LAUD
2V1
LAUD
structions," as Laud informs us, "were partly political and partly ecclesiastical," and were to be published in every parish in the kingdom. Laud engaged in the duty witli his wonted alacrity, and almost immediately upon receiving the royal commands he had the instruc- tions prepared. His apologists admit that it is a difK- cult matter to justify these instructions, "because they afford a dangerous precedent, whicli, were it followed, woidd be attended with the worst consequences ;" it was no less than undertaking to tax the people without the consent of their representatives. By Laud's prompt and efficient management of this affair he was still further advanced in the king's good opinion, and was rewarded with the ajipointment of dean of the chapel royal, and the promise of the primacy in the eyeut of Abbot's de- cea.se. In enforcing Laud's " instructions," doctors Sib- tliorpe and !Manwaring preached sermons in which they maintained the extreme doctrines of passive obedience, and \vhieh, after Laud's revision, were published. Ab- bot, too, had refused to license Sibthorpe's sermon, for which factious procediure a commission of sequestration was issued against him, and the administration of his metropolitan functions was put into the hands of Laud, in conjunction with four other bishops. In the same year Laud was made a privy counsellor, and, by the re- distribution of sundry bishops and bishoprics, arrange- ments were initiated to make a vacancy in the see of London, that Laud might at once be translated to that rich and pmverfid bishopric. Meanwhile Charles had been compelled by his necessities to call a third Parlia- ment, although it was well miderstood that Laud as well as Buckingham would be thereby endangered. But, to propitiate the popular feeling, several commissions were made, and, among other things. Abbot was restored to his functions, and received at court. Again Laud preached the opening sermon, and the king concluded his speech by exhorting I'arliament to follow the good advice which Laud had given them. But the Commons de- termined to proceed to business in their own way. They first drew up and passed the famous Petition of Eight. They then presented a remonstrance of griev- ances against the duke of Buckingham, not omitting to mention Laud in their indictment. They cited Dr. Manwaring to their bar, ordered him to be severe- ly punislied, and his sermons to be burnt. The king prorogued Parliament, ignored the complaints against Buckingham and Laud, remitted Manwaring's fine, and, successively giving him various livings, at length pro- moted him to the deanery of Worcester, and then to the bishopric of St. David's, made Sibthorpe prebendary of I'eterborough, and translated Laud to the see of London, July 15, 1G29. On the death of Buckingham, which took place before the next meeting of Parliament, the king was pleased to assure Laud that he intended to in- trust him with his confidence in Buckingham's room. At the examination of Felton, the assassin of Bucking- ham, before the privy council, the man .admitted the deed, l)ut denied tlie privity of auj' other parties. Laud, in his eagerness to improve this presumed opportunity for reaching and crushing his enemies, threatened him with the rack if he would not disclose his accomplices. But, upon the judges being asked whether Felton could be lawfully put to the rack, tliey returned for answer that by the laws of England he could not. It was in this interval, too, that Laud, "in order to put a stop to the disturbances whicli arose from the preaching of the abstruse and mystical doctrines of predestination," as his friends aver, "procured a royal declaration to be pre- fixed to the Articles," prohibiting such preaching. Sir Tliomas Wentworth, afterwards earl of Strafford, was gained over from the popular party to the king's side by largesses of royal favor, and lie and Laud immedi- ately commenced a friendship which ever after remain- ed inviolate.
\^'hcn at length Parliament again assembled, the Commons opened with a remonstrance upon the alleged infractions of the Petition of Eight, and then turned
their attention to their religious grievances. Excited to great exasperation by the king's declaration which Laud had procured, they passed a solemn vote against it, claiming, protesting, and vowing that the current and general exposition of the articles, " which had been established by act of Parliament," had ever been the same as their own. In the debate, Sir John Eliot de- nounced some of the bishops as neither "orthodox nor sound in religion. Witness," said he, " the two bishops, Laud and Neile, who were complained of at the last meeting of Parliament. I apprehend much fear that, should we be in their power, we may be in danger to have our religion overthrown. Some of them are mas- ters of ceremonies, and they labor to introduce new cer- emonies into the Church." The House resumed the cases of Montague, Manwaring, and Sibthorpe, to all of whom the king had granted pardons and preferments. Laud and NeUe were the grand objects of attack, being accused of having procured these pardons. " In Laud and Neile,'' declared Sir John Eliot, " is centred all the danger we fear," and he proposed to petition the king to leave those bishops to " the justice of the House." Oli- ver Cromwell, too, distinguished himself in this dis- cussion ; the preferment of IManwaring especially " ex- cited his wrath." "If these be the steps to Church preferment,'' cried the future Protector, " what may we expect'?" At length the king, exasperated, endeavored to adjourn the House by royal command. This led to a scene of great excitement and confusion, and finally the third Parliament of Charles's reign was abruptly dis- solved. Parliaments were now to be abolished, and Laud was prime minister. He must be held to all the responsibility attaching to such a position at such a time. He presided especially over the affairs of Eng- land, the duke of Hamilton over those of Scotland, and Wentworth over those of Ireland. In his ecclesiastical administration. Laud's friends commonly claim for him the character of toleration and liberality, in the face of the fact that, having advised with Harsnet, archbishop of York, he drew up certain articles which, under the royal authority, were immediately dispatched to arch- bishop Abbot, rec|uiring liim and his suflFragans (in brief) to suppress the preaching of the Puritans, to note all absentees from the prescribed public prayers, and to render an account in the premises on the 2d of January every year.