From his pockets also he scattered
pamphlets, said to be seditious, because they attacked the hierarchy.
The star chamber, which was sitting at that very time, ordered him
immediately to be gagged. He ceased not, however, though both gagged and
pilloried, to stamp with his foot and gesticulate, in order to show the
people that, if he had it in his power, he would still harangue them.
This behavior gave fresh provocation to the star chamber; and they
condemned him to be imprisoned in a dungeon, and to be loaded with
irons.[*] It was found difficult to break the spirits of men who placed
both their honor and their conscience in suffering.
The jealousy of the church appeared in another instance less tragical.
Archy, the king's fool, who by his office had the privilege of jesting
on his master and the whole court, happened unluckily to try his wit
upon Laud, who was too sacred a person to be played with. News having
arrived from Scotland of the first commotions excited by the liturgy,
Archy, seeing the primate pass by, called to him, "Who's fool now, my
lord?" For this offence Archy was ordered, by sentence of the council,
to have his coat pulled over his head and to be dismissed the king's
service.
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