TRANSLATORS' PREFACE.
Reading edition
'The History of England, principally during the Seventeenth Century,' which is here laid before the reader in an English form, is one of the most important portions of that cycle of works on which Leopold von Ranke has long been engaged. His History of the Popes, his History of the Reformation in Germany, his French History, his work on the Ottomans and the Spanish Monarchy, his Life of Wallenstein, his volume on the Origin of the Thirty Years' War, and other smaller treatises, all aim at delineating the international relations of the states of Europe. His History of England may well be regarded as the concluding portion of this series; for the relations of England, first with France, and then with Holland, eventually determined the course of European politics.
The book however is more than a history of this period, for Professor Ranke, according to his custom, has prefixed to it a luminous and interesting sketch of the earlier part of our history, presented, as all summaries ought to be, in the form of studies of the most important epochs. And at the end of the work are Appendices, which supply not only happy examples of historical criticism in the discussions on the chief contemporary writers of the period, but also a mass of original documents, most of which have never before been published. Above all, the critiques on Clarendon and Burnet, and the correspondence of William III with Heinsius, will well repay careful study; and the Appendices throw light on some of the more important details connected with the history of the time, besides shewing the student how a great master has found and used his materials.
The present translation was undertaken with the author's sanction, and was intended in the first instance for the use of students in Oxford. Its publication has been facilitated by a division of labour, the eight volumes of the original having been entrusted each to a separate hand. The translators are Messrs. C. W. Boase, Exeter College; W. W. Jackson, Exeter College; H. B. George, New College; H. F. Pelham, Exeter College; M. Creighton, Merton College; A. Watson, Brasenose College; G. W. Kitchin, Christchurch; A. Plummer, Trinity College. The task of oversight, of reducing inequalities of style, and of supervising the Appendices and Index, has been performed by the editors, C. W. Boase and G. W. Kitchin. Notwithstanding the disadvantages incident to a translation, it is hoped that the work in its present shape will be welcomed by a large number of English readers, and will help to increase the deserved renown of the author in the country to the history of which he has devoted such profound and fruitful study.
CONTENTS.
BOOK I.
THE CHIEF CRISES IN THE EARLIER HISTORY OF ENGLAND.
PAGE
Introduction 3
Chap. I.The Britons, Romans, and Anglo-Saxons5
The Anglo-Saxons and Christianity10
II.Transfer of the Anglo-Saxon crown to the Normans and Plantagenets22
The Conquest28
III.The crown in conflict with Church and Nobles39
Henry II and Becket41
John Lackland and Magna Charta47
IV.Foundation of the Parliamentary Constitution58
V.Deposition of Richard II. The House of Lancaster74
BOOK II.
ATTEMPTS TO CONSOLIDATE THE KINGDOM INDEPENDENTLY IN ITS TEMPORAL AND SPIRITUAL RELATIONS.
Introduction 91
Chap. I.Re-establishment of the supreme power93
II.Changes in the condition of Europe104
Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey in their earlier years109
III.Origin of the Divorce Question120
IV.The Separation of the English Church134
V.The opposing tendencies within the Schismatic State151
VI.Religious Reform in the English Church171
VII.Transfer of the Government to a Catholic Queen186
VIII.The Catholic-Spanish Government199
BOOK III.
QUEEN ELIZABETH. CLOSE CONNEXION OF ENGLISH AND SCOTTISH AFFAIRS.
Introduction 221
Chap. I.Elizabeth's accession. Triumph of the Reformation222
II.Outlines of the Reformation in Scotland238
III.Mary Stuart in Scotland. Relation of the two Queens to each other254
IV.Interdependence of the European dissensions in Politics and Religion280
V.The fate of Mary Stuart300
VI.The Invincible Armada316
VII.The later years of Queen Elizabeth330
BOOK IV.
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN. FIRST DISTURBANCES UNDER THE STUARTS.
Introduction 359
Chap. I.James VI of Scotland: his accession to the throne of England361
Origin of fresh dissensions in the Church361
Alliance with England364
Renewal of the Episcopal Constitution in Scotland368
Preparations for the Succession to the English Throne375
Accession to the Throne381
II.First measures of the new reign386
III.The Gunpowder Plot and its consequences403
IV.Foreign policy of the next ten years418
V.Parliaments of 1610 and 1614436
VI.Survey of the literature of the epoch450
BOOK V.
DISPUTES WITH PARLIAMENT DURING THE LATER YEARS OF THE REIGN OF JAMES I AND THE EARLIER YEARS OF THE REIGN OF CHARLES I.
Introduction 467
Chap. I.James I and his administration of domestic government469
II.Complications arising out of the affairs of the Palatinate484
III.Parliament of the year 1621497
IV.Negotiations for the marriage of the Prince of Wales with a Spanish Infanta509
V.The Parliament of 1624. Alliance with France522
VI.Beginning of the reign of Charles I, and his First and Second Parliament537
VII.The course of foreign policy from 1625 to 1627554
VIII.Parliament of 1628. Petition of Right566
IX.Assassination of Buckingham. Session of 1629580