masters of our country at that time did not heed the word of the king. Contrary to the laws of the country they beheaded the aged Primate on January 12th, 1645.
In this Lecture it has not been my object to give a full and detailed account of the life of William Laud. I have desired especially to show you what his position was in the Church during the reign of Charles I. I will now pass on to consider his character.
In the first place, let us dwell upon the charge that Laud was a Papist. This was what the Puritans said of him, and many people hold the same opinion to-day. It was chiefly on this charge, in fact, that the Archbishop was condemned. Was Laud a Roman Catholic? You know the Puritans were his enemies, and you can seldom gather the truth about anyone from his enemies. Most decidedly Laud was not a Papist. He repudiated most of the essential papal doctrines. Laud's only object, as I have already said, was to restore the Catholic teaching of the Church of England. So far was he from being a Papist that he urged his clergy to take an oath to keep the papal power out of England. They had to subscribe this declaration: [1]"I, A.B., do swear that I do approve the doctrine and discipline, or government, established in the Church of England, as containing all things necessary to salvation, and I will not endeavour by myself, or any other, directly or indirectly, to bring in any popish doctrine contrary to that which is so established; nor will I ever give my consent to alter the government of this Church by Archbishops, Bishops, Deans and Archdeacons, et cetera, as it now stands established."
- ↑ Quoted by Hore, p. 349.
