The Struggle for Sovereignty: Seventeenth-Century English Political Tracts

by Joyce Lee Malcolm (Editor)

Overview

For much of Europe the seventeenth century was, as it has been termed, an “Age of Absolutism” in which single rulers held tremendous power. Yet the English in the same century succeeded in limiting the power of their monarchs. The English Civil War in midcentury and the Glorious Revolution of 1688 were the culmination of a protracted struggle between kings eager to consolidate and even extend their power and subjects who were eager to identify and defend individual liberties. The source and nature of sovereignty was of course the central issue. Did sovereignty reside solely with the Crown—as claimed theorists of “the divine right”? Or did sovereignty reside in a combination of Crown and Parliament—or perhaps in only the House of Commons—or perhaps, again, in the common law, or even in “the people”?

To advance one or another of these views, scholars, statesmen, lawyers, clergy, and unheralded citizens took to their books—and then to their pens. History, law, and scripture were revisited in a quest to discover the proper relationship between ruler and ruled, between government and the governed. Pamphlets abounded as never before. An entire literature of political discourse resulted from this extraordinary outpouring—and vigorous exchange—of views. The results are of a more than merely antiquarian interest. The political tracts of the English peoples in the seventeenth century established enduring principles of governance and of liberty that benefited not only themselves but the founders of the American republic. These writings, by the renowned (Coke, Sidney, Shaftesbury) and the unremembered (“Anonymous”) therefore constitute an enduring contribution to the historical record of the rise of ordered liberty. Volume I of The Struggle for Sovereignty consists of pamphlets written from the reign of James I to the Restoration (1620–1660). Volume II encompasses writings from the Restoration through the Glorious Revolution of 1688–1689. All of the major issues and writers are represented. Each volume includes an introduction and chronology.

Joyce Lee Malcolm is Professor of History at Bentley College.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780865971899
Publisher:	Liberty Fund, Incorporated
Publication date:	06/01/1999
Edition description:	In Two Volumes
Pages:	1180
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 2.75(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

Table of Contents

VOLUME 1
Preface xi
Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction xix
Chronology lxiii

Under God and the Law

Sir Edward Coke, Preface, The Second Part of the Reports, London, 1602 3
Sir Edward Coke, Prohibitions del Roy, 5 Jac. I (1607), from the Twelth Part of the Reports, London, 1658 11

Sovreignty in the King Alone

William Goodwin, A Sermon Preached Before the Kings Most Excellent Maiestie at Woodstocke, Aug. 28, 1614, Oxford, 1614 21
Roger Maynwaring, Religion and Alegiance: In Two Sermons Preached Before the Kings Maiestie: The One on the Fourth of Iuly, Anno 1627. At Oatlands, London, 1627 53
Peter Heylyn, A Briefe and Moderate Answer, to the Seditious and Scandalous Challenges of Henry Burton, Chapter 2, London, 1637 73

Battle Joined 1640-1648

[Henry Parker], The Case of Shipmony Briefly Discoursed, London, 1640 93
John Pym, The Speech or Declaration of John Pym, Esquire: After the Recapitulation or Summing Up of the Charge of High-Treason, Against Thomas, Earle of Strafford, London, 1641 127
Charles I, XIX, Propositions Made by Both Houses of Parliament, to the Kings Most Excellent Majestie: With His Majesties Answer Thereunto, York, 1642 145
Henry Ferne, The Resolving of Conscience, upon This Question. Whether…Subjects May Take Arms and Resist? Cambridge, 1642 179
[Charles Herle], A Fuller Answer to a Treatise Written by Doctor Ferne, London, 1642 223
Anonymous, Touching the Fundamentall Lawes, or Politique Constitution of This Kingdome, the Kings Negative Voice, and the Power of Parliaments, London, 1643 261
William Ball, Constitutio Liberi Populi. Or, the Rule of a Free-Born People, London, 1646 281

Uncharted Waters

John Goodwin, Right and Might Well Mett, London, 1649 307
Anonymous, The Peoples Right Briefly Asserted, London, 1649 359
A Declaration of the Parliament of England, Expressing the Grounds of Their Late Proceedings, and of Setling the Present Government in the Way of a Free State, London, 1649 369

Law and Conscience During the Confusions and Revolutions of Government

[Francis Rous], The Lawfulness of Obeying the Present Government, London, 1649 393
Anonymous, The Grand Case of Conscience Stated, About Submission to the New and Present Power, London, 1649 405
[George Lawson], Conscience Puzzel'd About Subscribing the New Engagement, London, 1650 435
Isaac Penington Jr., The Right, Liberty and Safety of the People Briefly Asserted, London, 1651 445

The "After Game"

[Sir Roger L'Estrange], A Plea for Limited Monarchy, London, 1660 493
J.M. [John Milton], The Readie & Easie Way to Establish a Free Commonwealth, London, 1660 505

VOLUME 2

Introduction ix

Chronology xxxiii

Of Parliament

Sir Henry Vane, The Tryal of Sir Henry Vane, Kt., London, 1662 531
Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury, The Earl of Shaftesbury's Speech, from "Two Speeches," Amsterdam, 1675 563
H.S. [Henry Scobell], Power of the Lords and Commons in Parliament, London 1680 579
[Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury], Two Seasonable Discourses Concerning This Present Parliament, Oxford, 1675 589
[Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury], A Letter from a Person of Quality, to His Friend in the Country, 1675 603
Anonymous, Vox Populi: Or the Peoples Claim to Their Parliaments Sitting, London, 1681 651

Parliament and the Succession

[Elkanah Settle], The Character of a Popish Successour, London, 1681 673
[William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire], Reasons for His Majesties Passing the Bill of Exclusion, London, 1681 717
B.T. [Sir Benjamin Thorogood], Captain Thorogood His Opinion of the Point of Succession, London, 1679/80 729
Algernon Sidney, The Very Copy of a Paper Delivered to the Sheriffs, upon the Scaffold, London, 1683 761

The King's Inalienable Prerogative

[John Bryndall], The Absurdity of That New Devised State-Principle, London, 1681 773
Anonymous, The Arraignment of Co-Ordinate-Power, London, 1683 789
Anonymous, The King's Dispensing Power Explicated & Asserted, 1687 817
Anonymous, The Clergy's Late Carriage to the King, Considered, London, 1688 837

Revolution and Allegiance

[Gilbert Burnet], An Enquiry into the Measures of Submission to the Supream Authority, London 1688/9 847
A.B. and N.T. [John Wildman], Some Remarks upon Government, London, 1689 865
[Samuel Masters], The Case of Allegiance in Our Present Circumstances Consider'd, London, 1689 903
Anonymous, A Friendly Conference Concerning the New Oath of Allegiance to K. William, and Q. Mary, London, 1689 943

In the Wake of Revolution

[Zachary Taylor], Obedience and Submission to the Present Government, London, 1690 991
[William Sherlock], Their Present Majesties Government Proved to Be Thoroughly Settled, London, 1691 1005
[Sir Bartholomew Shower], Reasons for a New Bill of Rights, London, 1692 1039

Index 1065