LAUD, WILLIAM (1573-1645), English archbishop, only son of William Laud, a clothier, was born at Reading on Oct. 7, 1573. He was educated at Reading free school, matriculated at St. John's college, Oxford, in 1589, gained a scholarship in 159o, a fellowship in 1593, and graduated B.A. in 1594, proceeding to D.D. in 1608. In 1601 he took orders, in 1603 becoming chaplain to Charles Blount, earl of Devonshire. Laud early took up a posi tion of antagonism to the Calvinistic party in the church, and in 1604 was reproved by the authorities for maintaining in his thesis for the degree of B.D. "that there could be no true church with out bishops," and again in 1606 for advocating "popish" opinions in a sermon at St. Mary's. Laud obtained rapid advancement. In 1607 he was made vicar of Stanford in Northamptonshire, and in 1608 he became chaplain to Bishop Neile, who in 1610 presented him to the living of Cuxton, when he resigned his fellowship. In 1611, in spite of the influence of Archbishop Abbot and Lord Chancellor Ellesmere, Laud was made president of St. John's, and in 1614 obtained in addition the prebend of Buckden, in 1615 the archdeaconry of Huntingdon, and in 1616 the deanery of Gloucester. Here he repaired the fabric and changed the position of the communion table from the centre of the choir to the east end. In 1617 he went with the king to Scotland, and aroused hostility by wearing the surplice. In 1621 he became bishop of St. David's, when he resigned the presidentship of St. John's.
In April 1622 Laud, by the king's orders, took part in a con troversy with Percy, a Jesuit, known as Fisher, to prevent the conversion of the countess of Buckingham to Romanism. While refusing to acknowledge the Roman Church as the true church, he allowed it to be a true church and a branch of the Catholic body, at the same time emphasizing the perils of knowingly associating with error ; and with regard to the English Church he denied that the acceptance of all its articles was necessary. The foundation of belief was the Bible, and when dispute on matters of faith arose, "a lawful and free council, determining according to Scripture, is the best judge on earth." A close intimacy be
tween Laud and Buckingham now began, and proved the chief instrument of Laud's advancement. On the accession of Charles, Laud's activities were allowed free scope. A list of the clergy was prepared by him for the king, in which each name was labelled with an 0 or a P, distinguishing the Orthodox to be promoted from the Puritans to be suppressed. Laud defended Richard Mon tague, whose pamphlet against Calvinism had angered Parliament. He supported the king's prerogative throughout the conflict with the parliament, preached in favour of it before Charles's second parliament in 1626 and assisted in Buckingham's defence. In 1626 he was nominated bishop of Bath and Wells, and in July 1628 bishop of London. On April 12, 1629 he was made chan cellor of Oxford University.
At Oxford Laud carried out many useful reforms, including the codification of the statutes, the statute by which public exam inations were rendered obligatory for university degrees, and the ordinance for the election of proctors, the revival of the college system, of moral and religious discipline and order, and of academic dress. He founded or endowed various professorships, including those of Hebrew and Arabic, and the office of public orator, encouraged English and foreign scholars, such as Voss, Selden and Jeremy Taylor, founded the university printing press, procuring in 1633 the royal patent for Oxford, and obtained for the Bodleian library over 1.300 mss., adding a new wing to the build ing to contain his gifts. His rule at Oxford was marked by a great increase in the number of students. In his pwn college he erected the new buildings, and was its second founder. Of his chancellorship he himself wrote a history, and the Laudian tradi tion long remained the great standard of order and good govern ment in the university. Elsewhere he showed his liberality and his zeal for reform. He was an active visitor of Eton and Win chester, and endowed the grammar school at Reading, where he was himself educated. In London he procured funds for the restoration of the dilapidated cathedral of St. Paul's.