13

CHARLES I.

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dwelt within him , which would not suffer his com - chap.pliance , till Rome were other than it is *\ HI,

A court- LADY, daughter of the earl of De- ,63 °-vonlhire, having turned catholic, was a Iked byLaud the reasons of her conversion. ’Tis chief,y ,said she, because I hate to travel in a crowd. Themeaning of this expression being demanded, shereplied, I perceive your grace and many others aremaking haste to' Rome ; and therefore , in order to pre-vent my being crowded , I have gone before you. Itmust be confessed, that though Laud deservednot the appellation of papist, the genius of hisreligion was, though in a less degree , the famewith that of the Romilh: The fame profoundrespect was exacted to the sacerdotal character,the same submission required to the creeds anddecrees of synods and councils, the fame pompand ceremony was affected in worship , and thesame superstitious regard to days, postures, meats,and vestments. No wonder, therefore, that thisprelate was, every-where, among the puritans,regarded with horror , as the fore runner ofantichrist.

Asa specimen of the new ceremonies, to whichLaud sacrificed his own quiet and that of thenation, it may not be amiss to relate those, whichhe was accused of employing in the consecrationof St. Catherine’s church , and Vhich were theobject of such general scandal and offence.

On the bishop’s approach to the west door of

" Rulhworth, vol. iii. p. 1327. "Whitlocke, p. 97.