CANTERBURIES DOOME. OR THE FIRST PART OF A COMPLEAT HISTORY OF THE COMMITMENT, CHARGE, TRYALL, CONDEMNATION, EXECUTION OF WILLIAM LAUD, LATE ARCH-BISHOP OF CANTERBURY. Containing The Severall Orders, Articles, Proceedings In Parliament Against Him, From His First Accusation Therein, Till His Tryall: Together With The Various Evidences And Proofs Produced Against Him At The Lords Bar, In Justification Of The First Branch Of The Commons Charge Against Him; ... With His Severall Answers To Those Evidences, Proofs, And The Commons Reply Thereunto. Wherein This Arch-Prelates Manifold Trayterous Artifices To Usher In Popery By Degrees, Are Cleerly Detected, And The Ecclesiasticall History Of Our Church-Affaires, During His Pontificall Domination, Faithfully Presented To The Publike View Of The World

London: John Macock for Michael Spark senior, at the sign of the Blue Bible in Green Arbour, 1646. First Edition. Hardcover. Other than the frontispiece, often lacking, this is a complete copy in Near Fine condition with light browning of the text and occasional minor paper repairs. Quarto (7-1/4" x 11") in contemporary calf leather with cloth string ties, the spine with 5 raised bands and a gilt-lettered black morocco spine label. Text complete with errata leaf, unevenly paginated: [22], 17-128, 131-134, 141-142, 151-154, 147-404, 408-409, 407-488, 491-565, [15] pages; [3], a-b4,C-L4, M6, N-R4, S2, V-Z4, Aa4-Zz4, Aaa4-Fff4, Ggg2, Hhh4-Mmm4, Nnn6, Ooo4-Ppp4, Qqq2, Rrr4-Zzz4, Aaaa4-Bbbb4, Cccc6, B2, C4, D1. Wing P3917. Engraved portrait of Laud, engraved portrait of Prynne, and full-page engraving on page 122, plus woodcut headpieces and initials. Lacking the frontispiece engraving of the room setup. William Prynne was a contentious Puritan attorney remembered for his numerous books and pamphlets and for his ability to antagonize others. He attacked the fashions of his day, railing against men for wearing long hair and women for wearing short hair. He wrote a book claiming stage plays were immoral at a time when the Queen was acting in a play. His action resulted in imprisonment and the loss of his ears. He blamed Laud, the King's religious advisor, as his chief nemesis and gathered evidence against him when Laud was accused of treason. Laud was executed in 1645 as a result, and Prynne was tasked with publishing this book, an account of the trial. (Inventory #: 020441)