In Stuart England

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29324, 1 October 1960, Page 3

In Stuart England

[Reviewed by K. J.r Conflict in Stuart England. Essays in Honour of Wallace Notestein. Edited by. the late Professor W. Appleton and Professor B. D. Henning. Jonathan Cape. 272 pp.

This is a book for historians. It deals with a series of specialised topics which, taken together, span the course of the seventeenth century. Since it is the work of diverse hands, a collection of pieces in honour of a historian, it is of uneven quality and in no way comprehensive. One of the more important conflicts of the time, for example, the clash between religious belief and the development of the scientific mind, is not considered. Yet, accepting these limitations, it is an excellent work for the specialist. “An Analysis of Major Conflicts in 17th Century England” forms a good introduction in the form of a review article. Although much of the book is limited to political history, this article reviews the much wider conflict between present-day historians over the causes of the Civil War. The conflict might be summed up-as the extent to which it was the dissolution of the social foundations of the old regime which led to the Civil War versus the older, “Whig” view, that it was the Civil War that destroyed the existing social foundations. It, also embraces the question of whether or not religion was an original factor in promoting the great economic and political changes of the seventeenth century. If the chapter ends rather lamely, and fails to add much to the great debate it does have the medit of helping to clarify the issues in a concise and pointed fashion. ~ The articles on “The Admiralty in Conflict and Commission, 167984,” and “The Bishops in Politics, 1688-1714,” are outstanding. The former brings out well the allpervading effect of the Exclusion Controversy and the extent to which this contributed to a marked decline in the efficiency of the Royal Navy. “The Bishops in Politics” is an example of how detailed patient research can contribute to an overall view of an age.

“Conflict in Stuart England.” therefore, is a combination of good review articles with some sound products of detailed research. Such articles, though specialised, are not without their humour. The reviewer liked particularly the verdict of the House of Commons on a pamphlet written by a certain Mary Pope in 1648—“ very Popish, full of salt and feminine malignancy.”