Marginalia1557. Iune.me to them, they should wyn a great many likewise: & thinking to kyl me, if they can not wyn me, as I trust in God, & am sure they shall neuer by Gods grace, if it were possible to kyl me ten tymes: MarginaliaThe inseparable knot of loue betwene Christ and his members.for I am so linked to Christ in a chaine by faith, that it is vnpossible for mē to loose vs asunder, neither for life nor death, I prayse my lord God therfore. And no doubt their ful intent and purpose is to kyl me, thinking therby to make other afraid. Which death of my body were best of al for me, if God were so pleased. But if I may liue for þ^e cōfort of other, his name be praysed therfore. I know what he can do: but what he wyll 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 shall not offend my brethren in receiuyng of death, but shalbe rather an occasion of the strengthnyng of their faith by chusing & receiuyng of it, and that with ioy. For as Christ hath geuen his life for vs, MarginaliaChristians ought to geue their lyues for defence of the Gospell, if they be thereto called.so ought we to geue our liues for the defense of the gospell, & comfort of our brethren. And where as the Bishop saith, he wyl proue seuen sacraments, be you out of doubt he shal neuer be able to doo it, no more then he hath proued other arguments with me already.

This fare ye wel frō the Marshalsey, wher I now am, as a sheepe appoynted to be slaine, God be praysed therfore.

The second examination of Richard Woodman, before the Bishop of Chichester, two of his Chapleines: and D. Story at the last came to vs, the. 27. day of Aprill.  

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A manuscript copy of the first two-thirds of this examination survives among Foxe's papers: BL, Harley MS 425, fos. 102r-103v.

MarginaliaThe second examination of Richard Woodman, before Doct Christopherson. Byshop of Chichester D. Story &c.FIrst, I was sent for to the Marshalsey by Doct. Storye, and was caryed to his house besides Saint Nicholas Shambles: and when I had spoken to hym, he sente me to the Bishop of Chichester, and said, he would come to hym his selfe straight way: and when we were in the Bishops Hall, we had not taryed long, but the Bishop sent for me: and when I came before hym, I dyd my duetie to him as much as I could.

Chich. Then said the Bishop: You be welcome: how doo you now?

Wood. Well, I prayse God, thanking your Lordship for the gentle talke that you had with me at my last departing from you.

Chich. Well, goodman Woodman, I haue sent for you of loue and goodwyl that I bare to you, to talke with you: and I would haue you tel me your mynd in fewe wordes. For in deede the last tyme that I talked with you, our talk was so long, that I fel into a great dryeth therby, and haue bene the worse in my body euer since. Wherfore I pray you shew me your mynde briefly, in those particular matters that I shall demaunde of you, according to your promise that you made when you were with me the last tyme. How say you, wyll you?

Wood. Yea, forsooth: I wyll aunsweare to any thyng that you shall demaunde of me (by Gods helpe) as well as I can.

Chich. How say you by the seuen Sacraments? for there we leaft of, and there we wyll begynne againe. You sayde then there were but two. How say you now to it:? wyl you deny al sauyng two?

Wood. I say now, as I said then. You said, there be seuen sacraments, and I said, I knewe but two: MarginaliaProuing of vij. Sacramentes.but if you could approue seuen by Gods word, when I came before you againe, I must needes graunt them. And you said, if you could not proue them by Gods word, I should not beleue them: & now I am come to see how wel you can proue them. Herewith he was moued and al his Chaplaines.

Chich. By God and by my troth, I weene he thinketh I can not proue them. How say you to the sacrament of Matrimonie?

Wood. MarginaliaD. Christopherson B. of Chichester reproued for swearing.Why, my Lorde, Saint Paull saith to Timothie: A bishop should be faultles: and you vse much swearyng, whiche is a greate faulte in a Bishop, of all other, that should be an example to the flocke. Then he and his Prelates were in a great rage with me, because I reproued him for his swearing.

Chich. What, I perceiue this man is worse then he was þ^e last day: what, he taketh vpō hym to teach me to speake, as though I could not tel what I had to doo.

Priest. So me thinketh my Lord, he is a stout fellowe in deed, as we haue seene.

Wood. MarginaliaSwearing not to be borne wyth.Yea, I am stout, because I doo that I am cōmaunded. I dare not for my life hold my peace, for I should beare your sinne, the which I wyl not doo for none of you al, I tel you plainly.

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

Wood. If thou see thy brother sinne, reproue hym: if he repent, thou hast won thy brother. But you repent it not,

me thinketh, but rather goe about to mainteyne the same. Christ saith: He that breaketh one of the least of my commaundementes, and teacheth men so, shall be called least in the kingdome of heauen: 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 hym.

Chich. MarginaliaChristopherson because he was reproued for swearing geueth him ouer to D. Story.No, so me thinketh. I wyl neuer talke with hym more. Goe call M. Story: let hym doo with hym what he wyl. He hath ben with his felowes in the Marshalsey, and now he is worse then he was before. I had some hope in hym the other day, but now I see none.

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

Priest. Nay, my Lord, I think he is not the worse for thē: but I feare me they be þ^e worse for hym. I know this man of old, before myne old Lord.

Wood. Well my Lord, looke well to it: wyll you deliuer me to other men, to shedde my bloud, and so think to washe your hands of me, as Pilate dyd by Christ:? Nay you can not be so discharged.

Chich. I haue nothing to doo with you: but of my gentlenes I haue sent for you, because you said, you would declare your mynd in any particular matter that I would demaund of you.

Wood. Why, I doo not deny but I wyll doo so, if you doo demaund it of me. But you go about to deliuer me to other to kyl me: and I know that there is none that hath to doo with me but you.

Chich. MarginaliaChristopherson not yet consecrated, refuseth to take the examination of Woodman.I am not consecrated yet: wherfore my lord Cardinall may examine you, and condemne you, or my Lorde of London, for you are now in his Dioces.

Wood. Yea my Lord, is the matter euen so? Then I perceiue wherabout you go. Nay, I wyll talke no more with you then, if you be at that poynt. Aske me what you wyll: but I wyl shew you nothing of my mynd. I promise you, I wyl not answere in particular matters, and so you to accuse me to other, and they to kyl me.

Chich. I goe not about to kill you, but woulde be glad to heare your mind in the sacramentes, that if you vnderstand them not aright, I would be glad with al my hart to shew you my mind how I vnderstand them. For I would you should doo as wel as myne owne selfe.

Wood. If you woulde talke with me to doo me good, I would be content to heare you, and shewe you my mynd: otherwise I would be loth.

Chich. Nay, I wil promise you, if I can doo you no good, I wyl doo you no harme: for if I meant to doo you harme, I could lay your own hand writing against you, but I wil not: wherfore be in no doubt of me. MarginaliaWhether Matrimony be a sacrament.How say you to the sacrament of Matrimonie? Is it a sacrament, or no? How thinke you by it?

Wood. I thinke it is a holy institution, ordeined of God in Paradise, and so to continue to the worlds ende.

Chich. Loe, nowe you shall see how you be deceiued in that, as you be in al the rest. Come hither. you can reade Latine I am sure.

Wood. Yea, I can reade Latin, but I vnderstād very litle.

Chich. Come to me, you shall see that Paul calleth it a holy Sacrament. For these be the wordes: MarginaliaEphe. 5.For this cause shall a man leaue father and mother, and shal be ioyned to his wife: and two shalbe made one fleshe: This is a greate Sacrament.

Wood. I remember such a saying: MarginaliaS. Paules wordes be these: This mistery is great. &c.but S. Paul calleth it not a sacrament. But he saith: It is a great mysterie.

Chich. Where saith 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 al his writings.

Chichest. What? the last day ye were full of Scriptures: here it is written and there it is written. What, we can rehearse the Scriptures, as well as you. Wherefore, if we be sure it be written, it is no greate matter for the place. Come hither, I wyl shewe you the place, I thinke, that you meane.

Wood. MarginaliaIn the Greeke text S. Paule calleth it mysterium.I looked, and it was writtē, Sacramentum. I know it is a great mysterie in the English translation.

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

Wood. A mysterie is (I take it) vnseene: for he saith, he speaketh betwixt Christ & the congregation. MarginaliaWhat is a mystery, and what difference there is betwene a mystery and a Sacrament.So the great mysterie that he speaketh of, I take to be the faith of them that be maried, which is hid in Christ, the which we see not, but Christe. 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 mysterie. And therfore, if it be a sacrament, it is inuisible to vs: It is not seene, as other sacraments be.

Chichest. Nay, I tell you it is a visible Sacrament, seene