Life and Times of William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1894 edition. Excerpt: ...king. As gentlemen and small squatters paid their fines they cursed the episcopal Lord Treasurer. Ship money was now being exacted from every county in England, illegally as many thought, though the law courts upheld the royal claim. The tax added to the unpopularity of the bishops. Was not a bishop treasurer, and the archbishop the 1 Diary, 6th March, 1636. 2 Strafford Letters, letter from Garrard, ii. 55, and Sir P. Warwick, pp. 93-95. He was not molested even by the Long Parliament. 3 State Papers, and Wood's Athenae, ii. 1145. May, Long Parliament, p. 33. 1635-6. DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCE. 149 king's most trusted counsellor? A new book of rates for customs was brought out and enforced; it increased the king's revenue by. 70,000 a year, and was far less troublesome to the merchants. But what right had the Crown to alter the rates without consent of Parliament? Everywhere men complained that power had fallen into the hands of the Church; and the scrupulous honesty of the new administration made no amends to the laity for the loss of influence. The Church was rising as a mighty power to suppress wickedness and to defend the weak; but it was objected that Christ's commands were carried out, not as He desired by persuasion and example, but by force and coercion. The results which the new energy of the Government could show were undoubtedly magnificent. The monopolies were curtailed; and courtiers compelled to surrender patents which checked the free development of trade.1 A postal system was gradually created to carry letters at fixed rates through England, and even into Scotland, and to foreign countries;2 an invaluable aid to men of business. New companies were founded to organise fresh routes for commerce, and to attract to England the...