Rome for Canterbury, or, A true relation of the birth and life of William Laud Arch-bishop of Canterbury together with the whole manner of his proceeding, both in the star-chamber, high-commission court, in his owne house, and some observations of him in the tower : with his carriage at the fight of the deputyes going to the place of execution, &c. : dedicated to all the Arminian tribe or Canterburian faction, in the yeare of grace, 1641 : whereunto is added all the articles by which he stands charged of high treason, &c. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A57609 of text R17938 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing R1895). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 22 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A57609 Wing R1895 ESTC R17938 13042437 ocm 13042437 96877 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A57609) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 96877) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 261:E208, no 10) Rome for Canterbury, or, A true relation of the birth and life of William Laud Arch-bishop of Canterbury together with the whole manner of his proceeding, both in the star-chamber, high-commission court, in his owne house, and some observations of him in the tower : with his carriage at the fight of the deputyes going to the place of execution, &c. : dedicated to all the Arminian tribe or Canterburian faction, in the yeare of grace, 1641 : whereunto is added all the articles by which he stands charged of high treason, &c. Prynne, William, 1600-1669. [8] p. s.n.] [London? : 1641. Woodcut port. of Laud on the t.p. Attributed to William Prynne in the Wrenn catalogue. Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library. eng Laud, William, 1573-1645. Treason -- England. A57609 R17938 (Wing R1895). civilwar no Rome for Canterbury: or a true relation of the birth, and life, of William Laud, Arch-bishop of Canterbury: together with the whole manner o [no entry] 1641 3944 105 0 0 0 0 0 266 F The rate of 266 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the F category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2002-02 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2002-03 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-04 TCP Staff (Michigan) Sampled and proofread 2002-04 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-05 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Rome for Canterbury : Or a true Relation of the Birth , and Life , of William Laud , Arch-bishop of Canterbury : Together with the whole manner of his proceeding , both in the Star-Chamber , High-commission Court , in his owne House , and some observations of him in the Tower . With his carriage at the sight of the Deputyes going to the place of Execution , &c. Dedicated to all the Arminian Tribe , or Canterburian Faction , in the yeare of grace , 1641. Whereunto is added all the Articles by which he stands charged of High Treason , &c. Printed also in the same . 1641. Roome for Canterbury : or the Relation of the Birth , Life , and Proceedings of William Laud , Arch-Bishop of Canterbury , and Metropolitan of all ENGLAND . GReatnesse● and Goodnesse are two severall blessed attributes co●ferred upon man , but seldome méete in one pe●son : Greatnesse ma● bee stiled a gift in●erd by fort●ne : but Goodnesse , a grace i●fused by God . The fir●● labo●rs in mistrust , and is borne the bonds●ave of Chance ; seldome attended without ●●vy ; and though to many pers●ns it appeare excéeding pleasant , yet the higher wee are seated ( although by vertue ) the greater is our fal● , if corrupted by vice . By Honour and Office men ●●come great ; yet is it not the place ●hat maketh the pers●n , but the pe●son that maketh the place honourable : and that preferment and power , which is both well acquir'd , and worthily con●er'd , Non est invitamen um ad tempus , sed perpetuae virtutis praemium : is no tempo●arie invitation , but a perpetuall inheritance . Goodnesse is of a co●tra●y condition , men are not t● be accounted good , either for their authority or age , but for their sincerity and actions : Hée th●t is good , is better than the good he doth ; and he that is evill , is wo●se ●●an the bad déed done by him . All great men are not ( consideratel● ) goo●● but all good men are consequently great : Greatnesse and goodnesse with grace add●d ( ●o ciment them together ) make unques●i●nably a perf●ct ●nd compleate man . Here was grace , which had it ●●ene ●●l●s●i●lly inspi●e● , as it was but temporally disposed , might t● that grea●nesse ●ave so combined goodnesse , as from thence could have growne no such tribula●ion . Hows●●v●r , let no man grieve at his present afflictions , for they are the rods by which God ●hallis●th his children : I here is nothing that the wo●ld can ●ake awa●●●om us● bec●u●e it can give nothing unto us ; fame fadeth , pote●cy perisheth , weal●h wasse●● : True riches consist , in our constancy in casualty , and though perturbation and punishment be the prison of the body , yet courage and comfort are the libe●ty of the soule , to which I onely adde Patience , which is so allyed to Fortitude , that shée séemeth to be either her sister or her daughter : things that compulsively come upon us , should be borne with patience and co●●rage , ( of which we have had late president ) and more generous it 〈◊〉 for a man to offer himselfe to death in triumph , than to be drawne unto it with terrour : Gaudet patientia duris . I come now to the person . He was borne at Reading , of honest parents ; his father was a Clothier in that Towne , of a competent estate , and carefull to sée his children to be well educated and instructed : This his sonne William being of an excellent wit , and pregnant capacity , was sent from the Grammar schoole to Oxford , where he was admitted into St. Johns Colledge , where shortly hee prov'd an ingenious disputant , and ere hee tooke his first degree of Batchelour , was well verst in Logick , philosophy , and the Liberall Arts : after he devoted himselfe to the study of Theologie , in which he procéeded Doctor , with no common applause , attaining to these dignities belonging to so famous an Academy ; and being of an active spirit , was called from thence to the Court , where he grew so gracious , that after some private preferments , he was first made Bishop of St. Davis , and thence removed to London : and after the decease of the right reverend George Abbot , Arch●Bishop of Canterbury , was inaugurated into that prime See , and was Metropolitane of all England : ( steps that his predecessor , who was a Clothiers sonne in Guilford , had trod before him , whom lesse than two yeares was Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield , London and Canterbury . ) What this Prelates deportment ( now in agitation ) in so high a dignity was , is sufficiently noys'd amongst all ; made apparent by his Dia●conicall Censures in the Star-Chamber , the High Commission Court , &c. And it was a great aspersion iustly cast upon such high authority , that hee so much affected summum jus , iustice without mercy , as sparing neither person nor profession , and to leave all others ) witnesse how he did persecute the good Bishop of Lincoln . D. Williams , being of his owne degrée and function : his ( more than ) severity , in his rigorous censure and sentence , upon Master Burton the Divine , Master Prin the Lawyer , and Doctor Bastwick the Physiciqn : and even that poore fellow Thomas Bensted , whom he caused to be hang'd , drawne , & quartered ; he could make that a matter of Treason , though he was but a subiect : His threatning of the honest Iudges , his 〈◊〉 other Officers and Ministers of tge Kings : his sternnes and 〈◊〉 a●●wers even to Gentlemen of worth and now Parliament men , who have but pleaded for poore men in iust causes : it was a good wish , that either he might have more grace , or no grace at all , which is now come to passe . It is observed by some , that in all the time of his Pontificall Prelacy , he never promoted any to Church preferment that favoured not of the Arminian ●●et , and still when Benefices fell , that were either in his gift , or where his power was to have them bestowed , hee hath caused such men to be instituted , and inducted , as either were dunces in learning , or debaucht in their lives : such men being most apt ( for their tempo●ising or ignorance ) to imbrace any Innovation that should bée brought into the Church : nay , when places have not béene voyd , but supplyed by pious Pastors , and devout Ministers , that were constant professors of the Protestant faith , yet by spies , and intelligencers , such Cavills have béene made at their Doctrines and Disciplines , that notwith●tanding their charge of wife and children , and that their utter undoings impended upon the taking away of their meanes , yet they have béene supplanted , that the other might subsist in their places ; the first turn'd out , the latter took in ; but that which farre transcends the former , that he hath laboured to suppresse the French and Dutch Protestant Churches here in London , who for their Conscience and Religions sake have abandoned their Countries , to aveyd persecution , and have made this famous Citie their Asilum and Sanctuary for themselves and families . It hath béene observed also that he never gave censure upon a Iesuite , or Seminarie , or any Popish Priest , though brought before him by his owne warrant , and the Pursuivant imployed by himselfe . For though apprehended yet they were never punished : but if to ni●ht imprisoned , to morrow infranchized and set at libertie , or else he so cautelously and cunningly dealt by his agents , Secretary Windibank , Sir John Lamb , & others , that they were sent abroad , and he séene to have no hand in the businesse ; when in the interim all the rigorous sentences that past him , were against the zealous professors of our Protestant Religion . A poore Prelate having long waited to speake with this great Arch-Bishop , and being after much attendance admitted to his presence , in their discourse , the great Metropolitane told him , hee was an idle fellow , to whom the other replyed , it is most true , for had I not béene so , I could not have spared so many idle hours to attend upon your grace , to such small purpose . At which he being much mov'd said ; Why , what ( fellow ) dost thou thinke of us Bishops ? who replyed , I will in plaine tearmes tell your grace what I thinke of you : I can no better compare you than unto the huge Brasse Andirons that stand in great mens Chimnies , and us poore Ministers to the low Créepers : you are they that carry it out in a vaine-glorious shew , but wee the poore Curates undergoe , and beare the burthen . Another told him ( when h●e used to play upon other mens miseries ) that his Lordship must néeds be witty ( hée being a very little man ) that his head and his heart were so neare together . Some have observed , that as hee was a Prelate , and Primate , so hée greatly favoured the letter P. ( by which may bée coniectured ) the Pope , w●ose Emblasons , amongst other of his Pontificall Escutchions , are three Bishops , viz , ( I take it thrée Bibles ) and to shew he much affected that Episcopall Letter , his thrée beneuolent and well benefit'd Chaplaines were Browne Bray , and Baker . And for the letter P. he was also a great patron and protector to Doctor P●ck●i●ton , who for publishing one Booke called Sunday is no Sabboth , wherein he vilified all the observance due to Dies Domini , the Lords Day , and another intituled the Christians Altar , wherein he would have first produc'd , and after propagated Popish superstition , he did confere upon him three or foure Benefices , worth some two or thr●● hundred per annum , and a Prebendary in Windsor , valued at thrée hundred more by the yeare . Many are the probabilities that he purposed to bring poperie into the Kingdome ; as the Scotch Service Book , differing from our English Liturgie , especially in words concerning receiving the Eucharist , or the Lords Supper , w●ich was the first incendiary of all these late troubles betwéen the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland , in which some bloud hath béene drawne , but infinite treasure exhausted ( apparancy néedeth no proofe ) but tha● we leave to the ●e●sure of the higher powres , being an argument , as it hath béene long , so now at this present in agitation : yet the better to define that which before was but disputable , when he came first into the Tower , ( and not being acquainted with the place , he desired , that by no meanes he should be lodged where the Bishop of Lincoln had before laine ; and being demanded the reason . because they were swéet and good , he made answer , O but I feare they ●mell so of Puritanisme , that the very ayre of them will halfe stifle or choake me . These sympathising with the rest , may give the world reason to suspect his Religion . Upon monday , being the tenth of May , when it was knowne that the Lieutenant should prepare himselfe to dye , tidings was brought to the Arch Bishop of the setting up of the Scaffold● upon Tower-hill , whereon the Deputie of Ireland was to suf●er death , hee immediately spake to his men saying ; It is no matter when or where we dye , so wee first have time to make our peace and reconciliation with God ; we are all of us borne to dye , though there be many severall wayes to death : for death must at last conquer and have victory over the bodies of all flesh whatsoever . Be yée of good comfort , doe not yée be discouraged for me ; I am a man of sorrow and borne to this sorrow ; Lord give me strength to bear thy chastisements patiently , and indure them constantly , even to the end and period of my life : I am indéed a man borne of a woman , of a short continuance , and full of trouble and heavinesse : a man indéed , ma●● like to vanity , and compared to the flowers of the field , here this day , it may be gone to morrow ; nay , I am worse , a child of wrath a vessell of dishonour , begotten in uncleanenesse , living in care and wretchednesse , and dying in distresse : O Lord I will cry unto thée night and day before I passe through this vale of misery , I will summe up all my offences , I will confesse my vilenesse before thee , and will not be ashamed ; for true confession is the very way whereby I may come unto thée , which art the way , and the onely true way that leads unto life eternall . O the most happy life which the Angels enioy , in the right blessed Kingdome , voyd of death everlasting ; where no times succéed by ages , where the continuall day without night hath no end , where the conquering souldier , ioyned to that ioyfull quire of Angells , & crowned with the Crowne of everlasting glory , doth sing to his God a Song amongst the Songs of Syon . I meddle not with any state busines whatsoever : but it séems he bore no great affection to the Scots , which is probable by the little love they beare unto him : But most sure we are , that he was arrested of high and capitall Treason , first committed to the Knight of the black rod , and thence convayed to the Tower , where ever since he hath béene in custody of the Lieutenant , of whose demeanor during his abode there I shall next speak by the true information of some credible persons , that have observed his deportment . He was not onely frequent and fervent in , and at his Orisons in his owne chamber , where hee spent the greatest part of the morning at his private meditations , but very carefull and observant at the wéeke dayes service , at the Chappell , but especially on the Lords day he came duely , and prostrated himselfe devoutly on his knées , giving great attention both to the service and sermon ; and taking speciall notice of some particular Psalmes that were sung before the Parson went up into the pulpit , especially the second part of the thrée and thirtieth Psalme , the second part of the fortie ninth , and the first part of the hundred and fortieth ( which are worthy any mans reading , being so aptly pickt out for that purpose ) he called the Clark one day unto him , and courteously demanded of him whether he happened on them by accident , or had cald them out by his owne conceit ? the plaine old man ingenuously confessed unto him , that he chose them out purposely to put him in minde of his present estate : at which hee modestly smiling , made him no further answer , but departed towards his lodging . Further hee was heard to say , that if ever God delivered him from that present durance , and that the King would restore him to his pristine dignities , he would much improve that place , ( meaning the Church ) in remembrance that he had béene there a prisoner . It is also reported that a gentleman of quality comming to the Tower to give him a visite , and asking his grace how it fared with him at that present ? he made him answer , I thanke God I am well , for it hath pleased his Sacred Maiesty my Soveraigne to provide for me an honourable and convenient lodging , where I have good and wholsome fare , and where ( not withstanding all my troubles and tribulations ) I never yet broke an houre of my usuall and contented sléep . And the morning when the late Earle of Strafford past by his lodging , as he was led to the place of execution , and mooved his ha● unto him , then standing and looking out of his windowe , he held up his hands and eyes towards heaven , without speaking any thing audible to the observers , as if he prayed earnestly , and inwardly for the salvation of his soule , &c. He was observed also sometimes to speake those words of the Psalmist , Psal. 82. v. 6 , 7. I have said ye are gods , and children of the most high , but ye shall dye as men , and yee Princes shall fall like others , &c. Now follow the Articles exhibited , &c. The true copy of the Articles whereby William Laud Arch-Bishop of Canterbury stands charged with high Treason . FIrst , That the said William Laud , Arch-bishop of Canterbury , hath traiterously laboured to subvert the fundamental Laws and Government of the Kingdome , by giving his Majesty advise privately , and in other places said , that hee would have them gouern'd by Civill Lawes ; and further said , hee would make the proudest Subject in the Kingdome , give way to him ; and being told it was against Law , he replied he would make it Law , and that the King might at his owne pleasure take away without Law , and make it warrantable by Gods Law . Secondly , His countenancing of Bookes and their Authors , for the maintenance of his unlimited and absolute power , wherein the power of the Parliament is denied , and the Bishops power of Prela●y set up . Thirdly , That he traitorously went about to interrupt the Iudges by his threatnings , and other meanes , to constraine them to give false Iudgment in the case of Ship-mony , as will appeare both by writings , and his hand , by testimony of divers persons of good worth and quality . Fourthly , That he hath taken bribes , and sold justice in the High Commission Court , as he was Arch-bishop , and hath not only corrupted the Iudges there , but hath also sold judicial places to be corrupted . Fiftly , That he hath endeavoured the incroachment of jurisdiction and institution of Canons , which are not onely unlawfull , but prejudiciall to the Subject : and that hee hath exercised his authority very cruelly , both as a Chancellour , Commissioner , and Iudge . Sixtly , That He hath traiterously assumed a capitall power over his Majesties subjects , denying his power of Prelacy as from the King . Seaventhly , That by false erronious Doctrines , and other sinister wayes and meanes , He went about to subvert the Religion establish●d in this Kingdom , and to set up Papistry and superstition in the Church . Eightly , That by undue meanes and practice he hath gotten into his hand the power of nominating of Ministers to Spirituall promotions , and hath preferred none but scandalous Ministers thereunto , and that he preferred corrupt Chaplains to his Majesty . Ninthly , That his owne Ministers , as Heywood , Laifield and others , are notoriously disaff●cted to Religion . Tenthly , That hee hath Traiterously endea●oured to reconcile us to the Church of Rome , and to that end hath imployed a Iesuite , and a Papist-priest , and hath wrought with the Popes Agents in severall p●i●ts . Eleventh , That to suppresse prea●hing , Hee hath suspended divers good men , and u●ed u●lawfull meanes by Letters , and otherwise to severall Bishops , to suppresse th●m . Twelth , That he hath Traiterously endeavoured to suppresse the French Religion here amongst us , which is the same wee are of , and also the Dutch Church , and to set divisio● betweene them and u● . Thirteenth , That he hath Traiterously ende●vored to set Division between the King and his Subjects , and hath gone about to bring in Innovatio●s into our Church : And hath induced the King to Warre with the Scots , and many upon their death beds , to give towards the maintenance of the Warre . And hath caused the Clergy to give fr●●ly towards the same ; and hath broug●t in many Superstitions and Innov●tions into the Church of Scotland : And that hee procured the King to breake the pacification , thereby to cause a bloody War betwee● the Kingdomes . Fourteenth , That to preserve himselfe from being questioned , for these and other his Traiterous designes , from the first yeare of his Majesties Raigne untill now , hee hath laboured to subvert the Rites of Parliam●ntary proceedings , and to incense h●s Majesty against Parliaments . By all which Words , Councels , and Actions , hee hath Trait●rously laboured to ali●nate the h●arts of the Kings leige people from his Majesty , ●o set a Division betweene them ; and to ruine and destroy his Majesties Kingdomes . For which they impeach him of high Tre●son agai●st our Soveraigne Lord the King , his Crown● and Dignity . And the said Commons , by protestation , saving to themselves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter , any other Accusation or Impeachment against the said William La●d , Arch-bishop of Canterbury . And also , of replying to the Answers that he● the said Arch-bishop shall make unto the said Articles , or any of them , And of offering proofe also of the Premisses , or a●y of them , or any other Impeachment or Accusation , that shall be exhibited by them , ●● the course of Parliaments require : Doe pray , that he the said William La●d , Arch-bishop of Cant●rbury may be put spe●dily to answere for all and eve●y the premisses , that such Proceedings , Examin●tions , Trials and Iudgments , may be upon every one of them had and used , as is agre●able to Law and Iustice . FINIS .