Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 29 · Examination 6
¶The 6. and last examinations of Richard Woodman written and copyed with his owne hand.
BE it knowne vntounto all men by this present writing that I Richard Woodman, sometime of the parishe of Warbelton, in the County of Sussex: was condemned for gods euerlasting truth an. 1557. Iuly. 16▪ by the byshop of Winchester, in the churche of S. Mary Oueries in Southwarke, there sitting with him the same time the byshop of Chichester, the Archdeacon of Caunterbury Doctor Langdale, M. Roper with a fatte headed Priest, I cannot tell his name All these consented to the shedding of my bloud, vponupon this occasion, as here after followeth.
I affirmed that Iudas receaued the sacrament with a sop and the Deuill withall, and because I would not bee sworne vppon a booke to aunswere directly to suche Articles as hee woulde declare to me: and because I would not beleue that there remained neither bread nor wine after the words of consecration and that the body of Christ could not be receaued of any but of the faithfull. For these Articles I was condemned, as hereafter shal follow more at large, by the help of God.
First, the Bishop sayd when I came before him.
Win.
You were before vsus on Monday last past:The sixt examinatiō of Richard Woodman, before the Byshop of Winchester & diuers other in the Church of S. Mary Queryes. & there you affirmed certayne heresies. Howe say you now? Doe you hold them still, or will you reuoke them?
Wood.
I held no heresyes then, neyther do I now, as the Lord knoweth.
Win.
No? did you not affirme, that Iudas receiued bread? which is no heresy, vnlesse you tell what more then bread.
Wood.
Is it heresy to say that Iudas receiued more then bread? I sayd he receaued more then bare bread: for he receiued the Sacrament, that was prepared to shewe foorth the Lordes death: and because he presumed to eat without sayth, he eat the deuill withall, as the wordes of Christ declare: after he eate the soppe, the Deuill entred into hym, as you cannot deny.
Winc.
Hold him a booke. I will hauehave you aunswere dyrectly whether Iudas did eate the body of Christ, or no.
Wood.
Richard Woodman agayne refuseth Winchester to be his iudge.I will answere no more: for I am not of your Dioces: wherfore I will hauehave nothing to do with you.
Winc.
No, you be in my Dioces, and you be of my Dioces because you hauehave offended in my Dioces.
Wood.
I am not of your Dioces, although I am in your Dioces: and I was brought into your Dioces against my will: and I hauehave not offended in your Dioces: if I hauehave, tell me wherein.
Winchester.
Here is your owne hand writing, the whiche is heresie.Truth taken for heresie. These be the wordes. I cannot find (say you) yt it is the body of christ to any, before it be receiued in faith. How say you? is not this your owne hand writing?
Wood.
Yea, I do not deny but it is mine owne hand wryting: but when, or where was it written, or where wer the wo…des spoken?
Before the Commissioners: and here is one of them: Maister Roper,M. Roper Commissioner, and witnes agaynst Woodman. the words were spoken before you. Were they not?
Roper.
Yes in deed, that they were Woodman. I am sure you will not deny them: for you hauehave written the wordes euen as you spake them.
Wood.
No sir, in deed I will not deny but that I spake thē and I am glad that you hauehave seene it. For you may see by that whether I lye or not.
Roper.
Woodmans hand writing brought in agaynst him.In deede the wordes be written word by word as we spake them.
Winchest.
Well, here you affirme yt it is your owne deede. How say you now? Will you be sorie for it, and become an honest man?
Wood.
My Lord, I trust no man can say, but that I am an honest manne: and as for that, I maruell that you wil lay it to my charge, knowing that my Lorde of London dyscharged me of all matters that were layde agaynst me, when I was released of him.
Winc.
You were released▪ and it might fortune, it was not layd to your charge then:Woodman first released, and yet called to accompt agayne, agaynst all good order. therfore we lay it to your charge now because you be suspected to be an hereticke: and wee may call you before vsus, and examine you vponupon your faith vponupon suspicion.
Wood.
In deede S. Peter willeth me to render account of my hope that I hauehave in God, and I am contented so to do, if it please my Bishop to heare me.
Chichester.
Yes I pray you let vsus heare it.
Wood.
I do beleue in God the father almighty, maker of heauē & of earth, and of al things visible & inuisible, and in one Lord Iesus christ, my sauiour very God and man. I beleue in God the holy Ghost, the comforter of al Gods elect people, and that he is equall with the father, and the sonne I beleue the true Catholicke church, and all the sacraments that belongeth thereto. Thus I hauehave rendered accompt of my hope that I hauehave of my saluation.
Winch.
And how beleue you in the blessed sacrament of the aulter?Sacrament of the Aultar. And with that word they all put of their cappes to that abhominable Idoll.
Wood.
I pray you be contented: for I will not aunswere to any mo questions: for I perceaue you go about to shed my bloud.
Winch.
No, hold him a booke. If he refuse to sweare, he is an Anabaptist,Woodman made an Anabaptist, because he will not sweare before him that is not his Ordinary. and shall be excommunicated.
Wood.
I will not sweare for you, excommunicate me if you will. For you be not meete to take an oth, for you laid heresies to my charge in yonder pulpite, the whiche you are not able to proue: wherfore you bee not meete to take an othe of any man. And as for me, I am not of your Dyoces, nor will hauehave any thing to doe with you.
Winchester.
I will hauehave to do with thee: and I saye thou art a strong hereticke.
Wood.
Yea, all trueth is heresie with you: but I am content to shew you my minde,All truth is heresie, with these men. how I beleue on the sacramēt of ye body and bloud of Iesus Christe, without flattering. For that you looke for, I am sure. But I will meddle no …urther: But what I holde my selfe of it. I will not meddle of any other mans beliefe on it.
N Harp.
Why? I am sure al mens fayth ought to be alike.
Wood
Yea, I graunt you so, that all true Christians faith ought to be alike. But I will aunswere for my selfe.
N. Harp.
Well, let vsus heare what you say to it.
Wood.
I do beleue that when I come to receaue the Sacrament of ye body and bloud of Iesus Christ, if it be truly ministred according to Christes institutiō,Woodmans confession of the Sacrament. I comming in fayth, as I truste in God I will, whensoeuer I come to receiue it, I beleuing that Christ was borne for me: & that he suffered death for the remission of my sinnes, and that I shalbe saued by his death and bloud shedding, and so receaue the Sacramente of bread and wine in that remembraunce, that then I doe receiue whole Christ, God and man, mistically, by fayth. This is my beliefe on the sacrament.
Then they spake all at once, saying:Mistically. mistically by faythe The fat prieste. What a foole art thou? mistically by faythe thou canst not tell what mistically is?
Wood
If I be a foole, so take me:1. Cor. 1. But God hathe chosen such fooles of this world to confound such wife things as you are.
The fat priest.
I pray thee what is mistically?What is Mistically▪
Wood.
I take mistically to be the fayth that is in vsus, that the world seeth not, but God onelyonly.
Winch.
He cannot tell what he sayth. Aunswere to the Sacrament of the aulter, whether it be not the body of Christ before it bee receaued, and whether it be not the bodye of Christ to whom soeuer receaueth it. Tell me, or els I will excommunicate thee.
Wood.
I hauehave sayd as much as I will say: excommunicate me if you will.Woodman agayne appealeth to his Ordina…lye. M. Christopherson B. of Chichester his Ordina…, not yet consecrated. I am none of your Dioces The Bishop of Chichester is mine Ordinary. Let him do it, if you will needs hauehave my bloud, that it may be required at his hāds.
Chichest.
I am not consecrated yet, I tolde you when you were with me.
Wood.
No in deede, your kine bringe foorth nothing but Cow calues, as it chaunceth now: Meaning thereby that he had not his Bulles from Rome.
Then they were al in a great rage with me, and called me al to nought, and sayd I was out of my w…t, because I spake feruently to eueryevery mans question: all the whiche I cannot remember: but I sayd:
So Festus sayd to Paule when he spake the words of sobernes and truth out of the spirite of God, as I do. But as ye hauehave iudged me, you be your selues. You will go to hell all the sorte of you, if you condemne me, if you repent i… not with speede.
Wood.
Then my keeper and the Sheriffes deputie Fuller, rebuked me, because I spake so sharpely to them.Woodman for hi… feruent speach rebuked. And I sayde: I praye you let me alone: I aunswere for my life.
Then there was muche adoe, that I shoulde keepe silence, and so I held my peace. Then spake the Bishop of Winchester and the Archdeacon of Caunterbury, saying: we go not about to condemne thee, but goe aboute to saue thy soule, if thou wilt be ruled ane doe as we would hauehave thee.
Wood.
To saue my soule? nay you can not saue my soule. My soule is saued already, I praise God therefore. There can no man saue my soule, but Iesus Christ: and hee it is that hath saued my soule before the foundation of yt would was layd.
The fat Priest.
What an heresie is that my Lorde?This fatte Priest well seene in the Scriptures. here is an heresie. He sayth hys soule was saued before the foundations we…e layd. Thou canst not tell what thou saiest. Was thy soule saued before it was?
Wood.
Yes I prayse God, I can tell what I say, & I say ye truth. Looke in the first of the Ephesians, and there you shall finde it, where Paule sayth: Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ▪ Ephes 1.whiche hath bless…d vsus with all maner of spirituall blessinges in heauenly thinges by Christ, according as hee hathe chosen vsus in himselfe before the foundation of the earth was layd, that we shuld be holy and without blame before him, through louelove, and thereto were wee pred…stinated. Iesus Christ onelyonly Sauiour of … soule, and not man.These be the wordes of Paule, and I beleue they be moste true. And therefore it is my fayth, in and by Iesus Christe that saueth, and not you or any man els.
The fat priest.
What? fayth without workes? Saint Iames sayth: faythe without workes is dead, and wee hauehave free will to do good workes.
Wood.
I would not that any of you should think that I do disallow good workes.Good wo…e… not disallowed. For a good fayth cannot be wt out good works. Yet not of our selues, but it is the gift of God, as sayth S. Paule to the Phillippians, the 2. Chapt. It is God that worketh in vsus both the wil and also the deed, euen of good will.
Winchester.
Make an ende: aunswere to me. Here is your Ordinary, the Archdeacon of Caunterbury:Phil. 2. The Archdeacon of Canterbury made Ordinary by the Cardinall to examine Richard Woodman. hee is made your Ordinary by my Lord Cardinall: and he hath authoritie to examine you of your fayth vppon a booke, to aunswere to such Articles as he will laye to you. And I praye you refuse it not: for the daunger is great if you do. Wherfore we desire you shew your selfe a subiect in this matter.
Then they spake al, and said: loe, my Lord desireth you gently to aunswere to him, and so we do all. For if you refuse to take an othe, hee may excommunicate you. For my Lord Cardinall may put whom he wil in the Bishops office, vntill he is consecrated.
Wood.
I know not so much. If you will geue me time to learne the trueth of it (if I can proue it be as you saye) I will tell you my mind in any thing that he shall demaūd of me, without any flattering.
Priest.
My Lord and all we tell thee it is true: & therefore aunswere to him.
Wood.
I will beleue none of you all, for you be turne coates,Richard …oodman …alengeth … Iudges … …e all … coates … chaunge…ges. & chaungelinges, & be wauering minded, as sayth S. Iames: you be neither hoate nor colde, as sayth S. Iohn, therfore God will spue you out of his mouth. Wherfore I can beleue none of you all, I tell you truth.
Winchest.
What? be we turne coates and chaungelinges? what meanest thou by that?
Wood.
I meane that in king Edwardes time you taught the doctrine that was set forth then, eueryevery one of you, and now you teach the contrary: and therfore I call you turne coates, and chaungelinges, as I may well enough. Which wordes made the most part of them to quake.
Winc.
Nay, not all, as it chaunced.
Wood
No? I pray you where were you then?
Winch.
I was in the Tower, as the Lieutenaunt wyll beare me record.
Wood.
If you were in the Tower, it was not therefore, I dare say: it was for some other matter.
Thē they tooke all hart of grace, and sayd: my Lord, he cōmeth to examine you, we think: if he will not answere to the Articles, you were best to excommunicate him.
Winch.
He is the naughtiest verlet hereticke, that euer I knew. I will read the sentence agaynst him.
Wood.
The free speach of Woodman … the Byshops and Priestes.Then they spake all at once: and I aunswered then as fast as I could. But I can not remember it all, the wordes came out so thicke, & that I spared them not (I prayse God therfore) for I spake freely.
Then they that stood by, rebuked me, & sayd: you cā not tell to whom you speake I thinke.
Wood.
No? thinke you so? they be but men, I am sure I hauehave spoken to as good as they bee, and better then they will euer be, for any thing that I can see, if they repent not with speed.
Winc.
Winchester about to read the Sentence.Geue eare: for I will read sentence agaynst you.
Wood.
Will you so? wherefore will you? you hauehave no iuste cause to excommunicate me: and therefore if you doe condemne me you wilbe condemned in hell, if you repent not: and I prayse God. I am not afrayd to dye for Gods sake, if I had a hundred liues.
Winch.
For Gods sake? nay for the Deuilles sake. Thou sayest thou art not afrayde to dye: No more was Iudas that hanged himselfe, as thou wilt kill thy selfe wilfully, because thou wilt not be ruled.
Wood.
Nay, I defye the deuill, Iudas and all their members. And Iudas flesh was not afrayd, but his spirite and conscience was afrayde, and therefore despayred, and hong himselfe. But I prayse God, I feele no lothsomnes in my flesh to dye, but a ioyfull conscience and a willing mynde thereto. Wherfore my flesh is subdued to it, I prayse God: and therfore I am not afrayd of death.
Chichester.
Woodman, for Gods sake be ruled. You know what you sayd to me at my house. I coulde say more if I would.
Wood.
Read in the first examination of Woodman pag. in the 2. edition 2176.Say what you can: the most fault that you founde in me was, because I praysed the liuing God, and because I sayd, I prayse God, and the Lorde: which you ought to be ashamed of, if you hauehave any grace, for I told you where the wordes were written.
Winc.
Well: how say you? will you confesse that Iudas receiued the body of Christ vnworthely? tell me playnely.
Wood.
No man can receiue the body of Christ vnworthely.My Lord, if you, or any of you all can proue before all this audience, in all the bible, that any man euer eat the body of Christ vnworthely, then I will be with you in all thinges that you will demaund of me: of the which matter I desire all this people to be witnes.
Priest.
Will you so? then we shall agree well enough, S. Paule sayth so.
Woodman.
I pray you where sayeth he so? rehearse the wordes.
Priest▪
In the xi. of the first to the Corinthians, he sayeth: Who so eateth of this bread, and drinketh of this cup vnworthely, 1. Cor. 11.eateth and drinketh his owne damnation, because he maketh no difference of the Lordes body.
Wood.
Doth these wordes proue that Iudas eat the body of Christ vnworthely? I pray you let me see them. They were contēted. Then said I: these be the wordes euen that you sayd.The place of S. Paule 1. Cor. 11. expounded. Good people, harken well to them: Who so eateth of this bread, & drinketh of this cup vnworthely: He sayth not, who so eateth of this body vnworthely, or drinketh of this bloude vnworthely. But hee sayeth: Who so eateth of this bread, What it meaneth to make no difference of the Lordes body.and drinketh of this cuppe vnworthely (which is the sacrament) eateth and drinketh his owne damnation, because he maketh no difference of the sacrament which representeth the Lordes body, and other bread and drinke. Here good people, you may all see they are not able to proue their sayinges true. Wherefore I can not beleue them in any thing that they do.
Winc.
Thou art a rancke hereticke in deed. Art thou an expounder? Now I will read sentence agaynst thee.
Wood.
Iudge not leaste you be iudged. For as you hauehave iudged me, you be your selfe. Then he read the Sentence.Winchester readeth sentence against Woodmā and cannot tell wherefore. Why, sayd I? Will you read the Sentence agaynst me, and can not tell wherfore.?
Winc.
Thou art an hereticke, and therefore thou shalt be excommunicated.
Wood.
I am no heretick, I take heauē & earth to witnes, I defie all heretickes: and if you condemne me, you wilbe damned, if you repēt it not. But God geue you grace to repent all if it be his will:Richard Woodman condemned & caryed to the Marshalsey, being not suffered to speake. and so he read forth the sentence in latin, but what he said, God knoweth, and not I. God be iudge betwene thē & me. Whē he had done, I would hauehave talked my mind to thē, but they cried away, away wt hym. So I was caried to ye Marshalsea againe, where I am, & shalbe as long as it shall please God: & I prayse god most hartely, yt euer he hath elected, & predestinated me to come to so high dignity, as to beare rebuke for his names sake: his name be praysed therfore, for euer and euer. Amen.
And thus hauehave you the Examinations of thys blessed Woodman, or rather Goodman: wherein may appeare as well the great grace and wisedome of God in that man, as also the grosse ignorance and barbarous cruelty of his aduersaries, especially of Doct. White bishop of Winchester. Now foloweth likewise the effect of his Letter.