A DISCOVERY Of the Notorious Proceedings OF WILLIAM Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, in bringing Innovations into the Church, and raising up troubles in the State; his pride in riding in his Coach when the King himself went along on foot, and being reproved, would not alight.  
With his tyrannical government both in himself and his Agents.  
Confessed by John Browne a Prisoner in the Gatehouse, twice examined by a Committee of six from the Honourable House of COMMONS.  
And now brought to the view of the world, October 15. 1641.  
LONDON, Printed, and are to be sold by Henry Walker. 1641.   

A discovery of the notorious proceedings of William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury, by John Browne prisoner in the Gatehouse.  
THat concerning the Bishop of Canterbury it is most notorious, he hath been the special cause of the troubles in Scotland, and jar●es betwixt them and the English; for when he went to the North with his Majesty, he being of a high and lofty spirit, remarking the government of the Church of Scotland, began his innovations by setting up of Altars, episcopal robes, and Organs, which were not seen since the birth of King James, more than 80 years before in Scotland; at which they were much incensed, in so much that when the common people upon a Sunday perceiving his Majesty to go on foot from the Palace of Holirood house, to the Church at Edinburgh, and so to return, and all his Nobles with him on foot, my Lord's Grace and the Bishop of Ely were seen to go in their Coach. They exclaimed on them, and said, How dare you presume to go so, when our sovereign goes on foot? you are the rags and servants of the Pope.  
That same time did he move his Majesty to make that Church a cathedral, and appoint a Bishop, where was never any before, and so the people were more and more stirred up. At his return from thence he moved his M●jesty to erect a high Commission in all the bishoprics of that Ki●gdom, by virtue of a Proclamation which he extorted from his Majesty in August (if I be not deceived) 5. years ago, wherein was ordered that the Bishops Courts here in England should have no subordination to any other Courts, no not to his majesty's own council but should proceed without any dependency, not to make use of his Maj●sties arms in their seals, but their own, and so deprive his Maj●sty of his Supremacy, which was never done since the reign of King Henry the 8.  
So soon as he had obtained that of his Maj●sty, he in all haste sends his Proclamation to all the Bishops of Scotland, who being blown up with pride, following the Archbishop's footsteps, began to erect a High Commission Court in their dioceses, and called to it the Nobles and the Gentry, punishing them for trifling things, and fining and confining them to the farthest parts of that kingdom, from Galloway to Cachnes', near 300. miles, a cruelty never practised before in Scotland in any age. Nay they became so insolent, being made Privy counsellors by the Archbishop's solicitation of S. Andrew's, being made great Chancellor in that kingdom, never practised these 300. years, that at open council Table they gave the lie to the peers of the Land, namely to the Earl of Argile, which affront was done by one Sedserfe, now Bishop of Galloway, and resident at this present in London, where began the fire to appear, which before was but smoke: the Nobles, Gentry, and Commons made a league which they called a Covenant, and combined together for the rooting out of Bishops, and conservation of their ancient liberties, upon which is ensued a million of miseries, putting both the kingdoms to excessive charges, exhausting the King's coffers, and oppressing the people. I believe if my Lord Archbishop were nearly questioned, it would be found he stirred up his Majesty to make up his Army two several times, which hath been the occasion of the ruin of two Shires, Northumberland, and the bishopric of Durham, which loss will not be repaired in 100 years.  
These two firebrand Bishops of Galloway and Rosse, who are clients to Canterbury, and altogether guided by him, it is more than expedient that they and other incendiaries were given to the Scots Commissioners to be tried by their Parliament. But I believe Rosse will fl●e to Ireland, where his Majesty hath given him a bishopric, and Galloway will be forced to hide himself in some Island, and shake off his robes, or become a pedlar in Poland, as his father was before him.  
One Sandal, a clerk of the rolls, told me he saw my Lord Sterling, Secretary of Scotland, agent at Court for the Bishops, viewing narrowly the rolls, to see the original institution of the High Commission, which he would never have done, had he not been informed by my Lord's Grace. I may not omit to let you know how of his large liberality he hath given to these firebrand Ministers (refuged in this kingdom) at some times very large and profuse charity, which he would never have bestowed on the poor Clergy of his diocese.  
I come to his government, wherein he hath been like to a Camelian of divers colours, now punishing of Romish Priests, but poor ones, for the fattest he protected and cherished above measure, as Father Leader, superior of the Benedictines, Master Flamders, and Master Price after Leaders death, and Master Gascoigne, and the whole order of the Jesuites.  
The poor Recusants for going to hear mass, or only upon supposition were cruelly used by him, but the chief he tenderly loved and feasted, as Kenelme Digby, and others, to what end you may conjecture.  
After he took a fit to punish Anabaptists, Familists, and Brownists, sometimes one, sometimes another: he followed the steps of Cardinal Wolsie, and intended (because he could not be Pope at Rome) to be a Patriarch in these kingdoms; to which end ('tis well known) he did so credit and grace Father Leader aforesaid, cherishing him above the rest, giving him his ear at all times, remaining here at London till his death, and after him Price and Gascoigne aforementioned.  
At the coming of Father Leader he began to look cheerfully upon Recusants; then began he to erect Altars, to take away Communion Tables, to make all kneel at the Sacrament, to be all uncovered at time of Divine Service, to stand up at the reading of the gospel, to bow at the name of Jesus, and consecrate anew the Church of Saint Giles in the fields, with many other Arch tricks, that he might be in the Popes and Queen's favour, and so continue in his majesty's good liking. Then began he to use rigour against Puritan Ministers, calling them into the High Commission, some for simony, as master Ward (and others) of Suffolk, some for contradicting the Bishop of Norwich, some for heresy, as Doctor Everard chaplain to the Earl of Holland.  
Then began he to practise his Excommunications and aggravations against Sir Robert Willoughby son in law to the Bishop of Worcester, and Master Hope a Scotsman Cupbearer to his Majesty for contemning his citations: In the end such were his Actions as he is an admiration to the whole world for inconstancy; at the last he became more outrageous than ever were any of his Predecessors, conventing before him the Bishop of Lincoln, whose heavy hand and Dragon like wrath he felt many years, being imprisoned in the Tower of London, so was Bishop Goodman soundly whipped for refusing to subscribe his Canons, being laid in the Gatehouse, so that he became the wonder of this age; no less wonderful hath he been in his Vatican at Lambeth, sitting in his graceful Throne, compassed with Bishops, Deans, Archdeacon●, and Doctors, Proctors, Notaries, Registers, guarded with a multitude of tipstaffs from all the prisons in and about London, besides a hellish guard of Promoters in his tribunal, sitting in his Corner cap, lawn sleeves, and Rochet; no Pope is so glorious on most festival days, as his Grace was on thursday in term time.  
'tis a piteous thing worthy of consideration, to see what injustice is done in that Court by his own knowledge, and what extortion and exaction is used by his officers, there is not a more corrupt Court in the world, wherein innocency is punished and public sins countenanced, the greatest extortions of that Court cannot be expressed, some are a whole year before they can be heard, and at last for a fatherly benediction are remitted to Sir John Lamb and Doctor Duck: I will instance two parties; first, the Lady Willoughby spent in suit in l●sse than two years (as she related to me) 500 pound and above, and all tendered, that her husband should wear a white sheet at the Church door (when God knows) herself deserved no less, for Doctor Reeves assured me she was declared innocent by bribery.  
The other was Mast. Stapleton, Nephew to the Earl of Kingston, who claimed a certain Lady to be his wife having married her before two witnesses, and used the formal words of Matrimony, and seen by the s●me witnesses in naked bed, yet by force of money he was divorced from her, having spent in the suit in charges only 300. pound.  
In like sort Francis Conne Brother to signior George Conne now Cupbearer in extraordinary to her Majesty, was convented at the high Commission for having married one Mistress Steward his Country woman in Scotland, and had married another one Mistress Wiseman in England, with whom he coinhabited here in London, the Scottish woman claimed him, but she being poor, and having none to protect her, after two years' suit he was declared to be wiseman's husband, money was the cause, for himself assured me, it cost him in gifts, feasting his Advocates, and Clerks, above a 150, pound: What intolerable injustice was this, it being notoriously known that the Scottish woman was his wife?  
The chief extortioners are the Registers of the Court, Stephen Knight and his companion, Nephew to Sir John Lamb, when his Grace foresaw the Parliament would call them in question, he presently deposed them, and made the said Knight principal Proctor in his Court, who feared to be questioned for the same misdemeanours, fled with his whole family to Norwich, and bought of that Bishop the Registers Office there, and so is like to continue his accustomed trade of extortion, except this honourabe house call him coram to answer his innumerable oppressions, which are to be seen in the Registers book of the high commission; he hath two bonds of mine, and two Letters of attorney made by me to him; his ordinary course was this, to take from every one 20 shillings, for that which he should have had but two shillings six pence, which extends to a great sum in the year, and out of term he had fees for six Clerks and so many Promoters which went throughout England plaguing the poor, and enriching themselves, and their Master Knight likewise.  
The other extortioner was Bonragg, the greatest knave in the country, for money he would do any thing, he carried in his pouch a number of Citations, and when he pleased for money dismissed any one; Master Quashet, Master Smith the Jesuite, and Master Fisher of the same order, and one Cuthbert a lay Brother of theirs of whom I spoke before, a great number of lay persons Recusants whom I know have been dismissed by him, some for 40. some for 20. but the least was 10. shillings; of a great part of Anabaptists and Brownists some that were poor he imprisoned, but the rich for money escaped, as themselves will depose.  
It is fit that Bonrag, and also the Bishop of London's Pursuivants be called in question, with many other of his Promoters, and under Officers, as Arthur Husse, living in Saint Peter's street in Westminster.  
FINIS.