Although not sacrosanct, they had the right of sitting in a curule chair and wore the distinctive toga praetexta.

The king was thereby rendered sacrosanct (i Sam.

This feeling was fostered by its many confirmations, and in subsequent ages, especially during the time of the struggle between the Stewart kings and the parliament, it was regarded as something sacrosanct, embodying the very ideal of English liberties, which to some extent had been lost, but which must be regained.

He arrogated to himself the privileges of royalty, made servants attend him upon their knees, compelled bishops to tie his shoelatchets and dukes to hold the basin while he washed his hands, and considered it condescension when he allowed ambassadors to kiss his fingers; he paid little heed to their sacrosanct character, and himself laid violent hands on a papal nuncio.

He hated two things intensely, a sacrosanct priesthood and an enforced uniformity.