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land-Severance from the Roman See.-Dissolution of the Re-
ligious Houses.-Coverdale's Bible.-Extent of the Reforms under
Henry VIII.-Benefits and Drawbacks of the Reformation
Page 95
CHAPTER VII.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.
-
Its illustrious Founders.-The Liturgy, Homilies, Book of Common
Prayer, and Thirty-Nine Articles.-The Canon Law.-Edward VL
and Queen Mary. - Queen Elizabeth as an Ecclesiastical Re-
former.-Origin of Nonconformists and Puritans; their Objec-
tions. - Hampton Court Conference. - Disputations with King
James.-Parallelism between past and present Theological Dif-
ferences. Popular Delusions of the Elizabethan Age
CHAPTER VIIL
ACCESSION OF THE STUARTS.
135
Advantages from the New Dynasty. - Character of King James.-
Policy of his Reign.-Progress of the Country.- New and useful
Laws.- London, its Riches and Buildings.- First Application of
Steam.-Lord Bacon; his Writings.-Men of Letters and Litera-
ture.-Theological Controversies.- New Translation of the Bible.
-Commencement of Political Disagreements with the Commons.
- Death of James I.—Results of his peaceful Reign in improving
the Condition of the People
153
CHAPTER IX.
CHARLES 1. AND THE CIVIL WAR.
Defects of Charles's Character.- Leading Events of his Reign.-
Merits of the Question between the King and Parliament.-Battle
of Edgehill; Military Spirit evinced on both Sides, despite of a long
Peace. Character of the War; did not materially interrupt Social
Progress. Triumph of the Independents and Republicans.-
King's Errors.- Relative Character of Political Claims under the
Stuarts and at Present.- Increase of Riches among the Lords
and Commons
166
CHAPTER X.
COMMONWEALTH OF ENGLAND.
Periods of Constitutional Changes. Novel Attempts under the
Commonwealth.-Abolition of the House of Lords.- Religious
and Social Excesses.-Moral Austerities of the Puritans.- Arbi-
trary Acts and Self-seeking of the Long Parliament; its Energy
and Public Services.- Summary of the Character of the Commons.
- Exemplary Conduct of the Army.- Influence on the National
Character of the Commonwealth.- Beginning of Newspapers.-
Pamphlet Writing - Page 178
CHAPTER XI.
PROTECTORATE OF OLIVER CROMWELL.
Ultimate Prize of Heroes; Cromwell, like others, sought the Reward
of Public Services. His astonishing Military Career; Victories
of Dunbar and Worcester; Conqueror of Three Kingdoms.—
-His temporary Quietude.- Dissolves the Long Parliament and
Council of State; Firmness of Serjeant Bradshaw.- Failures of
Oliver in Attempts at Parliamentary Government.- His restless
Desire for Kingship.-Scruples of the House of Lords.- Energetic
Government of the Protector.-His general Character.- Question
of the predominant Religious or Political Bearing of the Civil War.
- Divisions of the Presbyterians and Independents.— Cromwell
not Intolerant. His Foreign Alliances. Increasing Difficulties
of his Position.- Conclusion of the Interregnum.- Lessons in-
culcated 189
CHAPTER XII.
ASCENDANCY OF THE PURITANS.
Religious and Political Opinions.— Distinction between the Reformed
and Roman Churches.- Characteristics of Sects and Parties.—
Rise and Supremacy of the Puritans.- Religious Extravagances
under the Commonwealth. Intolerance of the Long Parliament.
Puritans neglect Science, and incompetent Judges of Moral Con-
duct. Disqualified for Political Government. - Errors of the
Pilgrim Fathers
204
CONTENTS.
XV
CHAPTER XIII.
RESTORATION OF CHARLES II.
Precipitancy of the Restoration.-Conduct and Character of General
Monk. - Trial and Treatment of the Regicides. Restitution of
Landed Property.-Ecclesiastical Conference at the Savoy Palace.
-Reactions. Act for enforcing Uniformity.- Establishment of
a Standing Army.—Constitutional Securities respected.— Powers
of the House of Lords.-Useful Commercial Legislation; Statutes
of Frauds and of Distribution.-Corporation and Test Acts.-
Settlement of the Poor.- Successes of the Dutch.- Exile of Lord
Clarendon. Treachery of the Court to the Nation. - Foreign
Bribery of King and Parliament. - Popish Plots and Protestant
Fears.- Revolting Conduct of the King to Queen Catherine.—
Court of Libertinism; its Influence on the Community.- Extreme
Profligacy of the King, his Courtiers, and Mistresses.- Results on
Civilisation. Character of Charles II.- Useful Institutions.—
Men of Letters.- Costume Page 218
CHAPTER XIV.
JAMES II. TO HIS ABDICATION.
Royal Idiosyncracy. Servility of the High Church, and the
Opening afforded for Despotism.-Anti-Popery of the Nation.—
Infatuated Measures of the King. - Secret Meetings of the
Patriots; Invitation to the Prince of Orange from the Whigs;
Arrival of the Prince in England. - Meeting of the Convention
Parliament. - Differences of the two Houses; the Prince brings
them to Terms. Wise Conduct of the Commons; the Bill of
Rights.-Settlement of the Constitution. Triumph over the
Conspiracy of Crowned Heads.-Exile and Death of James II.—
Conclusion of the Stuart Era
· 256
CHAPTER XV.
INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS, TO THE ORANGE REVOLUTION, IN
AGRICULTURE, COMMERCE, AND MANUFACTURES.
Greatness of the Country not inherited.
Ancient and Modern
Rural Arts. Subsistence the first Object of Industry.-Agri-
culture of the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, and Normans.—Obstruction
from the Wars of the Plantagenets. -Sheep-farming under the
Tudors. Commencement of Enclosures and Hedgerows.-
Privations from Scarcity of Winter Food for Cattle. — Improve-
ments in Road-making. - Benefits derived from Flemish Hus-
bandry. Contemporary Progress of Commerce. Riches of
----
England at the Conquest. - Trade with the East. Oppression
from Baronial Tolls and Impolitic Laws. — Flourishing Cities of
Italy and Flanders. Staple Towns and London Steelyard.-
Lombards and Germans settle in England. - Expulsion of Fo-
reigners. English Industry gains by Religious Persecutions
abroad. Geographical Discoveries. Encouragement of Ship-
Building. Woollen, Linen, and Silk Manufactures
Page 271
CHAPTER XVI.
POPULATION, RICHES, AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF ENGLAND IN 1688.
Comparative Rates of National Progress. · Mistakes from Identity
of Names. Amount of Population and Incomes, Past and
Present. Classification of Families and their Incomes in 1688.-
Coincidences between the existing State of France and England
at the Revolution.- Number and Size of Farms. - Predominance
of Agricultural Industry.- Parallelism between Life in Ireland
and England. - Low Standard of Social Life, and its Causes.
Little Progress in Science, Literature, or the Useful Arts.
Variation in Prices. - - Absence of Journalism. - Coffee Houses
and Political Clubs. - Parliamentary Debates. — Circulating and
Itinerant Libraries
303
CHAPTER XVII.
REIGN OF WILLIAM III.
Public Opinion on the Accession of William III. Settlement of
the Constitution. - Contrasted Results of the First and Second
Revolutions of the Seventeenth Century. Commencement of
Continental Alliances; Peace of Ryswick, and the Grand Alliance.
-Protestant Interest, and the Balance of Power; Advantages
and Drawbacks of their Maintenance. - Connexions of the Revo-
lutionists with the Stuart Family; its Influence on the English
Court. Dutch Favourites of William III.- Irish Forfeitures.-
Character of the King.
Characteristics of the Revolution Par-
liament. - Bounty on the Export of Corn. - General Corruption
from the War.-Treason Laws and Property Offences.
- Seven
Years' Dearth.
---
- Rise of the Monied Interest.
- Men of Letters
Page 321
CHAPTER XVIIL
REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE.
Ascendancy of the Churchills.. War of the Succession.- Splendid
but resultless Victories of the Duke of Marlborough.-Exhausting
Effects of the War on the Belligerents.- Decline of the War
Party. Harley's Plot against the Favourites. Dismissal of the
Marlboroughs from the Queen's Service. Peace of Utrecht.-
Rivalries of Harley and Bolingbroke; St. John's successful
Intrigues. - Death of the Queen. Shortlived Triumph of Bo-
lingbroke, and Accession of the Hanover Family. — Intellectual
Age of Anne-Discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton. - John Locke
and Sir Dudley North. The Essayists.
brugh's Advancement of Architecture. -
Cathedral
Wren's and Van-
Defect of St. Paul's
347
CHAPTER XIX.
REIGN OF GEORGE I.
Accession of the Brunswick Family. - Character of George L-
Triumph of the Whigs, and their vindictive Prosecution of the late
Ministry.-Exile of Lord Bolingbroke and his Return to England.
-Septennial Act and Peerage Bill. National Prosperity; Mis-
sissippi and South Sea Bubbles. - Court of George I.
Offices and Dignities by the King's Mistresses.
the Continental Courts.-Men of Letters
George II. and his Predecessors. Queen Caroline. — Policy of Sir
Robert Walpole.-Bribery; Decline of Patriotism. - Public Pro-
sperity, its Influence on Criminality; Popular Errors on Crime
and its Characteristics; Prevalence of Intemperance; Causes of
Demoralisation. - Education of the Gentry; Contempt of Trade
a
