MarginaliaAn. 1557. Iune.the Queenes Maiesty, or by any other lawfull Ordinary, that all such shall suffer three monethes imprisonment. But I proued that this man was not lawfully authorised to preach (by their owne law) because he had not put away his wife. For their law is, that no Priest may say Masse, nor preach with the Masse, but he must first be separated from his wife: That is, because honest Mariages be good and commendable, and theirs nought and abominable, therfore they cannot dwell together.

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Now, I geue you all to vnderstand,  

that I did not reproue this Priest because he had a wife, MarginaliaA priest keping hys wife, yet would needes holde agayne with Papistrie.but because he taught false doctrine, which greued my soule, because he had bene a feruent Preacher agaynst the Masse and all the idolatrie therof vij. yeare before, & then came and held with it againe: for the which cause I reproued him in the Pulpit. And the wordes that I spake to him, are written in diuers of my Examinations of my first imprisonment for that same. But in very deede, I knew not of the Statute when I reproued him. But because I was sent to prison vppon the breach of it, I bought a Statute booke, and when I had perused it, I perceiued I had not offended by their owne law: and therfore still when I was called to aunswere, MarginaliaRichard Woodman sauing him self from hys enemyes by their owne lawe.I aunswered them with their owne law. But yet they kept me in prison a yeare and almost three quarters or euer I was released. I was at myne aunswere for that eightene times. If any thinke I do not allow Byshops and Priestes Mariages, let them looke in my first examinatiō before the Byshop of Chichester that now is, duryng this my imprisonment now, & there they shall find what I haue sayd in the matter. The truth is, I looked to be condemned with my brother that same day. But we may al see, þ^t they can do nothyng but as God wil permit thē to do. But when the tyme is full come, I trust in God, I shall runne that ioyfull race that my brethren haue done. Thus I commit you all into the handes of God, who is the preseruer, defender, and keeper of all his elect for euermore. Amen.

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MarginaliaThe fift examination of Richard Woodman, before the Bishop of Winchester, and diuers other. Iune 15. An. 1557.WInchest. Woodman, you were before vs the last day, and would not be acknowen in any wise that you were sent to prison for heresy, and called for your accusers, and stoode stoutly in defending of your selfe, and in your departing I had thought you had spoken agaynst Priestes mariages, thinking by your wordes we should haue found you an honest man, and conformable when we had called you before vs agayne. You tolde such a faire tale for your selfe, as though you had bene free from all that was layd to your charge. For you sayd it was all lyes that I tolde agaynst you: but since I haue proued the contrary, as here is your own hand to shew. By the which I haue proued that you reproued not the Priest for lacking of authority, 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 he was not lawfully authorised, but I haue proued the contrary since.

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Wood. I told you not that I dyd eyther reproue him for lacke of authority, or because I liked not his preaching, but I told you wherfore I was first sent to prison. For you sayd I was sent to prison for heresie, and made a long tale agaynst me. And in deede I told you that there was neuer a worde of your sayinges true, but was all lyes, as it was in deede. For I neuer was sent to prison for heresie, neither held I any then, nor do now, I take heauē and earth to witnes: but I told you I was sent to prison vpon the breach of a Statute, which was for speaking to a Priest in the Pulpite, and

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for that cause the iustices of that Coūtrey had thought I had offended the Statute, and called me before them, and would haue had me to haue ben bound to my good abearyng: and because I refused it, they sent me to prison. And these be the wordes of the Statute, as I told you the last day. MarginaliaThe wordes of the Statute.If any man do interrupt any Preacher or Preachers, lawfully authorised by the Queenes Maiesty, or by any other lawfull Ordinary, that then euery partie that so offendeth, shal suffer three monethes imprisonmēt, and furthermore be brought to the quarter Sessiōs, and there beyng sory for the same, and also boūd for his good abearyng, one whole yeare, to be released, or els to remaine to prison agayne.

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And when I was in prison, I bought a Statute booke, which when I had perused ouer, I found by the wordes therof that I had not offended, because he was not lawfully authorised, as the Byshop of Londō was certified by the handes almost of. xxx. men, both Esquiers, Gentlemen, and Yeomē, the chiefest in all that countrey. For he had not put away his wife, MarginaliaNo breach of this Statute, and why.and therfore the Statute tooke no place on me, as I told you the other day. Wherfore my Lord of London seing me hauyng so much wrong, did like a good man to me in that matter, and released me. Now when I had told you this matter, you bad the Sheriffe haue me away. You sayd you were glad I held against pristes mariges, because I aunswered to the question you asked me.

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The fat priest. My Lorde, do yow not heare what he sayth by my lord of London? MarginaliaThe priest scanneth vpon the meaning of Woodmā.He saith he is a good man in that he released him, but he meaneth that he is good in nothing els.

Wood. What? can you tell what I meane? let euery man say as he findeth: he did iustly to me in that matter. I say, if he be not good in any thing els, as you say, he shall aunswer for it, and not I: for I haue nothing to doo with other mens matters.

Winc. Well, how say you? MarginaliaSee how nerely these men seeke matter agaynst him, wherby to trap hym.how lyked you his preaching? I praye you tell vs.

VVood. That is no matter how I liked it. How so euer I liked it, I offended not the statute. Wherefore you haue nothing to say to me for that, I am sure.

VVinc. Well, how like you this then? Here is your owne hand writyng: I am sure you wyll not deny it. Will you looke on it?

Wood. It is myne owne handy worke in deede, the which by Gods helpe I will neuer deny, nor neuer did yet, I prayse God therefore.

VVinc. And here is good geare I tell you. I pray you harken well to it: these be the wordes, before the commissioners. How say you? Do you not beleue, as soone as þ^e wordes be spoken by the priest, that they remayneth neither breade nor wyne, but onely the very body of Christ, both flesh and bloud as he was borne of the virgin Mary? these were the wordes of the Commissioners. And then thou saydest: thou durst not say otherwise then the scripture sayth. I cannot finde (sayd you) that it is the body of Christ before it is receaued by fayth, bringing in the xxij. of Luke, saying: MarginaliaLuk. xxii.Christ sayd, take, eate, this is my body: so I can not proue that it is his body before it is eaten. MarginaliaWoodmā charged with hys answeres before the Commisioners at hys last examination.Then sayd the commissioners: did not Iudas eate Christes body? And if you cā proue that Iudas is saued (said you) I must graunt that he eate his body. For Christ sayth in the 6. of Ioh. Who so eateth my flesh, & drinketh my bloud, hath eternall lyfe, and I will rayse him vp at the last day: which wordes proue (sayd 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?

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Wood. MarginaliaD. White B. of Winchest. bent to haue the bloud of Woodmā.Thē I perceiued they went about nothing but to catch words of me in his dioces, to cōdēne me with. Though I should confound him neuer so much, I perceiued that he was fully bent therto. To whom I aunswered and sayd:

I will aunswere you to no such thyng, for I