Public Duty and Private Conscience in Seventeenth-Century England: Essays Presented to G.E. Aylmer
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Author Description
The tension between public duty and private conscience is a central theme of English history in the seventeenth century, when established authorities were questioned and violently disrupted. It has also been an important theme in the work of one of the foremost historians of the period, G.E. Aylmer. It makes, therefore, an especially appropriate subject for this volume. The contributors are leading historians, whose topics range from contemporary writings on conscience and duty to the particular problems faced by individuals and groups, both Puritan and Royalist, at the center and in the localities. These scholarly and original studies throw new light on the innumberable dilemmas of conscience of seventeenth-century men and women, and together make a distinguished contribution to seventeenth-century history.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This volume investigates the complex interplay between public obligation and individual moral conviction during the volatile political and religious landscape of seventeenth-century England. The editors, Daniel Woolf, John Morrill, and Paul Slack, have curated a collection of scholarly essays that honor the career of historian G.E. Aylmer. By examining the writings and lived experiences of both Royalists and Puritans, the contributors analyze how individuals navigated the erosion of traditional authority and the resulting ethical dilemmas of the era.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of contemporary seventeenth-century political and religious literature regarding conscience.
- Case studies focusing on the experiences of individuals and groups in both central government and local communities.
- Comparative examinations of Puritan and Royalist perspectives on duty.
- Scholarly exploration of the breakdown of established authority during the English Civil War period.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts recognize this collection as a significant contribution to the historiography of seventeenth-century England, particularly for its focus on the intersection of personal ethics and state power. Scholars frequently cite these essays for their rigorous archival research and their nuanced treatment of the intellectual history of the period.
Page Count:
362
Publication Date:
1993-06-10
Publisher:
Clarendon Press
ISBN-10:
0198202296
ISBN-13:
9780198202295
History
British History
Seventeenth Century
Essays
Political History
Religious History
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