MarginaliaAn. 1557. Iune.way into it, heard the noyse, and looked out of a window, and spyed me and made an outcry. But yet I got out and leaped downe, hauing no shoes on.

So I tooke downe a lane that was full of sharpe sinders, and they came runnyng after, with a great cry, with their swordes drawen, crying strike hym, strike hym. Which wordes made me looke backe, and there was neuer a one nigh me by an hūdred foote: and that was but one, for all the rest were a great way behynd. And I turned about hastely to go my way, and stepped vpon a sharpe sinder with one foote, and sauyng of it I stepped in a great miery hole, and fell down withall, and ere euer I could arise and get away, he was come in with me. His name is MarginaliaParker in Sussex a bloudy persecutor of Woodman.Parker the wild, as he is coūted in al Sussex. But if I had had on my shoes, they had bene lyke to haue gone away arrandles if there had bene v.C. more, if I had caught the playne grounde once, to the which I had not a stones cast: But it was not Gods will: for if it had, I should haue scaped from them all, if there had bene ten thousand of them.

MarginaliaWoodman taken of his enemyes.Then they tooke me and led me home agayne to put on my shooes and such gere as I had neede of. Thē sayd Iohn Fauconer:MarginaliaIoh. Fauconer a blasphemous persecutor. Now your master hath deceaued you. You said you were an Angell, & if you had ben an Angell, why did you not fly away frō vs? Then said I, what be they that euer heard me say that I was an Angell? It is not the first lye by a thousand that they haue made of me. Angells were neuer begotten of mē, nor borne of women: but if they had said, that they had heard me say, that I do trust I am a saint, they had not sayd amisse. What? doo you thinke to be a saint? MarginaliaEuery true Christian man is a Sainct in Gods sight.Yea þ^t I doo, & am already, in Gods sight, I trust in God: for he that is not a saint in Gods sight already, is a deuill. Therfore he þ^t thinketh skorne to be a saint, let him be a deuill. And with that worde they had brought me to mine owne doore: where met with me my father, and willed me to remember my selfe.

To whom I aunswered: I prayse God, I am well remēbred whereabout I go. This way was appointed of God for me to be deliuered into the handes of mine enemies, but woe vnto hym by whom I am betrayed. It had ben good for that man, that he had neuer bene borne if he repent not with speede. The Scriptures are now fulfilled on me: For the father shall be agaynst the sonne, and the brother shall deliuer the brother to death, as it is this day come to passe.MarginaliaWoodman betrayed eyther by hys owne father, or by his owne brother. Then sayd one: he doth accuse hys father: a good child in deede. I accuse hym not, but say my minde: for there was no mā knew me at home but my father, my brother, and one more, the which I dare say would not hurt me for all the good in this towne.

There was one George BechyngMarginaliaGeorge Beching brother in lawe to Woodman. that maried one of my sisters, and he thought that I had ment hym, that he had betrayed me, and he sayd: Brother I would you should not thinke that I was the cause of your takyng. To whom I aunswered that I ment hym not: I ment one that was nerer of my bloud then he was. Then sayd one of Lause, that had bene a Gospeller, and stode from thē, when I was brought to a Sessions to Lause, and he sayd, I thought you would haue bene an honest man when you were at Lause, and I offred Hussey the Sheriffe to be bound for you that you should go home to your wife and come to hym agayn. Then I remembred what he was, & said: Be you the Pewterer?MarginaliaA Pewterer of Lawse, a turne coate. And he sayd, yea. Then sayd I: It is happened to you accordyng to þ^e true Prouerbe, as sayth S. Peter: The dogge is turned to his vomit agayne, and the sowe that is washed to wallow in the mire, and þ^e end of all such, wil be worse then the begynnyng. Then his mouth was stopped so that he had nothyng to say.

All this while I stode at my doore without: for they would not let me go in. So I put on my shoes and my clothes, and then they put on an harnes about myne armes made of a dogs slippe: which reioised my hart

that I was counted worthy to be bound for the name of God.MarginaliaWoodmā reioyseth to be bound for the name of Christ. So I tooke my leaue of my wife & children,MarginaliaWoodmā taketh hys leaue of his wife and children. my father, and other of my frendes, neuer thinkyng to see them more in this world. For it was so thought of all the countrey, that I should not lyue vj. dayes after my takyng: for they had so reported. But yet I knew it was not as they would, vnlesse God would graunt it. I know what God can do: but what he will do I know not: but I am sure he will worke all thinges for the best, for them that loue and feare hym. So we dranke, and went our way, and came to FirleMarginaliaThe name of thys place, so far as we could gather by the copy, was Firle. about iij. of the clocke. And thus much touchyng the causes and effect of the troubles of Rich. Woodman. Now let vs see hys examinations, which follow in this order.

MarginaliaRichard Woodmā brought before the B. of Chichester, D. Story, & Doct. Cooke.FIrst you shall vnderstand, that I was sent from the Sheriffes to London, the 12. day of Aprill, in the yeare of our Lord. 1557. and afterward vpon the 14. day of the same moneth I was brought before the Byshop of Chichester,  

Commentary     Close

At this point, Christopherson had been appointed bishop of Chichester but his appointment had not been confirmed by the pope and he had not been consecrated. This created legal problems for the prosecution of Woodman.

Chiches. I am sory for you, and so are all the worshipfull men of your countrey. For it hath bene reported to me, that you haue bene a man of good estimation in all þ^t countrey, amōgest the poore and rich, tyll now of late. Wherefore looke well vpon your selfe, your wife and children, your father, and other of your frends, and be ruled. Thinke not your selfe wyser thē all the realme. Be enformed, and you shall haue theyr fauours all, as much as euer you had.

Wood. You haue charged me with many thinges, wherein I haue neuer offended, and if you will geue me leaue, I wyll shew you.

Chichest. Yes, I pray you say your mynde.

Wood. If it please you, you haue charged me as though I made my selfe wyser then all the realme: God doth know, I stand to learne of euery man that wyll or can teach me the truth. And where as you say I haue bene wel esteemed both of the poore and rich, God doth know, I know not that I haue geuen any iust offence, eyther to rich or poore. MarginaliaRichard Woodmā preferreth the kingdome of Christ, before life, or wife, & all worldly respectes.And as for my wyfe and childrē, God doth know how I loue them in hym, and my lyfe also. My life, my wife, and my children are all in Gods hands, and I haue them all, as I had them not, I trust, according to S. Paules words. But if I had ten thousand pound of golde, I had rather forgoe it all, then thē, if I myght be in choyce, and not displease God.

Chichest. The Sheriffe tooke payne to come to me of loue, he sayd, which he bare to you, as to him selfe: and sayd, you were desirous to speake with me.

Wood. MarginaliaWoodmā appealed to hys Ordinary.I thought it meete to appeale to my Ordinary. For they goe about to sheede my bloud vnrighteously. For they haue layde many vniust things to my charge. Wherfore I thought it meete to appeale to you, þ^t if you can find any fault in me, meete to be reformed by Gods word, I stand to be reformed: and likewise, if my bloud shall be shedde vnrighteously, that it might be required at your handes, because you haue taken vpon you to be the Physicion of our Countrey.

Story. Is not this a peruerse fellow, to laye to your charge, that his bloud shalbe required at your handes? Thinkest thou that thou shalt be put to death vniustly, that thy bloud should be required? No, if he should condemne a hundred such heretickes as thou art. MarginaliaD. Story a great spiller of bloud, by hys owne confession.I helped to ridde a good sort of you, and I promise thee I wyll helpe to ridde thee to, the best that I can.

Wood.Then I would haue aunswered hym, but the Byshop desired vs both to geue hym place.

Chichest. Well, neighbour Woodman: I call you neighbour, because you be one of my Dioces: and you