Marginalia1557. Iune.keth I can not proue them. How say you to the Sacrament of Matrimony?

MarginaliaD. Christopherson, B. of Chichester, reproued for swearing.Wood. Why my Lord, Saint Paule saith to Timothy: a Bishop should be faultles: & you vse much swearing, which is a great fault in a Bishop, of al other, that should be an example to the flocke. Thē he and his prelats were in a great rage with me, because I reproued him for his swearing.

Chichest. What? I perceaue this man is worse thē he was the last day, what? he taketh vpon him to teach me to speake, as though I could not tell what I had to do.

Priest. So me thinketh my Lord: he is a stout felow in deede, as we haue seene.

MarginaliaSwearing not to be borne with.Wood. Yea, I am stout because I do that I am commaunded. I dare not for my life hold my peace, for I should beare your sinne, the which I will not doe for none of you all, I tell you playnely.

Chichest. Where finde you that you are commaunded to reproue me?

Wood. If thou see thy brother sinne, reproue him: if he repent, thou hast won thy brother. But you repent it not, me thinketh, but rather goe about to maintaine the same. Christ sayth: He that breaketh one of the least of my commaundements, and teacheth men so, shall be called least in the kingdome of heauē: and you goe about to teach men so, as farre as I see.

Priest. Why my Lord, this man is past cure. I see no hope in him.

MarginaliaChristopherson because he was reproued for swearing, geueth him ouer to D. Story.Chichest. No, so me thinketh. I wil neuer talke with him more. Goe cal M. Story: let him do with him what he wyll. He hath bene with his fellowes in the Marshalsea, and now he is worse then he was before. I had some hope in him the other day, but now I see none.

Wood. No, I prayse God, my fayth hangeth vpon no men, but vpon God.

Priest. Nay, my Lord, I thinke he is not the worse for thē: but I feare me, they be the worse for him. I know this man of olde, before myne olde Lord.

Wood. Well my Lord, looke well to it: will you deliuer me to other men, to sheede my bloud, and so thinke to wash your hands of me, as Pilate did by Christ:? nay you can not be so discharged.

Chichest. I haue nothing to do with you: but of my gentlenes I haue sent for you, because you sayd you woulde declare your mynde in any particular matter that I would demaunde of you.

Wood. Why? I do not deny but I will do so, if you do demaunde it of me. But you go about to deliuer me to other, to kill me: and I know that there is none that hath to do with me but you.

MarginaliaChristopherson, not yet cōsecrated, refuseth to take the examination of Woodmā.Chichest. I am not consecrated yet: wherefore my Lord Cardinall may examine you, and condemne you, or my Lord of London: for you are now in his dioces.

Wood. Yea my Lord? is the matter euen so? Then I perceaue where about you goe. Nay I will talke no more with you then, if you be at that point. Aske me what you will: but I will shewe you nothing of my mynde. I promise you, I will not aunswere in particular matters, and so you to accuse me to other, and they to kill me.

Chichest. I goe not about to kill you, but woulde be glad to heare your mynde in the Sacramentes, that if you vnderstand them not a right, I woulde bee glad with all my hart to shew you my mynde how I vnderstand thē. For I would you should do as well as mine owne selfe.

Wood. If you woulde talke with me to do me good, I woulde be content to heare you, and shewe you my mynde: otherwise I would be loath.

Chichest. Nay I will promise you, if I can do you no good, I will do you no harme: for if I ment to do you harme, I coulde lay your owne hand writing agaynst you, but I will not: wherefore be in no doubt of me. MarginaliaWhether Matrimony be a sacrament.How say you to þ^e sacramēt of matrimony? Is it a Sacrament or no? how thinke you by it?

Wood. I thinke it is a holy institution, ordayned of God in Paradise, and so to continue to þ^e worldes end.

Chichest. Lo, now you shal see how you be deceaued in that, as you be in all the rest. Come hether. You can read Latine I am sure.

Wood. Yea, I can read Latin, but I vnderstand very litle.

Chichest. Come to me, you shall see that Paule calleth it a holy Sacrament. For these be the wordes: MarginaliaEphe. v.For this cause shall a man leaue father and mother, and shall be ioyned to hys wife: and two shalbe made one flesh. Thys is a great Sacrament. MarginaliaS. Paules wordes bee these: Thys mistery is great. &c.

Wood. I remēber such a saying: but S. Paul calleth it not a Sacramēt. But he sayth: It is a great mysterye.

Chichest. Where sayth he so?

Wood. I am not sure in what text it is, but I am sure these be S. Paules wordes, and that he calleth it not a Sacrament in all his writinges.

Chichest. What? the last day ye were full of scriptures: here it is writtē, and there it is written. What? we can rehearse the scriptures as well as you. Wherefore, if we be sure it be writtē, it is not great matter for the place. Come hether, and I will shew you the place, I thinke, that you meane.

Wood. MarginaliaIn þ^e Greke text S. Paule calleth it mysterium.I looked, and it was written, Sacramentum. I know it is a great mystery in þ^e English translatiō.

Chich. I permit it be a mystery. What is a mystery?

Wood. A mystery is (I take it) vnseene: for he saith, he speaketh betwixt Christ and the congregation. MarginaliaWhat is a mystery, and what difference there is betwene a mystery and a Sacrament.So the great mystery that he speaketh of, I take to bee the fayth of them that be maried, which is hid in Christ, the which we see not, but Christ. But the deede which is in the congregation, which is the outward mariage we see, but the inward mariage of the hart we see not. Wherfore Paul calleth it a mystery. And therfore, if it be a Sacrament, it is inuisible to vs: It is not seene as other Sacramentes be.

Chichest. Nay, I tell you it is a visible Sacrament, sene as the other be: for is not the mariage sene? is not the man and woman sene?

Wood. My Lord, I pray you what is a Sacrament?

Chichest. It is the signe of a holy thing.

Wood. Me thinkes you haue certified me very well. There neede not be a signe of a holy thing, where the holy thing is it selfe. Then hys Chaplaynes woulde haue interrupted me, but I desired my Lord I might say out my minde in the matter. So with much ado he bad me say what I could.

Marginalia¶ Argument.
A thyng signified, and a thyng signifying, can not bee at one tyme in respecte of it selfe, in one subiecte.
Matrimony is a holy thing it selfe signified.
Ergo, matrimony can not bee a Sacrament signifying a holy thyng.There neede not be a signe of a thing where the thing is it selfe. Matrimony is a holy thyng it selfe, and is ended outwardly, and neede no more signes but them selues: wherefore it cannot be a Sacrament, as other be.

Chich. Lo, how much you speake agaynst your selfe. As for an example: I come by a hosier, and there hangeth a payre of hose, MarginaliaThe hose in a Hosiers stalle, may bee a signe signifying moe hose to be within: but it is no signifying signe of it selfe. Neyther agayne is euery signe of an other thing to be called a Sacrament.the which be hose and be a signe of hose that be to sell within.

Priest. How say you to this? Now my Lord hath hit you home in deede.

Wood. He hath hit me perilously, I tell you with sophistry, to blind myne eyes withall. I maruaile you be not all ashamed of it. I can aunswere that to all your shames, if I might be iustly heard, I tell you playnly.

Priest. What? you be angry me thinkes.

Wood. I am not angry, but I am earnest, I tel you, to see your blindnes and folly. I talked of þ^e scriptures that be written, & it is Gods word to proue my matter true by, MarginaliaChichester proueth Matrimonie to be a Sacrament, by a payre of hose.and you wil proue your matter true by a payre of hose. And as well can you proue it by that, as by Gods worde.