ARCH-BISHOP LAUD's HISTORY .

THAT the Reader may be satisfied , how it came to pass , that an History wrote of , and by , a Person of so great a Character in this Nation , and by him designed for the Publick , hath lain hid , and been suppressed for near Fifty Years ; through whose Hands it hath passed ; and by what means , and by whose Labour it is at last Published ; he may be pleased to take the following Account .

The Most Reverend Arch-Bishop , the Author and Subject of this History , was very exact and careful in keeping all Papers , which concerned himself , or any Affairs of Church and State , passing through his Hands ; not only kept a Journal of his own Actions , but from time to time , took minutes of whatsoever passed at Council-Table , Star-Chamber , High-Commission-Court , &c. Digested all his Papers in most exact Order ; wrote with his own Hand on the back or top of every one , what it Concerned , when it was Received , when Wrote or Answered , &c.

This his Enemies knew full well ; and therefore , when after they had caused him to be Impeached of High Treason , of endeavouring to introduce Popery and Arbitrary Government , and to be Imprisoned upon the Impeachment in the end of the Year , 1640. and had now in vain laboured for two Years and an half , to find out Evidence to prove this their Accusation ; but the more they sought , they found to their confusion , so much the greater Evidence of the contrary : After they had in vain ransacked all Papers left by the Arch-Bishop in his Study at Lambeth , and Examined all his Intimate Friends and subaltern Agents upon Oath ; when nothing did appear , they hoped to find somewhat against him , either in his private Journal of his Life , which they knew to be kept by him , or in those Papers , which he had carried with him from Lambeth at his first Commitment , in order to his future Defence . Vpon these hopes , they with great privacy 〈◊〉 an Order , for the searching his Chamber and Pockets in the Tower , in May 1643. and committed the Execution of it , to his inveter ate Enemy , William Prynne ; who thereupon took from the Arch-Bishop Twenty One Bundles of Papers , which he had prepared for his Defence ; his Diary , his Book of Private Devotions , the Scotch Service-Book , and Directions accompanying it , &c. And although he then faithfully promised Restitution of them within three or four days , yet never restored any more than three Bundles ; employed such against the Arch-Bishop at his Trial , as might seem prejudicial to his Cause ; suppressed those , which might be advantageous to him ; Published many , Embezzeled some ; and kept the rest to the day of his Death .

As soon as Prynne was possessed of the Arch-Bishop's Papers , he set himself with eager Malice to make use of them to his Defamation , and to prove the charge of Popery and abetting Arbitrary Government , by the Publication of many of them . His first Specimen in this kind , was a Pamphlet , which came out in August following , Entituled , Rome's Master-piece , in Five Sheets in Quarto , containing the Papers and Letters relating to the Plot , contrived by Papists against the Church and State then Established in England , and discovered by Andreas ab Habernfeild . But never did Malice appear so gross and ridiculous together , as in this case . For from this Plot , if there were any Truth in it , it appeared , that the Life of the Arch-Bishop was chiefly aim'd at by the Plotters , as the grand Obstacle of their Design , and one who could by no Arts be wrought to any connivance of them , much less concurrence with them . This Pamphlet being , after the Publication of it , carried to the Arch-Bishop in the Tower , he made several Marginal Annotations on it , in Answer to Prynne's Falsifications and Malitious Calumnies intermixed therein . Which Copy , coming afterwards into the Hands of Dr: Baily , the Arch-Bishop's Executor , was by him given to the Learned Antiquary , Mr: Anthony Wood , and by him Transmitted to me , in order to be placed among the other Papers and Memorials , which are to follow this History , according to the Arch-Bishop's own Direction .

But Prynne's Malice could not be abated by the shame of one Miscarriage . In the next place , he bethought himself of Publishing the Arch-Bishop's Diary , as soon as his Trial ended , wherein it had been often produced as Evidence against him . This then he Published in the beginning of September , 1644. in Nine Sheets in Folio , with this Title , A Breviat of the Life of , &c. ( intending it , as he saith , for a Prologue to the much desired History of his Tryal ) but neither entire , nor faithfully , as far as he did Publish it ; but altered , mangled , corrupted , and glossed in a most shameful manner ; accompanied with desperate Untruths , as the Arch-Bishop complains in this History ; and therefore addeth : For this Breviat of his , if God lend me Life and Strength to end this ( History ) first ; I shall discover to the World , the base and malitious Slanders , with which it is fraught . This the Arch-Bishop wrote , when he despaired that ever his Diary should be recovered out of those vile Hands , in which it then was ; and be Published faithfully and entirely , which would be the most effectual discovery of the Baseness and Malice of Prynne therein .

Yet notwithstanding so vile and corrupt an Edition of it , all those who have wrote any thing of this Excellent Prelate , have been forced to make use of it ; not being able to gain the sight of the Original , nor perhaps so much as suspecting any such fraud in the Edition of it . Particularly , it is much to be lamented , that Dr. Heylin , who wrote the History of the Arch-Bishop's Life with great Care and Elegance , was forced , in most things , to borrow his Account from this corrupted Edition of his Diary , and hath thereby been led into many and great Errors . Others also have , since him , taken up and divulged many false Opinions concerning the Diary it self ; as that it was wholly wrote in Latin by the Arch-Bishop , that it was by himself Entituled A Breviat of his Life , and that it was Translated and Published entire 〈◊〉 Prynne .

The True and Faithful Publication of it , which I have made from the Original , now in my Hands , will not only supply the defect of what the Arch-Bishop intended in the words before related , but never effected ; but will also undeniably assert his Innocence from those greater Accusations 〈◊〉 brought against him , and will farther clear 〈◊〉 from many later Aspersions of lesser moment . I will name but one , which is to be found in the Life of Arch-Bishop Williams , wrote by Bishop Hacket , and lately Published : Therein ( pag. 63 , 64. ) Dr. Laud is taxed of high Ingratitude against Williams , who is there in a long Relation represented as his great Benefactor , and who particularly gained of King James the Bishoprick of St. Davids for him , by his great and restless importunity , when the King had determined not to Promote him , as unworthy of his Favour , for Reasons there expressed . I question not Bishop Hacket's Veracity , or that Arch-Bishop Williams did indeed relate this to him . But then Williams will be found strongly to have prevaricated , when he pretended that Laud owed that Preferment to his Kindness , and thereupon taxed him of Ingratitude . For from what is related in the following Diary , at June 29 1621. it appears indeed , that Williams stickled hard to gain the Bishoprick of St. Davids for Laud , not out of any Kindness to him , but for his own ends , that so himself might retain the Deanry of Westminster , with the Bishoprick of Lincoln , ( to which he was then Nominated ) which otherwise had slipped from him ; the King having designed to give it to Dr. Laud , upon the avoidance of it by the Promotion of Dr. Williams to the See of Lincoln . But whatever may be in this Matter alledged against Dr. Laud ; I am sure , no Art or Colour can defend that bitter Revenge of Arch-Bishop Williams , related in this History ; which prompted him to move earnestly in the House of Lords , that the Jurisdiction of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury ( then a Prisoner in the Tower ) might be Sequestred , and put into the Hands of his Inferiour Officers ; which by his importunity he obtained , to the great Prejudice of the Church , and no small Infamy of himself .

I do not pretend to justifie the whole Proceeding of Arch-Bishop Laud , during the whole course of his Power and Government , against Arch-Bishop Williams . I do rather lament it , as the great Misfortune , both of themselves , and the Church at that time ; that two such Eminent Prelates , equally endued with extraordinary Learning , Wisdom , and Greatness of Mind , should be engaged in constant Opposition and Enmity to each other , at first raised by mutual Distrust and Emulation , and ever after kept up and fomented by reciprocal Injuries , and false Representations on each side . But that the blame of this Misfortune should be cast wholly on the one side ; that unworthy Reflections should be made and Published in prejudice of Arch-Bishop Laud ; that he should be accused of base Ingratitude , of impotent Malice , of insatiable Revenge ; while the other is represented as the most Calm , most Innocent , and most Heroical Person imaginable ; I cannot without some Indignation observe in the before mentioned Historian , otherwise of Eminent Worth and Character ; who to approve his Gratitude to his Patron and Promoter , hath grosly neglected the Laws of History ; and cared not how injuriously he treated the Memory of Arch-Bishop Laud , that he might justifie the Quarrel , and heighten the Encomium of Arch-Bishop Williams . Vpon this Hacket's Life of Arch-Bishop Williams , Par. 1. pag 64. Account , and with this design , Williams is pretended to have been the great Patron and Benefactor of Laud , to have procured him his first Rotchet , &c. that so the latter might appear guilty of the highest Ingratitude against the other . Hence these Reflections are frequently repeated . Of all Men , Bishop Laud was the Man , whose Enmity was most tedious Par. 2 pag. 115. and most spightful against his great Benefactor Williams . This dealing of Laud is past Excuse , and can bear no Apology . And the Par. 2 : pag. 65 , 66. Cause of his ( Bishop Williams's ) incessant molestations for Twelve 〈◊〉 . 2. pag. 85. Years , was his known Enemy Bishop Laud. Could he so soon forget him , that first made him a Bishop ? &c. — The undoing of his Pag. 86. 115. &c. Brother was so much in his Mind ; that it was never out of his Dreams . In other places Laud is represented , as utterly implacable and irreconcilable in his Malice against Williams ; is accused of impotent Malevolence ; and his implacable spight against a Bishop , his Raiser , and Pag. 129. now ( by being a Prisoner in the Tower ) become a spectacle of pity , said to be unpardonable . Again he is Traduced to have been possessed with a Revengeful Mind . Whereas to the other , this lofty Encomiam is beslowed ; Pag. 131. that , There did not Live that Christian , that hated Revenge Pag. 230. more than he , or that would forgive an Injury sooner . These and many like Passages , are as far remote from Truth and Justice , as they are from that Sincerity and Impartiality , which become an Historian .

I had intended to have said no more upon this Head . But I cannot prevail with my self to pass by an heinous Accusation , formerly brought against Arch-Bishop Laud , concerning his having altered the Oath Administred to King Charles I : at his Coronation , in favour of the Crown , and prejudice of the People . Which Accusation , it hath pleased an Honourable , Reverend , L. C. Baron Atkin's Speech to the Lord Mayor , Octob : 1693. pag: 4 , 5. and Learned Person , very lately to renew in a Publick Speech , in these words — The striking out of that part of the Ancient Oath in King Charles his time at his Coronation , by Arch-Bishop Laud ( that the King should consent to such Laws , as the People should choose ) and instead of that , another very unusual one inserted , Saving the King's Prerogative Royal. — And I could tell you of somewhat more of that kind , done since , in the time of the late King James ; at the time of his Coronation , there was much more struck out of the Coronation Oath : which might well be worth the enquiring , how it came about . I must not presume to oppose any thing delivered by an Oracle of the Law , in a Court of Judicature , to a great Auditory , upon a Solemn Occasion . However , I beg leave to acquaint the Reader , that a full and undeniable justification of Arch-Bishop Laud from this Charge , may be found in this History , cap. 33. I may farther presume , that the Author of this Speech , is too Just and Honourable , to intend by the latter Clause , any 〈◊〉 upon another Arch-Bishop , who Administred the Coronation Oath to King James II. Or if any Reader should be so ill informed , as to mis-conceive his Lordship herein ; I hope it will be no offence to say , that it would be no difficult matter , to justifie in this Case the Proceeding of the one Arch-Bishop , as clearly , as this History doth the other .

I might farther add , that the entire Publication of this Diary , contributes very much to Illustrate the History of those Times ; and that both it , and the following History , discover many Secrets ( before unknown ) in Matters of Church and State , and correct many Errours , commonly taken up and received in Relation to either . To give one particular instance ; I know a certain 〈◊〉 , who would fain be esteemed , and is generally accounted by these of his Party , to know more of the Secret History of the Transactions preceeding and accompanying the Grand Rebellion , than the whole 〈◊〉 besides ; who hath confidently Related , that when the Earl of Strafford enter'd into the Service of King Charles I. and began to be employed as Chief Minister of State , he covenanted with him , that no Session of Parliament should be called or held during his Ministry . Now the 〈◊〉 of this Report appears from what the Arch-Bishop hath wrote in his Diary at Dec. 5. 1639. that the first movers for calling a Parliament at that time , were the Earl of Strafford and himself . Nothing also can reflect more Honour upon the Memory of any Person , that what the Arch-Bishop ( in the following History , cap. 9. ) relateth of the Earl's rejecting the unworthy Proposition made to him , by Mr. Denzell Hollis , in the Name of the Leading Men of the House of Commons ; a matter wholly unknown before .

But to proceed with Prynne , soon after the Martyrdom of the Arch-Bishop , whether prompted by his unwearied Malice , or by his eternal itch of scribling , or incited by the Order of the House of Commons , made March 4. 1644 / 5. desiring him to Print and Publish all the Proceedings concerning the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury's Trial : He immediately set himself to Defame the Arch-Bishop , and justifie the Proceedings of the Rebel Parliament against him , more at large . To which purpose , he Published in 1646. in 66 Sheets in Folio , his Necessary Introduction to the History of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury his Trial : Which in the Preface , he calleth A New Discovery of sundry Plots , and hidden Works of Darkness : Containing bitter Invectives and Accusations against the whole Proceedings of the Court , from the time of the Treaty about the Spanish Match , to that day ; and labouring to prove , that both King James and Charles designed to overthrow the 〈◊〉 Religion , and to introduce Popery , using Arch-Bishop Laud as their chief Instrument in that bad Design : An Accusation , which neither himself , nor any other Man in his Wits , ever believed .

Soon after this , in the same Year 1646. was Published by the same Author , Canterbury's Doom , or the First Part of a compleat History of the Trial of the Arch-Bishop , in 145 Sheets in Folio , containing ( as himself Epist: Ded. acknowledgeth ) only the History of the Preliminaries of the Trial till the commencement of it , together with the Commons Evidence , his Answers to it , and their Replies upon him , in maintenance of the first general Branch of their Charge of High Treason against him , to wit , his Trayterous endeavours to alter and subvert God's True Religion by Law Established among us , to introduce Popery , and to reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome . The remaining part of the Trial he engaged ( by Promise * Rushworth also promised to Publish such an exact History of the Trial of this Arch-Bishop , as he had done of that of the Earl of Strafford . Collect. Par. 3. vol. 2. pag. 833. but never did effect it . made both in the beginning and end of that Book ) to Compleat and Publish with all convenient speed ; but never made good his Vndertaking ; nor , as I believe , ever did intend it . For he well knew , that however what was urged against the Arch-Bishop at his Trial in this matter , and was largely amplified in his History , in proof of the Arch-Bishop's endeavour to subvert the Established Religion , carried with it some shew of Truth in the Judgment of a then miserably deluded People ; who were cheated into a Belief ( cursed be the wilful Authors of that Cheat , which in great measure yet continueth ) that good Works , Building , Repairing , Consecrating and Adorning Churches , bowing at the Name of Jesus , prosiration to God in Prayer , wearing Copes , retaining the use of Canonical Hours in Prayer , and such like Decent Vsages and Ceremonies , were downright Popery ( for these and such like were the Proofs of that Accusation brought against the Arch-Bishop ) Yet that all which they did or could produce in confirmation of their other Heads of Accusation against the Arch-Bishop , carried not with it the least appearance of proof . For which Reason , Prynne began the History of his Trial with the Charge and Proofs of Popery ; although that was not the first , but the last , Head of Accusation , brought against him , and canvassed in the course of his Trial.

However , the Godly Cheat , once begun , was by any means to be continued ; and therefore it was pretended by Prynne , and other Adversaries of the Arch-Bishop ; that although , to give him his due ( for such are Prynne's own words , pag. 462. ) the Arch-Bishop made as full , as gallant , as pithy a Defence of so bad a Cause ; and spake as much for himself , as was possible for the Wit of Man to invent ; and that with so much Art , Sophistry , Vivacity , Oratory , Audacity and Confidence , without the least acknowledgment of Guilt in any thing , &c. yet that after all , the Crimes objected being undeniably proved against him ; and himself thereupon despairing of being able to justifie and clear his Innocence , either to the then present or to succeeding times , did burn all the Notes of his Answers and Defence before his Death , of purpose to prevent their publication after it . Which Calumny Prynne hath twice ( in Epist. Dedic . and pag. 461. ) repeated , pretending to have received the knowledge of it from the Arch-Bishop's own Secretary Mr. Dell.

The falsity of this base Report appears sufficiently from this History , wrote by the Arch-Bishop , and now Published . He had begun to compose it before the end of the Year 1641. and continued it from time to time , till the 3d of January 1644/5. which was the seventh day before his Execution . For on the 4th of January , being acquainted that Sentence had passed upon him in the House of Lords , he conveyed the Original Copy of his History into safe hands , and prepared himself for Death . That he had begun it before the end of 1641. and augmented it from time to time ; appears evidently from several places of it . And although in the Narration of his Trial , many things said or alledged in the Recapitulation on the last days , be interwoven with the History of every days Trial ; yet all those passages were added by him afterwards on the blank pages , which he had for that purpose left over-against every written page in the Original Copy ; and from thence were according to his directions transcribed in the other Copy into one entire Narration . Hence it comes to pass , ( which the Reader will easily observe ) that the Arch-Bishop writing down the Transactions of every day , as they happened , hath left so many plain Indications of haste , and sometimes of heat . Some things seem to have been wrote , while his Spirits had not yet recovered a sedate Temper ; many improprieties of Language committed ; and other defects admitted : which the Arch-Bishop himself being sensible of , had wrote in the first leaf of his Book : Non apposui manum ultimam . W. Cant.

That the most Reverend Author wrote this History for the publick Vindication of himself , cannot be doubted . Nay himself more than once affirmeth , that he intended it for the Vindication of himself to the whole Christian World ; and chiefly indeed for the defence of himself and the Church of England in Foreign parts ; where wrong Notions are generally entertained of the Constitution of our Church , as being for the most part taken from the Writings of some Puritanical Divines among us . For this Reason the Arch-Bishop earnestly desired ( which desire is thrice in this Work expressed ) that it might be carefully and exactly Translated into Latin , and Printed ; that he might thereby appeal to the Judgment of the Learned in all parts of Christendom . To this end himself had procured the Liturgy , which he had composed for the Church of Scotland , to be turned into Latin , that it might be Published with it . To the end ( saith he ) that the Book may be extant , and come to the view of the Christian World , and their Judgment of it be known , I have caused it to be exactly Translated into Latin ; and if right be done me , it shall be Printed with this History . This Latin Translation of the Scotch Liturgy , as also the English Original Copy of the first draught of it , are now in my Hands ; and shall one or both of them be hereafter ( God willing ) published in the Collection of Memorials . It should seem , that when the Arch-Bishop designed a Latin Edition of his History , he despaired that the generality of this Nation , then miserably distemper'd in Matter of Religion , would ever so far regain the use of their Wits , as to be able to pass an impartial Judgment upon his Cause . But , God be thanked , the Church , for which he suffered , and which was ruined with him , was in a short time after beyond hope Re-established ; and therewith Sobriety returning into the minds of Men , no place is now so fit for the publication of this History , as our own Island ; and no Language more proper for it , than our own , which is the Original , wherein it was wrote .

It should seem , that what was already wrote of this History , in May 1643. when Prynne searched the Arch-Bishop's Chamber in the Tower , and seized his Papers found there , escaped his ravenous Hands . Whether after the Arch-Bishop's death , and the completion of it , the Copy of it came into his hands , I cannot certainly affirm ( the Reason of my uncertainty I shall relate presently ) but do believe , that it did . Which if it did , I suppose he having got notice of it , seized it by Vertue of an Order of the House of Commons , March 4. 1644 / 5. empowering him to send for all Writings , &c. relating to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury his Trial.

To proceed , all the Arch-Bishop's Papers taken from him by Prynne , either out of his Study at Lambeth soon after his Commitment , or out of his Chamber and Pockets in the Tower , or seized after his Martyrdom , remained in Prynne's hands until his Death . When Arch-Bishop Sheldon , well knowing that the Papers of his Predecessor Arch-Bishop Laud had been unjustly seized and detained by him ; procured an Order of the King and Council , deputing Sir William Dugdale , and some others , to view his Study , and taking thence all the Books and Papers formerly belonging to Arch-Bishop Laud , to deliver them into his hands . This was accordingly done ; and the Books and Papers being seized , brought to Arch-Bishop Sheldon ; although very much diminished in number , and embezeled , since they had come into Prynne's hands . For he seems either to have Printed many of them from the Originals , to save the labour of transcribing them ; or to have burned them , or otherwise employed them to common uses , when once Printed . So that very few of those Papers , which Prynne had published in the several Pamphlets and Books before named , came into Arch-Bishop Sheldon's hands . And not a few , even of those which had not been Published , were found wanting . Particularly the Papers of Arch-Bishop Laud , concerning the Conversion of his Godson , Mr. William Chillingworth ; which the Arch-Bishop saith were taken away from him by Mr. Prynne , and being by him produced at the Committee for drawing up his Charge , were there Examined .

Whether the Copy of this History was seized at this time in Mr. Prynne's Study , or came to Arch-Bishop Sheldon by other means , I cannot certainly affirm . But this I am assured of , that Arch-Bishop Sheldon having about this time got into his Hands the Copy of this History , and having now gained also the other Papers of Arch-Bishop Laud ; sent for the truly Reverend and Learned Dr. William Sancroft , then Dean of St. Pauls , and delivered both to him ; ordering him to Publish the History , with such Papers as were necessary to it , with all convenient speed . This Dr. Sancroft willingly undertook ; but upon Reading of the History , found the Copy to be so very vitious ; that it would not be sit to be Published , till the Original might be recovered , whereby the defects of it might be supplied and corrected . Hereupon they set themselves to search after the Original ; which at last they found in St. John's Colledge in Oxford , having been deposited there ( as I suppose ) by Dr. Richard Baily , formerly President of that Colledge , and Executor to the Author .

After this was done , a new scruple was started concerning the Language , wherein it should be Published . Arch-Bishop Sheldon was desirous it might be Translated into , and Published in Latin , in complyance with the Desire and Intention of the Author . The Dean of St. Pauls on the other side was of Opinion ; that it would be more useful to the Publick , and serviceable to the Memory of the Author , to Publish it in English . This difference of Opinion protracted the Edition of it from time to time ; until at last Arch-Bishop Sheldon continuing resolved in his Opinion , the Dean yielded to his Authority ; and only desiring that some Learned Civilian might be joyned with him , who might render the Forms of Pleading in apt Latin Expressions , prepared himself for the undertaking . But in the interim Arch-Bishop Sheldon dying , the Dean was most deservedly chosen to succeed him in the Arch-Bishoprick . Whereby being involved in constant Publick Business both of Church and State , he was forced to lay aside his design of publishing this History , yet not without hopes of finding at some time or other opportunity to perform it : for which Reason he devolved not the care of it upon any other ; but kept it by him , and in the mean time endeavoured to get into his Hands all other Papers relating to Arch-Bishop Laud or his Cause .

But in vain did he hope to find so much leisure , while the Administration of the chief Office in the Church took up his whole care and thoughts . What he could not then do , he hoped to accomplish after his Retirement into Suffolk , in August 1691. Yet neither then did he set about it , until the middle of the Year 1693. when opening his Papers , he began to collate the Copy with the Original , to divide the History into Chapters , to examine the Citations , to write down several Directions and Memoranda's for his own use in preparing the Edition , to Note what places deserved to be amended or considered , to write several Observations on the 〈◊〉 , to draw up a Catalogue of the Memorials to be added as an Appendix to the History , to Note which of them were in his Hands , and which being wanting to him , were to be sought elsewhere .

He was earnestly employed about this Matter ; and the Original and Copy , with many of the Papers belonging to it , lay on his Scrutoire before him ; and himself was then writing certain Quaeries , Memoranda's and Directions for his use therein in a 〈◊〉 paper ; when a violent 〈◊〉 seized him , August 25. which having 〈◊〉 him to his Bed full thirteen weeks , he at last surrendred up his Pious Soul to God , the 24th : of November , on Friday , early in the Morning , in the 77th Year of his Age.