CHAP. XI. RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES. CEREMONIAL INNOVATIONS.-CONSECRATION OF ST. CATHERINE'S CHURCH. innovations. CHAP. SUCH was the feeling of opposition existing at this XI. time with regard to the Romish ceremonies, that 1629-1640. had the archbishop limited his zeal, as the advocate Ceremonial of uniformity, to such matters as law or custom had already established, he would have found ample room for that exercise of authority which was evidently so grateful to him. But, in general, no distinction was to be admitted between things of more acknowledged obligation, and certain novelties introduced on his own authority. These novelties, moreover, were such as could afford no material advantage to their author, except as showing the extent of his power; while, upon the body of the people, their inevitable tendency was to increase religious jealousy and disaffection to a dangerous extent. It would almost seem to have been the opinion of this powerful churchman, that religious scruples are best subdued by multiplying the causes that produce them, or that the national XI. abhorrence of popery was to be best eradicated by CHAP. his making the nearest possible approach to the domination of papal policy, and the paganism of papal worship. But the primate had formed his own estimate as to the extent of the submission due to the will of the sovereign, and to that of his own order. And when it became daily more and more manifest that this measure of subjection was such as could only be secured by force, and a force that should not be bounded by the law, the necessity of resorting to such questionable means, failed to suggest a doubt as to the justice, or even as to the expediency of his plans. In his view, there appears to have been a sort of infallibility inherent in the exercises of monarchical and priestly power, and, accordingly, resistance, in any shape, was denounced as nothing short of rebellion and impiety. While imposing the most barbarous penalties upon the refractory, we sometimes find him supplicating the divine clemency for the sufferers, and an increase of patience for himself.* The following extract is from a characteristic letter addressed by Laud, while bishop of St. David's, to Buckingham: "I must be a humble suitor to your grace. I hear, by good hand, that my lord of Canterbury intends shortly to renew the high commission. Now, I am to acquaint your grace that there is never a bishop that lives about London left out of the commission but myself, and many that live quite absent are in, and many inferiors to bishops. The commission is a place of great experience for any man that is a governor in the church; and I would be loth to be excluded from that which might give me experience, and so enable me to perform my duty. I humbly desire, even against my own ease and quiet, that I may not be deprived of that experience which is necessary for my place."-Cabala, 115. The man who could rest his claim to be a commissioner on these very modest grounds, rarely failed in a plausible excuse for indulging his favourite passions. It was in the following manner that he attempted to justify his being a party to the sentence passed on Leighton in the star-chamber: "All this while," says Leighton, "the man of tongue (Laud) spake what he would without controulment. At his conclusion, he added an apology for his presence 1629-1640. CHAP. To a mind thus infatuated, forbearance would be crime. Hence the expression, XI. 66 thorough, and 1629-1640. thorough," as denoting the most uncompromising severity, became the watch-word of the primate's policy, in relation both to the church and state. Consecration of St. Church. 1630. "As a specimen of the new ceremonies,” observes Catherine's Mr. Hume, " to which Laud sacrificed his own quiet and that of the nation, it may not be amiss to relate those which he was accused of employing in the consecration of St. Catherine's church, and which were the object of such general scandal and offence. On the bishop's approach to the west door of the church, a loud voice cried, Open, open, ye everlasting doors, that the King of glory may enter in.' Immediately the doors of the church flew open, and the bishop entered. Falling upon his knees, with eyes elevated, and arms expanded, he uttered these words: This place is holy; the ground is holy. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I pronounce it holy.' Going towards the chancel, he several times took up from the floor some of the dust, and threw it into the air. When he approached with his attendants, near to the communion table, he bowed frequently towards it: and, on their return, they went round the church, repeating, as they marched along, some of the psalms, and then said a form of prayer, which con and assistance in this great service, where he confessed that, by the canon law, no ecclesiastical person ought to be present, or assist in such a judicature, where there is the loss of life or member; but, said he, to take away the ear is not loss of hearing, and so no member lost; so, for burning the face, or whipping, no loss of life, or member, and therefore he concluded he might assent to the censure."-Commentaries on the Reign of Charles I. III.316, 317. Surely, the deceiver and the deceived must have met in strong proportions in this man. cluded with these words: We consecrate this CHAP. XI. church, and separate it unto thee as holy ground, 1829-1640. not to be profaned any more to common uses.' After this, the bishop, standing near the communion table, solemnly pronounced many imprecations upon such as should afterwards pollute that holy place by musters of soldiers, or keeping in it profane law courts, or carrying burdens through it. On the conclusion of every curse he bowed towards the east, and cried, 'Let all the people say, Amen.' The imprecations being all so piously finished, there were poured out a number of blessings upon such as had any hand in framing and building that sacred and beautiful edifice, and on such as had given, or should hereafter give to it chalices, plate, ornaments, or utensils. At every benediction he in like manner bowed toward the east, and cried, 'Let all the people say, Amen.' "The sermon followed; after which the bishop consecrated and administered the sacrament in the following manner. As he approached the communion table, he made many low reverences; and, coming up to that part of the table where the bread and wine lay, he bowed seven times. After the reading of many prayers, he approached the sacramental elements, and gently lifted up the corner of the napkin in which the bread was placed. When he beheld the bread he suddenly let fall the napkin, flew back a step or two, bowed three several times towards the bread; then he drew nigh again, opened the napkin, and bowed as before. Next he laid his hand on the cup, which had a cover upon it, and was filled with wine. He let go the cup, CHAP. fell back, and bowed thrice toward it. He apXI. proached again; and, lifting up the cover, peeped 1629-1640. into the cup. Seeing the wine, he let fall the cover, started back, and bowed as before. Then he received the sacrament, and gave it to others. And many prayers being said, the solemnity of the consecration ended. The walls, and floor, and roof of the fabric were then supposed to be sufficiently holy." Disputes respecting the the commu. After so minute a description of this borrowed position of pageant, it will not be necessary that other instances nion table. of the same ill-timed folly should be noticed at much length. It was a favourite project with the archbishop to have the communion table removed from the centre to the end of the church, and to have it distinguished, moreover, by the name of the altar. Books were written in favour of this change, and others against it. Not a few of the clergy and churchwardens through the kingdom were slow to comply with this requisition, presuming to speak of it as contrary to law and reason. But their temerity exposed them to the displeasure of the spiritual courts, which left them without appeal.† 1633. Case of The taste which had suggested this unpopular innovation led to the more frequent use of religious ornaments, particularly images and pictures. The History of England, VI. chap. lii. + Prynne's Cant. Doom. II. 100, 101. Collier, II. 762. Rushworth, II. 207, 316. They were chiefly Laud's dependents among the bishops who brought their zeal to this article of innovation. Bishop Williams distinguished himself by two treatises opposed to it. The first entitled "A Letter to the Vicar of Grantham;" the second, "The Holy Table, Name, and Thing." The change was an evident violation of the eighty-second canon of the convocation in 1604, See an account of the many idle novelties connected with it in Neal, II. 221-224; and Rushworth, II. 279, 280. Clarendon, I. 168, 170-172. |