The blazing world : a new history of revolutionary England

"At the beginning of the seventeenth century, English politics centered on the king and the royal court. Ninety percent of the population lived in the countryside, the vast majority was illiterate and famine and plague were regular scourges. However, by the turn of the eighteenth century, a new world had arisen. A world more familiar to our own: parliamentary politics, thriving arts and culture and even an embryonic welfare state. How did this happen? The story of this turbulent period is less well-known than it should be. Myths have grown around key figures; turning points like the Civil War are opaque for many. Yet the seventeenth century has never been more relevant. The British constitution is once again being bent and contorted, and there is a clash of ideologies reminiscent of when the Roundheads fought the Cavaliers. From raw politics to religious divisions, civil wars to witch trials, plague to press freedoms, The Blazing World is the story of a strange but fascinating century. Drawing on vast archives and his own expertise, Jonathan Healey portrays the lives not just of public figures but of ordinary people to illuminate a revolutionary society that forged a new world." A WATERSTONES, TELEGRAPH , ECONOMIST AND NEW YORKER BOOK OF THE YEAR A major new history of England's turbulent seventeenth century and how it marked the birth of a new world 'This is a wonderful book, exhaustively researched, vigorously argued and teeming with the furious joy of seventeenth-century life' The Times 'A brilliant, bloody account of England's most dramatic century . . . Thrilling' Telegraph The seventeenth century began as the English suddenly found themselves ruled by a Scotsman, and ended in the shadow of an invasion by the Dutch. Under James I, the country suffered terrorism and witch panics. Under his son Charles, state and society collapsed into civil war, to be followed by an army coup and regicide. For a short time – for the only time in history – England was a republic. There were bitter struggles over faith and no boundaries to politics. In the coffee shops and alehouses of plague-ridden London, new ideas were forged that were angry, populist and almost impossible for monarchs to control. Despite the radical changes that transformed England, few today understand the story of this revolutionary age. Leaders like Oliver Cromwell, Charles II, and William of Orange have been reduced to caricatures, while major turning points like the Civil War and the Glorious Revolution have become shrouded in myth and misunderstanding. Yet the seventeenth century has never been more relevant. The British constitution is once again being contested, and we face a culture war reminiscent of when the Roundheads fought the Cavaliers. From raw politics to religious divisions, civil wars to witch trials, plague to press freedoms, The Blazing World is the story of a strange but fascinating century, told in sparkling detail. Drawing on vast archives, Jonathan Healey refreshes our understanding of public figures while simultaneously taking us into the lives of ordinary people to illuminate a revolutionary society that forged a new world. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Map 10 Introduction 14 Part One 1603-29 The Hearts of Thy Subjects 20 1 St James’s Day 22 2 The Smart of These Encroaching Tyrants 40 3 A Strange Humming or Buzz 68 4 If Parliaments Live or Die 86 Part Two 1629-42 Paper Combats 102 5 The Arch of Order and Government 104 6 Black Ribbons 122 7 To Knock Foxes and Wolves on the Head 140 8 This is a Remonstrance to the People 156 9 Dark, Equal Chaos 168 Part Three 1642-58 Parchment in the Fire 190 10 The Sword of His Vengeance 192 11 Gangrene 212 12 To Satisfy All Men 230 Acknowledgements 444 Further Reading 448 Notes 452 1 St James’s Day 452 2 The Smart of These Encroaching Tyrants 454 3 A Strange Humming or Buzz 456 4 If Parliaments Live or Die 458 5 The Arch of Order and Government 460 6 Black Ribbons 462 7 To Knock Foxes and Wolves on the Head 464 8 This is a Remonstrance to the People 465 9 Dark, Equal Chaos 466 10 The Sword of His Vengeance 467 11 Gangrene 468 12 To Satisfy All Men 470 13 Blood Defileth the Land 471 14 To Translate the Nation from Oppression to Liberty 473 15 A Good Constable to Keep the Peace of the Parish 475 16 Providence and Power 476 17 The Blazing World 478 18 All the Blessings of Heaven and Earth 479 19 The Original Sovereign Power of Mr Multitude 482 20 The Last Revolution 483 Epilogue 484 A Note on the Engraving 486 Image Credits 488 Index 490