LAUD, WILLIAM (1573-1645). Archbishop of Canterbury. the upholder of Church authority in the time of Charles I. He was the son of a clothier in good circumstances, and was born at Reading, in Berkshire, October 7, 1573. He en tered Saint John's College, Oxford, in 1589, be came a fellow in 1593, and took his degree of M.A. in 1598. Ordained a priest in 1601, he soon made himself conspicuous at the university by his antipathy to Puritanism; but, being then a person of very little consequence, lie only suc ceeded in exciting displeasure against himself. Vet, his learning, his persistent and definite ecele siastieism, and the genuine unselfishness of his devotion to the Church, soon won hint both friends and patrons. In 1607 he was preferred to the Vicarage of Stanford, in Northamptonshire, and in 1608 obtained the advowson of North Ku- worth in Leicestershire. In 1609 lie was ap pointed rector of West Tilbury, in Essex; in 1611. in spite of strong opposition. president of Saint John's College, Oxford; in 1614. Prebendary of Lincoln; and in 1615, Archdeacon of Hunting don. King James now began to show favor to Laud, and in 1616 made him Dean of Gloucester. In 1617 Laud accompanied his sovereign to Scot land, with the view of introducing episcopacy into the Church government of that country, hut the attempt failed. In 1621 he was consecrated Bishop of Saint David's. After the accession of Charles I. he was translated from the See of Saint David's to that of Bath and Wells (1626), became high in favor at Court, was more than ever hated by the Puritans, and was denounced in Parliament. In 1628 lie was made Bishop of London. After the assassination of Buckingham Laud became virtually the chief minister of Charles, and undertook to carry out the policy which he be lieved to be right with great firmness and per sistency. It was not in accord with the spirit of the times, however, or suited to the temper of the people. In 1630 lie was chosen epancellor of the University of Oxford. the centre of High Church loyalty. From this period he was for several years busily hut fruitlessly employed in trying to repress Puritanism. In the High Com mission and Star Chamber courts the influence of Laud was supreme; hut the penalty he paid for this influence was the hatred of the English Parliament and of the people generally. In 1633
he was raised to the Archbishopric of Canterbury, and in the same year was made chancellor of the University of Dublin. The famous ordinance re garding Sunday sports. which was published about this time by royal command, was believed to he drawn up by Laud. and greatly increased the dislike felt toward him by the Puritans. His minute alterations in public worship, his regula tions about the proper position of time altar and the fencing of it with decent rails. his forcing Dutch and Walloon eoneTegations to use the Eng lish liturgy, and all Englishmen to attend the parish church where they resided, are character istic of his principles and policy. During 1635-37 another effort was made by him to establish episcopacy in Scotland; but the first attempt in read the liturgy in Saint Giles's Church, Edin burgh. excited a dangerous tumult. (See (IEDDES. JENNY.) Proceedings were finally taken against him, and on March 1, 1641, lie was, by order of the House of Commons, conveyed to the Tower. After being stripped of his honors, and exposed to many indignities and much injustice, he was finally brought to trial before the House of Lords, November 22, 1643, on a charge of trea son and other crimes. The Lords, however, did not find him guilty; hut the Commons had pre viously resolved on his death, and passed an ordinance for his execution. To this the Upper House gave its assent; and, in 'spite of Laud's producing a royal pardon, he was beheaded, January 10, 1645. Laud had a genuine regard for learning, and enriched the University of Oxford, in the course of his life, with 1300 MSS. in different European and Oriental languages. His writings are few. Wharton published his Diary in 1694; and during 1857-60 Parker, the Oxford publisher, issued The Works of the Most Reverend Father in God, William Laud, D.D., sometime Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. Con sult his biography, by Benson (London, 1887; new ed. 1897) ; by Simpkinson (London, 1894); and by Hutton (Loudon, 1885).