Gage. Well, I will sende for you on Fridaye or Saterday, at the farthest, For to morrowe I must ride foorth of towne. And I would faine here your talke.

wood. Sir, I would be very glad you should here our talke alway. And I truste in God you shall heare me say nothing, but the woorde of god shalbe my warrant. So maister Gage toke his leaue & wēt his way to his lodging, which was right in my waie, as I went vnto prisone warde againe, and when we came without my Lord Mountagues gates, there we mette w^t one Hode of Buxted, a Smith. Then said mayster Gage.

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Gage. Woodman, I had forgot one thing, þ^t Hode hath brought me in remembraunce of, as soone as I saw him. for he heard when the tale was tolde me.

Gage. Hode, did not you here when Smithe of Framfield tolde me that he saw Woodman abrode in the citie at libertie?

Hode. Yes forsooth, that I did.

Gage. yea surely and I was verye glad. for I had wel hoped you had bene cōformable. But I heard other wise afterwarde again, that you had leaue of the keper to goe abrode & speake openly in the stretes, as you went vp & down.

vvood. In deede so the Marshall tolde me to day. But in dede I was neuer abrode, since I came to prison, but when I was sente for, and in dede, that same time I was abrode with my keper, comming frō the Bishop. And as I was comming, euen not farre from the Marshalsey, I sawe goodman Smith stand in a Wane, vnlading of Chese. And I asked him howe he dyd euen as I went by, and neuer stayed for the matter, and therupon it did rise. So I departed from them, with my keper, to the Marshalsey again, where I now am mery I praise god therfore, as a shepe appointed to be slaine.

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Woodman.

I Was fet from the Marshalsey to the said Bishops and priestes, sittinge in S. Georges Churche in Southwark by one of the Marshals men, & one of the sheriffes men. When I came before them, & hadde done my duty to them, as nigh as I could: then saide the Bishop of Winchester.

vvinchest. What is your name?

wood. My name is Richard Woodmā forsoth.

vvinchest. Ah woodman, you were taken and apprehended for Heresie, 

about a three yeres a gone, and were sente to prison in the Kynges Bench, & ther remained a long time. Mine old lord of Chichester, being a learned famous mā, wel knowen in this realme of Englande, and almost throughout al Christendome, I thinke, came to prisō to you, & there, & at other places, called you before him diuers times, trauelling & perswading w^t you many waies, (because he was your Ordinary) to pluck you frō youre heresies þ^t you held, but he could by no meanes aduertise you. wheruppon you were deliuered to the Commissioners, & they coulde doe no good with you neither. Then they sent you vnto my Lorde of London. My Lorde of London calling you before him diuers times, labor was made vnto him of youre frendes, that you mighte be released, my lord hauing a good hope in you, þ^t you would become an honest man, because he had hard so of you in times past, yea & you your self promising him that you would goe home & recant youre heresies that you helde, deliuered you: sending also a letter of your recantation to the Commissary, that he should se it done.   But assoone as you were out of his handes, you wer as bad as euer you wer, & would neuer fulfill your promise. But you haue hid your selfe in þ^e woodes, Bushes, Dennes, and Caues, & thus haue continued euer since, till it was nowe of late. Then the sheriffe of that shire (beinge a worshipful man) hearing therof, sent certain of his men, and toke you in a wood, and so caried you to his house. I cannot tell his name. what is your sheriffes name?

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wood. Forsoth, his name is sir Edward Gage

vvinchest. well, you were apprehended for heresye, and being at maister Gages thre wekes or more, ye were gentlye entreated there: hee and other gentlemen perswading with you dyuers times, little preuayled. Then you appealed to the Bishoppe of Chichester that now is. The sheriffe like a woorshipfull man sent you to him, and he hath trauelled with you, and other also, and can do no good with you, wherevppon we haue sent for you.

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wood. Then I spake to him. for I thoughte he woulde bee longe, or euer he made an end. I thoughte he was a yeare a tellynge of those lyes, that he told there against me already. yea I kepte silence from good woordes. but it was greate payne and griefe vnto me, as (Dauyd said:) At length the fyre was so kindled within my hearte, that I coulde not chuse but speake with my tounge: for I feared least anye of the companye shoulde haue departed, or euer I hadde aunswered to his lyes, and so the gospell to haue bene slaundered by my long silence keping. So I spake with my tounge, I praise god therefore, and sayde: my lorde, I praye you let me now aunswere for my self. For it is time.

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