England in the Seventeenth Century

The Pelican History of England #6

by Maurice Percy Ashley

England in the 17th Volume 6 (Hist of England, Penguin)

Genres: History, Nonfiction, British Literature, Historical, Politics, European History

272 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 1953

About the author

Maurice Percy Ashley, CBE, was a noted historian of the 17th Century and a former editor of The Listener.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of the Penguin English History series, England in the Seventeenth Century takes us from the reign of James I starting in 1603 up until the end of Anne’s in 1714 and takes a look at each of the monarchs in their turn as well as some broader looks at different aspects of society during their reigns.

Rattling through each monarch gives us the greatest hits of the events of each of their reigns, as well as all of the political manoeuvring undertaken as each struggled with parliament to win control of the reigns of power. As a result these bits could be a little bit dry as you read about one proroguing of parliament after another, but it did also give me some ideas as to which monarchs I wanted to read more about.

England underwent huge political, religious and social changes throughout the 17th century and so as well as looking at the antics of our royalty we also take a look at changes in the class system and the growing prosperity of the middle classes, advances in scientific thought, arts and literature, the change from the absolute power of the monarchy into a two party parliamentary political system and the states turn from a policy of persecution into one that very, very slowly started to become more religiously tolerant.

This little book was quite an old fashioned history book, so unless you’re really invested in reading about this stuff I’m sure you could find something with a little more vitality to it, but as a primer for me to find further reading it certainly did the job.

**Also posted at Cannonball Read**

[Simon Mcleish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog here in August 1998.

The Pelican English history series reaches the Stuarts. This particular volume takes each reign in turn, looking at the social, economic and art history of the period as well as the political (as does each volume in the series).

In some ways this is a more balanced book about the Stuart period than either The Stuarts: A Study In English Kingship or The Early Churchills; it doesn't have an axe to grind or a group of people to praise. Particularly from the economic and social points of view, the period calls out for longer, more detailed treatment than was possible here; many important trends saw their beginnings in the Stuart era and there is much argument about the causes and meanings of these beginnings. (The Marxist analysis of the Civil War by Christopher Hill is a good example - though I found many of his conclusions unconvincing - of a new way of looking at a war usually considered religious/political through economic/social eyes as part of the rise of the bourgeouisie).

Considering the limitations of space and the necessity of being accessible to a wide audience, this is another success.

[Richard Seltzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as research for my novel Parallel Lives.
Then reread as research for a novel about Aphra Behn.

[Richard Copeland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given the span of time this book attempts to cover, it is a decent survey of the period with attention to the political, religious, social and economic issues. Somewhat dated in its language and often confusing due to rather oblique references to certain players and events, it is still valuable for giving insight and context to this period of English history. While the British monarchs are obviously the focus, the author also brings in the machinations of the other European monarchs which makes for fascinating reading. This period sees the growth and development of the British parliamentary system and has as a constant backdrop the religious battles that dominated the era and that continue to have lingering effects to this day.

[Canavan · Rating 4 out of 5]

✭✭✭½

[Subodh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a short book - 251 pages - but packed with information, analysis and insight. The seventeenth century transformed England. It say the union of England and Scotland under James I and VI, the Civil War and execution of Charles I, the protectorate of Oliver Cromwell, the restoration of monarchy under Charles II, the revolt that led to banishment of James II and the joint reign of Mary II and William III of Orange with Parliament asserting itself in the Glorious Revolution. The Royal Society took shape during this period and Newton published his seminal work in 1687. The book continues to the reign of Queen Anne which was technically in the eighteenth century (1702-1714), but most of the movements that started in the 17th century found their culmination in her reign - although she herself is described as gouty and slow-witted.

Each of the major movements mentioned above is covered in short chapters - 15 to 25 pages each, but I didn't feel anything important was left out. I read the book slowly - one chapter at a time and it gave me a fairly clear picture of this important period in British history.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This whole series is meant as a brief overview of the history of England. But it seems to assume the reader already has knowledge of the major events, so does not go into them. An earlier book in the series, when discussing various other topics, would mention how to might have contributed to the War of the Roses, or was a result of that war, but really didn't talk about the War.
Once you accept that limitation, they are nice summaries of life and events in British history. Ashley is wittier than most, so more enjoyable.

[Ivane Menteshashvili]

Properly written9

[Thomas Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

an overview of British history from the dawn of James I to the eclipse of Queen Anne. This traces the arc of the island nation from weak and divisive torn by religious strife and lacking a strong central government and reliable tax base to global economic power, naval superiority, and a center of advances in the arts and sciences.

[Grindy Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not up to the excellence of the other volumes in this series, though it does pick up the pace when Charles II enters the narrative.

[Peter Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably a little dated as it was written in the fifties, but picked up for a pound in a second hand bookshop this is a nice little easy-read introduction to the political history of seventeenth century England, with a little bit of economic history thrown in.

It does show it's age in places - for example in one line which says "after the retirement of Chichester in 1615 nothing much happened in Ireland... until 1633" which raised a smile.

But a nice little primer for someone (me) who's never really read much of this period before.