Archbiship Laud: A History of the Troubles and Tryal

The scanning continues! I had some technical problems that needed dealing with, so I’m two or three months behind with the early modern book scans, but I’m back in production now.

Henry Wharton’s 1695 edition of Laud’s account of his imprisonment and trial, published as A History of the Troubles and Tryal of the most reverend father in God, and blessed martyr, William Laud, Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, tells you pretty much everything anyone could ever know about Laud. It’s a whopping great big thick volume, so in addition to the complete file I’ve uploaded it in sections for faster loading and easy access.

I did post a little tidbit a while back about Laud supposedly eating the puritan William Prynne’s ears, but the twist of fate that subsequently led Prynne to be the gaoler and prosecutor of his persecutor is one of the darkest tales of the seventeenth century and deserves a more prominent place on these pages.

But I haven’t got the time for it, so let me recommend Faye Newton’s very adequate graduation thesis, A Puritan and his devil : religious conflict between William Prynne and William Laud, 1625-1645, which gives a blow by blow account of the whole sordid saga.

So, there it is, the latest early modern “Discourses of Suffering” book scan. There are more in the pipeline, so keep on coming back for updates!