The Stuart Constitution, 1603-1688: Documents and Commentary Paperback - 1986

First line

The study of the seventeenth-century constitution is dominated by the work of the great Victorians, Gardiner and Macaulay, interpreted and to a limited extent amplified by Sir Charles Firth and J.R. Tanner.

From the rear cover

Published in 1966. The Stuart Constitution at once established itself as the standard documentary textbook for courses in English seventeenth-century history in schools (A-level), polytechnics, and universities, and one which at the same time offered an individual revisionist outlook on many of the problems involved. For the second edition Professor Kenyon has entirely rewritten his commentary to take account of the latest research in this field; he has thoroughly revised the structure of the book, and he has also strengthened the documentation in several important areas, notably the Interregnum, 1649-1660.

The book is divided into four parts, the first three of which are devoted to the periods 1603-1640, 1640-1660 and 1660-1688 respectively. The fourth part deals with some of the general issues of government, at both central and local level, throughout the seventeenth century. One hundred and forty-six documents are included in all, and to aid the student reader spelling and punctuation have been modernised.