth: He that beleeueth not that Christ is come in the flesh, is an Antichrist, & denieth both the Father and the sonne: which is sinne against the holy Ghost, which shall neuer bee forgeuen in this world, nor in the world to come. Besides all this, Hee that beleeueth in God, dwelleth in God, and God in hym. So is it impossible to beleue in God, vnlesse God dwell in vsus. Oh good God, what more iniurie can be done vntounto thee, then to mistrust that we hauehave receyued thy holy spirite by thy gift? Thus may all men see their blindnes, and whose seruants they be, as they do declare themselues both by their words and deeds.
Story.
Oh my Lord, what an heretike is this same? Why heare you hym? Sende hym to prison to his fellowes in the Marshalsee, and they shall bee dispatched within these xij. dayes.
Wood.
When I heard hym say so, I reioyced greatly in my hart, desiring God if it were his will, to keepe hym in that mynd. For I looked surely to hauehave gone to the B. of Londons colehouse, or to Lollards tower: yea I thoght my selfe happy if I might hauehave gone to Lollardes tower: but it pleased God to put in the hartes of them to send me to the Marshalsee amongst our brethren and my olde prison fellowes:Richard Woodman glad to goe to the Marshals…. So mercifully hath God delt with mee in casing of my burden, that I looked for. So when they perceiued that I feared not imprisonment, but rather reioyced as they well perceiued. Then said the B. Me thinkes he is not afraid of the prison.
Wood.
No, I praise the liuyng God.
Story
This is an heretike in deed. He hath the right terms of all heretikes:The liuing God, is a p…ne of heresie among the Catholickes. the liuing God, I pray you be there dead Gods, that you say, the liuyng God?
Wood.
Be you angry with me because I speak the words which are written in the Bible?
Story.
Story scorneth at the holy Bible.Bibble babble, bibble babble. What speakest thou of the Bible? There is no such worde written in all the Bible.
Wood.
Then I am much to blame if it bee not so written: Behold, for the offences that you hauehave done, you shall bee caried away captiue by Nabuchodonoser to Babylon, Barne. 6.and there ye shall be seuen generations: and when you be there▪ you shall see gods of gold, of siluer, of wood, and of stone borne before you & behynd you vponupon mens shoulders, to cast out a feare among the Heathen. When you shall see all these abhominations, then say in your heart: D. Story set to schoole in the Scriptures.It is the liuyng God that ought to bee worshipped. Here I prooue my saying true, both that there is a liuyng God, and that there be dead Gods. Also Dauid sayth in his Psalmes:Psal. …4. My soule hath a desire and longyng to enter into the courtes of the Lord: My heart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God: with diuers other places that I coulde recite. Wherfore I meruaile that you rebuke me for speaking the truth.
Chich.
I doe not deny but it is written, and is the truth,If the liuing God in heauen doe make an heretick, … maketh … the dead God on the Aultar. Storyes rule to know an hereticke that is a true Christian. When D. Story cannot confute them by learning, he confuteth them by imprisonment. and I know it as well as you, but such is the speach of all heretikes.
Story.
My Lord, I will tell you how you shall knowe an heretike by his words, because I hauehave bene more vsed to them then you hauehave bene: that is, they will say (the Lord) and (we prayse God) and (the liuyng GOD.) By these words you shall know an heretike.
Wood.
All these wordes are written for our learnyng, and we are commanded of the Prophets to vse them daily, as this: The Lordes name be praysed frō the rising vp of the sunne vntounto the goyng downe of the same. Also, As many as feare the Lord, say alwayes, the Lord be praysed.
Story.
My Lord, send hym to prison, you shall do no good with hym. I will go to church and leaue you here. This is an old heretike. Wast thou neuer before me ere now?
Wood.
Yes forsooth, that I hauehave.
Story.
Yea, I trowe so: and I sent thee to the B. of London, and he released thee, and thou promisedst him to be an honest man, and that thou wouldst be of the true Catholike church, which thou hast not fulfilled.
Wood.
I promised him nothing but I hauehave fulfilled it. No man shall be able to prooue the contrary.
Story.
Well, it will be tried well enough. My Lorde, I will take my leaue. I feare me you shall doe this man no good.
Chich.
I would not hauehave you to vse such speach as you do, as the Lord be praysed, and the liuing God,No but if he should say: the Sacrament of the aultar, worshipped might he be: then he were a perfect Catholicke. The Lord hereticall, our Lord Catholicke with the Papistes. with such like words. Can you not say as wel, our Lord, or our God, as otherwyse?
Wood.
I meruaile why you should reprooue me therefore, seeing it is the words of God? I do not refuse to saye our God, or our Lorde, when I talke the Scriptures where it is written. If I should, it must follow that I denied the wordes of God, and must needs be an heretike: but I do not. Wherefore I meruaile what you meane to finde fault therein. It seemeth to me, that you mistrust that I beleeue not as you do.
Chich.
Yea, that is my meanyng in deed.
Woodman.
I beleue in the liuyng God, if you doe not so, then our beliefes be not alike in deede. But if it please you to examine me vponupon any perticular matter, now, or at any other tyme, I will make you answer thereto by Gods helpe.
Chich.
Though you beleeue in God, I can prooue you beleeue not as you ought to do, as I can shew you by your hand writing. You hauehave denied ye catholike church, Wherfore he that erreth from the church, it cannot be sayde that his faith is good. Wherefore be ruled by the Church, from the whiche ye hauehave erred.Fallacia equiuoci. He that erreth from the church, which church erreth not in in the right fayth, his fayth cannot be good in deede. I canne shewe you perillous things of your writing, if it should be known, but ye shall not be hurt for me, if you will come to any good order. But I promise you I would not for three thousand poūd some had so much against me, as I cā shew against you of your owne hand writing, which you cannot deny.
Wood.
I will not deny my hand by Gods helpe. For I know well, I hauehave written nothing at any tyme but the truth. There may be things written against me, reporting it to be myne, and yet be not: but my hand cannot well be counterfeited, there be enow that know my hand.
Chich.
Do you know it your selfe if you see it?
Wood.
Yea, that I do. Then he arose and fet a great bundle of writings, and opened them, and bade me come see. I looked on them, and it was my hand in deed.
Chich.
How say you, is it not your owne writing?
Wood.
Yes surely it is.
Chich.
How say you to this, is not this your hand also?
Wood.
I looked, and it was. And I said, Yes verily is it.
Chich.
Well, you know what it meaneth, I dare say.Woodman charged with his owne writinges.
Wood.
Yea, I know it very well: here is a great deale, the which I had thought had bene in my house, but I thanke God that it is here, for in this you shall try whether it be true or not. For in this is conteined all the talke that was betwixt the Commissioners and me, when I was before them fiue tymes, and also before the Bishop of London diuers tymes: and I am sure, you nor they shall finde no words false therein written:Richard Woodman 5. tymes before the Commissioners. and I thinke the shirifs mē when they searched my house for me, when I was taken, found this, and caried it with them, but I neuer knew it before now. But I am not sory for it, but am rather glad. For herein you may see all the wrong that I receyued at their hands, & how long I was in prisō, and how I was tossed vp and down, and how I was deliuered at length▪ and by this you may try whether it be so or not.Anno 1557. …. I dare say they that found it, & they that brought it to you, had thoght it would hauehave turned me to displeasure: but in very deed all things worke for the best to them that feare God.
Chic.
In deed I find no great fault in this: but here is perillous geare, here is sedition. This was set vp vponupon the church dore, you know it well enough.
Wood.
…In deed I wrote it to the Priest and to other that tooke vponupon them to fetch my childe out of my house without my leaue, and vsed it at their plesure, when they knew it was baptised already, as they were wel certified before. Wherfore my conscience compelled me to shew them my mynd in writing, wherein is conteined nothyng but the scriptures of God, rebuking them for their folly.
Chichest.
Yea, but it is terribly ment, and vncharitably. It is such geare coupled together I promise you, as I neuer see the lyke. But I promise you, I will make the best of it. And I protest before God, I would you should doe as well as myne owne soule and body. Be contented to be enformed. God hath done his part on you. Cast not your selfe away. Remember your wife and children, & the poore that lacke your occupying. Meane to follow your vocation.… Remember you are not called to bee a teacher nor a preacher. S. Paul saith: Let eueryevery man walke wherein he is called, and therein abide. Remember you are called to another vocation, for Gods sake walke therin. It is not your office to do as you hauehave done. You might do as much good by the report of worshipfull men, as any man might do in all the Countrey by your example, and if you would follow the lawes of the catholike church, it would be an occasion to bring a great many into the true church, that are out as you are.
Wood
I would not that you should say, that I am out of the church of God,…oodman … church. for I am not, but do allow the Church of God accordyng to his word. Yea, if I were abroad, if I could winne any into the true Church that be out, by any meanes that I could vse, I would be very glad. For God knoweth I louelove all people as my self. And where you say I hauehave bene a preacher, it is not so. I neuer tooke any such thyng vponupon me,A man may … the … prea…. …eading … Scripture letteth … man to …. as it is well known. But as for teaching I cannot deny: for it becommeth eueryevery man to teach and instruct his houshold in the feare of God, and all other (as far as he can) that desire it of him. And where as you hauehave blamed me for reading the Scripture, and leauing my vocation (as you say) I le… not my vocation in reading the Scripture. For I trust I followed my vocation the better therefore. And the greatest cause that I was compelled to read the Scriptures, was, because the preachers and teachers was so changeable.
Chic.
No? did you not preach at a Fayre?
Woodman.
No surely, but it was so reported. I was at a Fayre in deede. Whilest I was in prison, I had leaue of the Counsaile to goe home to pay my debtes, and then I went to a Faire to sell cattayle, and there mette with mee diuers poore men that I had set a worke, and of louelove asked me howe I dyd, and how I coulde away with imprisonment. And I shewed them howe GOD had delte with mee, and howe he woulde deale with all them that putte their trust in hym:… and …under. and this they called preachyng. And since that it hath bene reported that I hauehave baptised children, and maried folkes, the which I neuer dyd: for I was neuer Minister. Wherefore if I had so done, I had done contrary to the order of the Apostles, as God forbid I should.
Chich.
I am well apaid, if you be faultles in those thyngs, for I hauehave heard say the contrary.
Wood.
I hauehave shewed you the truth, and that no man liuyng shal be able to prooue the contrary.
Chich.
You sayd you doe not disallow the true Catholike Church.
Wood.
No, that I do not.
Chich.
Woodman … the … Church.Why do you not then go to the Church? You come not there, it is enformed me.
Wood.
I trust I am in the true church eueryevery day. But to tell you truth, I come not at the Church where the most do resort. For if I should, I should offend, and be offēded. For at the last tyme that I was there, I offended many, & was offended my selfe. Wherefore for conscience sake I would not come there. For I was sent to prison for my commyng there, & now I am sent to you for biding thēce. So they will not bee pleased any way with mee, for they seeke my lyfe. Wherefore looke you to it, for I am now in your hands, and you ought to be a house of defēce against myne enemies. For if you suffer them to kill me, my bloud shall be required at your hands. If you can finde any iust cause in me worthy of death by Gods word,The Bishop …. you may cō demne me your self, and not offend god: wherfore looke to it, the matter is weighty, deliuer me not into their hands, and thinke so to be discharged.
Chich.
I tell you truth, I can doe little in the matter. For I hauehave not full authoritie as yet of myne office: but I wil send for you and talke with you, if I wis… I should do you any good.
Wood.
I would be glad to talk with you and to shew you my mind in any thing that you shall demaund of me, now or at any other tyme.
Chich.
So then he desired the shiriffes men to tary dinner with hym: that this man (said he) may dine with me also:The Bishop biddeth Woodman to dinner. for it is possible that hee may hauehave no great store of meate whither he shall go.
Wood.
So we taried dinner with him,Talke betweene Richard Woodman and the Bishop about Priestes mariage. and had no further talke, neither how to prooue where the true church of God is, nor of the Sacraments, nor of any other thing pertaining to meward, not for the space of two houres or more: but he entred in talke with me, how I vnderstoode many scriptures, & for bishops and priests mariages, & whether Paul had a wyfe or not. To whom I answered: It is a thyng that I hauehave little to do with, as concernyng mariages: but I am very well content to talke with you in the matter, as far as my poore learning will serue.Paule if he were not maryed, yet he had power to marry as well as the other had. So when he had talked with me of diuers Scriptures, he liked my talke well. He asked me how I said by S. Paul, whether he were maried or not. To whom I answered: I prooue by the scriptures, that he was neuer maried.
Chich,
How prooue you that?
Wood.
I will prooue it well enough by Gods helpe. But yet I will prooue that Paul might hauehave had a wife, as wel as the other Apostles had.
Chich.
Why, had the Apostles wyues?
Wood.
Yea, all, sauing Paul and Barnabas, as I vnderstand it.1. Cor. 9. For these are Paules wordes in the 1. to the Cor. 9. chap. Am I not an Apostle? am I not free? hauehave I not seene Iesus Christ? Are not ye my worke in the Lord? And if I be not an Apostle to other, yet to you I am an Apostle For you are the seale of my Apostleship in the Lord. Myne aunswer to them that aske me, is this: HaueHave we not power to eate and to drinke? eyther hauehave we not power to lead about a sister to wyfe, as well as the other Apostles hauehave, and as the brethren of the Lord? Eyther hauehave not Barnabas and I power thus to doe? So this text prooueth, that Paul & Barnabas were vnmaried. But Paule declareth that the rest had wiues, & that they had power likewyse so to hauehave, but they found no neede thereof. But Paul declareth in the 7. chap. of the 1. epistle to the Corin. that he that hath no power ouer his owne flesh, may marrie: For it is better to marrie then to burne. Wherefore, to auoyd fornication (saieth he) let eueryevery man hauehave his wyfe. 1. Cor. 7Hee sayth, Let eueryevery man hauehave his wyfe, and eueryevery woman her husband. By this place of scripture I vnderstād,Priestes ought to hauehave wyues, rather then to burne, by Sainct Paules doctrine. that bishops & priestes may hauehave wyues, because they are men, rather then burne, or to commit fornication. But I thinke verily, he that can abstaine, hauing power of his owne wyll, doth best: but if he marrie, he sinneth not.
So then hee debated the Scriptures with me dyuers wayes, that a bishop nor a priest ought not to hauehave a wife: but I prooued by diuers Scriptures both in the old Law & in the new,Gene, 2. that women were at first made for the helpe of men, the which was spoken generally to al men. Wherfore (said I) eueryevery man may hauehave a woman and sinne not in honest matrimony, as well bishops & Deacons, as other men, which you call priests, if they be true Ministers of Iesus Christ, & of that order that Bishops & Deacons were in Paules tyme.1. Tim. 3. Bishops and Deacons were maryed in the Apostles tyme. Papistes …olde, that Byshops & Deacons hauing wi…es before, might keepe them still: but not hauing before, might not afterward mary. For Paul declareth to Tim. 1. and the 3. That a Bishop should be the husband of one wyfe, & how they should be honestly apparelled, and how they should bring vp their children, and likewise the Deacons. This (sayd I) prooueth more plainly, that both bishops & Deacons had wyues in the Apostles tyme, the which he could not deny. But then he alleaged that no bishop nor Priest might take a wife, after he had taken vponupon him that office, but if he had a wife before he tooke the office tryed meet for the purpose, for his lyfe and for his learnyng, hee mighte keepe his wyfe, and bryng vp his children according to s. Paules meadyng to Timothie, or els might they hauehave no wyues.
Then sayd I, I thinke Paules meanyng in that place was, that a man that hath had two wiues, might not bee made a bishop nor a Deacon, if he had neuer so much learnyng. But that place maketh not that a bishop or a Deacō may not marry after they be made bishops and Deacons. For I am sure that Paul was in the state of a bishop, whē he sayd: He had power to lead about a sister to wyfe, as well as the other Apostles had. Here Paul declareth,Paul confesseth himselfe after his Apostleship to hauehave power to ma…y. that it was in his power to hauehave a wyfe, after he had the office of a Bishop, which was not in his power, if he had bene forbidden of God.
Thus hauehave I shewed you my mind in this behalf, both of Paul, and also for the mariages of bishops and priests, as I vnderstand the scriptures. Howbeit, it is a thing the which I hauehave litle to doe withall: but as you required me to say my minde in that matter, so I hauehave done.
Chich.
Marye I am glad that you hauehave sayd as you hauehave done. Many doe affirme boldly that Paul had a wife, and yet can not prooue whether he had or had not, by ye scriptures: but you hauehave said very wel. I am glad that yee are contented to be ruled by Gods woord. And if you will be contented likewise in other matters, no dout you shall do well: therefore gentle goodman Woodman be ruled. God hath geuē you a good wit.The Bishops fay…e wordes to Richard Woodman. I protest before God, I would you should do as well as mine owne soule and body, and so would (I dare say) all the worshipfull men in the coū trey, as they hauehave reported to me.
Wood.
Why, my Lord, I take God to recorde (whome I trust to serue) that I woulde be as glad to liue in rest and peace, as any man in all ye world, if I might. And I stand to learne, & am contented to be reformed of any thing that I hold, if it can be prooued that it be not agreable to gods woorde. And the truthe is so, I hauehave talked with a dosen Priests at the least, since I was deliuered out of prison, of certaine matters, and they hauehave not ben able to certify me in any thing that I hauehave asked them:Richard Woodman complayned of by vnlearned Priestes which could not certyfie him in matters of religion. and therefore hauehave they complained on me to the Sheriffe and Iustices, making tales and lies on me, to tourne me to displeasure, as muche as in them lieth. I promise you, there be as manye vnlearned Priests in your dioces, as in any one dioces in England I thinke: the more it is to be lamented.
Chich.
I promise you, I do much lament it my selfe: for I heare say no lesse: but it is true that you say. I woulde I could remedy it, but I can not: but I wil doe the best that I can, when I come into the countrey, and I wil be glad to talke with you some other time, when I am somewhat better at ease. You see I am very tender nowe, as I hauehave bene this halfe yeare and more. Come to dinner: our dinner is ready. I caused not you to tarie for any great chere that you shall hauehave, nor I would you should not thincke that I goe about to winne you with my meate. But you be welcome with all my heart. Come, sit downe.
Wood.
I thanked him, and wēt to dinner: and there dined with him a Marchant man, one of the sheriffes men, and I,A Byshoplyke di…ner without any talke of Scriptures. and no mo, & we had good chere, God be praised therefore. We had no talke of the scriptures all ye dinner while: but when dinner was done, the bishop saide.
Chich.
Now cal M. Stories man. For the commissioners hauehave committed you to prison: but I wil sende for you or euer it be long, and I pray God I may doe you good. I would be very glad of it.
Wood.
If it please you to send for me, I woulde be verye glad to talk with you, for I like your talke wel. And then if it please your Lordship to examine me vponupon any particular matter, I will shew you my minde therein, by gods grace,D. story a man without reason. without dissimulation. But I pray you let me hauehave nothing to doe wyth M. Storie, for he is a man wythout reason, me thinke.
Chich.
Wel, or euer you goe, how say you to the vij. Sacraments? Let me heare what you say to them, yt I maye be the willinger to send for you againe.
Wood.
7. Sacramentes denyed.I know not vij. Sacraments.
Chich.
Then what shall I talke with you? Howe many doe you know?
Wood.
I knowe but two: one the sacrament of baptisme, and the other the supper of the Lorde.Two onelyonly Sacramentes. But if you can iustly prooue by Gods woord, that there be more then two, I stand to be reformed.
Chich.
If I prooue not vij. by Gods woord, then beleue me not: and so he bade me farewell.
Then the Sheriffes two men, and one of doc. Stories men, caried me to doc. Cookes house, which doctor Cooke commaunded them to carie me to the Sheriffes prisone in Southwarke: saying, he shall be called before vsus agayne shortly and all his fellowes, and we shal dispatch them for troubling the countrey any more.
Richard Woodman caryed to the Marshalsey.And so I was brought to the Marshalsea: where I now am mery (God be praised therfore) loking for iudgement of my flesh: for they intende to dispatch me shortly, if God will geue them leaue: but God hath theyr hearts in his hāds, and they can do nothing to me, but as God wil geue them leaue. Wherefore I commit my cause to God onelyonly,Luke 22. The deuills members persecutors of the Christians. and I am sure there shall not one haire of my head pearish without my heauenly fathers wil, althogh I bide neuer so much trouble. Iob pearished not for all his trouble, although God gaue the deuil leaue to trouble and try him diuers & many waies, as God hath suffered his members to trouble and trie mee diuers and many waies, I praise God. They shall as little preuaile against my faith) I hauehave no mistrust) as ye deuil preuailed not against Iob,Iob. Psal. 1… ▪ Rom 14. whatsoeuer they doe with my goodes, life or body. For he that kept Iob in al his trouble, neither slombreth nor slepeth, but keepeth me & all his electe, that whether we liue or die, it shall be to the praise and glory of God. For if we liue, we liue at the Lordes wil, and if we die, we die to the Lordes will: so, whether we liue or die, we are ye Lordes, blessed be his name therefore.
Wherfore, dere brethren and sisters, to whom this my wryting shall come, be of good cheare and feare not what man can do vntounto you. For they can but kill the body:Richard Woo…m… to the faythfull brethren. but feare him that hath power to kill both body and soul. And yet once againe I bid you be of good cheare. For the Sheriffe with diuers other Gentlemen and Priests, whilest I was at the Sheriffes house, said to me that all ye heretikes in the coūtrey hong on me, as the people did in times past vponupon S. Augustine, or S. Ambrose, or such like. Wherfore said they, looke well on it, you hauehave a great thing to aunswer for. To the which I answered: I pray God lay nothing more to my charge, then he will doe for heresie, as I am sure he will not. For he hath set my sinnes as far from me, as it is from the East to the West:Psal. 103. So that I am sure they shall neuer come neare to mee anye more. Yea, & that they call heresie, wee serue God withall.Those that feare God hang not or man. And I am sure there is no man nor woman that hangeth on me, but on God. But yet that is their imaginations and thoughtes, that if they might winne me to them, they should winne a great many likewise: and thinking to kill mee, if they can not win me, as I trust in God, and am sure they shall neuer by Gods grace, if it were possible to kill me x. times: for I am so linked to Christ in a chaine by Faith,The inseparable knot of louelove betweene Christ and his members. that it is vnpossible for men to loose vsus a sunder, neither for life nor death. I praise my Lord God therfore. And no dout their full intent and purpose is to kill me, thinking thereby to make other afraide. Which death of my body were best of al for me, if God were so pleased. But if I may liue for the comfort of other, his name be praised therefore. I knowe what he can doe: but what he will do, I know not. But if death be offred me, so that I can not refuse it, without displeasing of God, I trust in God I shal not offēd my brethren in receiuing of death, but shall be rather an occasion of the strengthening of their faith, by chusing & receiuing of it, and that with ioy. For as Christ hath geuen hys life for vsus,Christians ought to geue there liues for defence of the Gospell, if they be thereto called. so ought we to geue our liues for the defence of the gospel, and comfort of our brethren. And whereas the byshop sayeth, he will prooue vij. sacraments, be you oute of doubt he shal neuer be able to doe it, no more then he hath prooued other arguments with me already.
Thus fare ye well frō the Marshalsey, where I now am, as a sheepe appoynted to be slaine, God be praised therefore.