William Laud th century Archbishop of Canterbury c Archbishop of Canterbury from Laud was a fervent supporter of King Charles I of England whom he encouraged to believe in divine right His support for Charles absolute monarchy and his persecuting of opposing views led to his beheading during the English Civil War His attitudes toward Puritanism persuaded several Puritans to leave England for America notably those who sailed aboard the Griffin in A print from Cassells History of the United States by Edmund Ollier Volume I Cassell Petter and Galpin London c