MarginaliaAn. 1557. Iune.ere this, all the yeare together, and was vniustly taken from them: but God forgeue them that did it, if it be his will.

Winchester. Do you not see how he looketh about for helpe? But I would see any man shewe thee a chearefull countenaunce, and especially you that be of my Dioces. MarginaliaA charitable commaundement of a Catholicke Prelate vnder payne of excommunication, no man to say: God strengthen him.If any of you bid GOD strengthen him, or take him by the hand, or embrace him, or shew him a chearefull countenaūce, you shall be excommunicated, and shall not be receaued in agayne, till you haue done open penaunce, and therfore beware of it.

Wood. I looke for no helpe of men, for God is on my side, I prayse him therfore, and therfore I neede not care who be agaynst me, neither do I care.

Then they cryed: away with him, and bryng vs an other. So I was caried agayne to the Marshalsea, where I am now mery (I prayse GOD therfore) as a sheepe appointed to be slayne. But for lacke of time, I haue left out much of our talke, but this is the chiefest of it.

¶ The vj. and last examinations of Richard Woodmā written and copied with his owne hand. 

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Note that Foxe was apparently working from copies of Woodman's examinations, written in the martyr's own hand.

BE it knowen vnto all men by this present writyng, that I Richard Woodman, sometyme of the Parish of Warbelton, in the County of Sussex, was cōdemned for Gods euerlastyng truth, an. 1557. Iuly. 16. 

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This is a mistake; the correct date is 16 June.

I affirmed that Iudas receaued the Sacramēt with a sop and the deuill withall: and because I would not be sworne vppon a booke to aunswere directly to such Articles as he would declare to me: and because I would not beleue that there remained neither bread nor wyne after the wordes of consecration: and that the body of Christ could not be receaued of any but of the faythfull. For these Articles I was condemned, as hereafter shall follow more at large, by the helpe of God.

MarginaliaThe sixt examination of Richard Woodman, before the Byshop of Winchester &diuers other in the Church of S. Mary Oueryes.FIrst, the Byshop sayd when I came before him.

Win. You were before vs on Monday last past, and there you affirmed certaine heresies. How say you now? Do you hold them still, or will you reuoke them?

Wood. I held no heresies then, neither do I now, as the Lord knoweth.

Win. No? did you not affirme, that Iudas receiued bread? which is no heresie, vnlesse you tell what more then bread.

Wood. Is it heresie to say that Iudas receaued more then bread? I sayd he receaued more then bare bread: for he receiued the Sacrament, that was prepared to shewe foorth the Lordes death: and because he presumed to eate without fayth, he eate the deuill withall, as the wordes of Christ declare: after he eate the soppe, the Deuill entred into him, as you can not deny.

Win. Hold him a booke. I will haue you aunswere directly whether Iudas did eate the body of Christ, or no.

Wood. MarginaliaRichard Woodman agayne refuseth Winchester to be his Iudge.I will aūswere no more: for I am not of your Dioces: wherfore I will haue nothyng to do with you.

Winc. No, you be in my Dioces, and you be of my Dioces, because you haue offended in my Dioces.

Wood. I am not of your Dioces, although I am in your Dioces: and I was brought into your Dioces agaynst my will: and I haue not offended in your Dioces: if I haue, tell me wherein.

Winchester. Here is your owne hand writyng, the which is heresie. These be the wordes. I can not finde (say you) MarginaliaTruth taken for heresye.that it is the body of Christ to any, before it be receaued in fayth. How say you? is not this your owne hand writyng?

Wood. Yea, I do not deny but it is myne owne hand writing: but when, or where was it written, or where were the wordes spoken?

Before the Commissioners: and here is one of them. MarginaliaM. Roper Commissioner, and witnes against Woodman.Maister Roper, the wordes were spoken before you. Were they not?

Rooper. Yes in deede, that they were Woodman. I am sure you will not deny them: for you haue written the wordes euen as you spake them.

Wood. No Syr, in deede I will not deny but that I spake them, and I am glad that you haue sene it. For you may see by that whether I lye or not.

Roper. In deede the wordes be written word by word as we spake them.

Winchester. Well, MarginaliaWoodmans hand writing brought in against hym.here you affirme that it is your owne deede. How say you now? will you be sory for it, and become an honest man?

Wood. My Lord, I trust no man can say, but that I am an honest man: and as for that, I maruell that you will lay

it to my charge, knowing that my Lord of London discharged me of all matters that were layd agaynst me, when I was released of him.

Win. You were released, and it might fortune, it was not layd to your charge then: MarginaliaWoodman first released, and yet called to accompt agayne, agaynst all good order.therefore we lay it to your charge now because you be suspected to be an hereticke: &we may call you before vs, and examine you of your fayth vpon suspicion.

Wood. In dede S. Peter willeth me to render account of my hope that I haue in God, and I am contēted so to do, if it please my Byshop to heare me.

Chichester. Yes, I pray you let vs heare it.

Wood. I do beleue in god þ^e father almighty, maker of heauē &of earth, and of all thinges visible and inuisible, and in one Lord Iesus Christ, my Sauiour very God and man. I beleue in God the holy Ghost, the comforter of all Gods elect people, and that he is equall with the father, and þ^e sonne. I beleue the true catholicke Church, and al the sacraments that belongeth thereto. Thus I haue rendered accompt of my hope that I haue of my Saluation.

Win. MarginaliaSacrament of the altar.And how beleue you in the blessed Sacrament of the aulter? And with that word they all put of their cappes to that abominable Idole.

Wood. I pray you be contented: for I will not aunswere to any mo questiōs: for I perceaue you go about to sheede my bloud.

Win. No? hold him a booke. MarginaliaWoodman made an Anabaptist, because he will not sweare before hym that is not his Ordinary.If he refuse to sweare, hee is an Anabaptist, and shall be excommunicated. 

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The anabaptists held that swearing oaths was forbidden by scripture.

Wood. I will not sweare for you: excommunicate me if you will. For you be not meete to take an oth, for you layd heresies to my charge in yonder Pulpite, the whiche you are not able to proue: wherefore you be not meete to take an oth of any man. And as for me, I am not of your Dioces, nor will haue any thyng to do with you.

Win. I will haue to do with thee: and I saye thou art a strong hereticke.

Wood. Yea, all truth is heresy with you: MarginaliaAll truth is heresye, with these men. but I am content to shew you my mynde, how I beleue on þ^e Sacrament of þ^e body and bloud of Iesus Christ, without flatteryng. For that you looke for, I am sure. But I will meddle no further, But what I hold my selfe of it. I will not medle of any other mans beliefe on it.

N. Harp? Why? I am sure all mēs fayth ought to be alike.

Wood. Yea, I graunt you so, that all true Christians faith ought to be a like. But I will aunswere for my selfe.

N. Harp. Well, let vs heare what you say to it.

Wood. MarginaliaWoodmans confession of the Sacrament.I do beleue that when I come to receaue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ, if it be truly ministred accordyng to Christes institution, I commyng in fayth, as I trust in God I will, when soeuer I come to receaue it, I beleuyng that Christ was borne for me: &that he suffered death for the remission of my sinnes, and that I shall be saued by his death and bloudsheddyng, and so receaue the Sacrament of bread and wyne in that remembraunce, that then I do receaue the whole Christ, God and man, mistically, by fayth. This is my belief on the Sacrament.

Then they spake all at once, saying: mistically by fayth

The fatte Priest. What a foole art thou? MarginaliaMystically.mistically by fayth thou canst not tell what mystically is?

Wood. If I be a foole, so take me: Marginalia1. Cor. 1.But God hath chosen such fooles of thys world to confound such wise thynges as you are.

The fatte priest. I pray thee what is mistically?

Wood. MarginaliaWhat is Mystically.I take mistically to be the fayth that is in vs, that the world seeth not, but God onely.

Win. He can not tell what he sayth. Aunswere to the Sacrament of the aulter, whether it be not the body of Christ before it be receaued, &whether it be not the body of Christ to who so euer receaueth it. Tell me, or els I will excommunicate thee.

Wood. I haue sayd as much as I will say: excommunicate me if you will. I am not of your Dioces. The Bishop of Chichester is myne Ordinary. MarginaliaWoodman appealeth to his Ordinarye.Let him do it, if you will needes haue my bloud, that it may be required at his hands.

Chiches. MarginaliaM. Christopherson B. of Chichester hys Ordinarye, not yet consecrated.I am not consecrated yet, I told you when you were with me.

Wood. No in deede, your Kyne bryng foorth nothyng but Cow calues, as it chaunceth now: Meanyng therby that he had not his bulles from Rome.

Then they were all in a great rage with me, and called me alltonought, and sayd I was out of my wit, because I spake feruently to euery mans question: all the whiche I can not remember: But I sayd:

So Festus sayd to Paul when he spake the wordes of sobernes and truth out of the spirite of God, as I do. But as ye haue iudged me, you be your selues. You will goe to hell all the sort of you, if you condemne me, if you repent it not with speede.