The radical face of the ancient constitution : St. Edward's "laws" in early modern political thought

Building Upon The Seminal Work Of J. C. Holt And J. G. A. Pocock, This Book Deals With The Ways In Which Medieval And Early Modern Historians, Lawyers, And Politicians Deployed Their Own National History To Justify Opposition To The English Kingship. In Particular, It Is A Study Of The Origins And Development Of The Historical Construct Of The Radical Ancient Constitution, A Version Of The Past That Originated In The Eleventh, Twelfth, And Thirteenth Centuries From Three Sources Of Conspicuous Importance: The Modus Tenendi Parliamentum, The Mirror Of Justices, And, Most Important Of All, The So-called Laws Of Edward The Confessor. The Book Tells How A Cult Of Kingship, Centered Around Edward's Laws, Was Transformed From A Cult That Sacralized The Upstart Norman Dynasty Into One Which Desecrated The Stuart Monarchy. In Telling The Whole Story Of The Ancient Constitution From The Middle Ages Down To The Eighteenth Century, The Book Also Corrects Two Widely Held Assumptions About Stuart England: First, That The So-called Whig Version Of History Was Concocted By Seventeenth-century Dissidents Who Deliberately Distorted Medieval History In The Service Of Their Own Agendas: And, Second, That Argument From History Was Inherently Conservative, While Argument From Natural Law And Natural Rights Was Inherently Radical. Finally, The Author's Arguments Serve As A Corrective To Revisionist Histories That Erase Revolution From The Century Of Revolution And To Reduce The Role Played By Political Principle In Seventeenth-century England.--book Jacket. 1. Hagiography And Historiography: The Long Shadow Of Edward The Confessor -- 2. Those Most Noble And Equitable Laws Of St. Edward: From The Cult Of The Confessor To The Cult Of The Confessor's Laws -- 3. Divers And Sundry Ancient Histories And Chronicles: The Articulation Of The Ancient Constitution In The Tudor Period -- 4. By Lex Terrae Is Meant The Laws Of St. Edward The Confessor: The Footprints Of The Saxons In The Early Seventeenth Century -- 5. You Shall Be King While You Rule Well: The Radical Ancient Constitution In The Civil Wars And Interregnum -- 6. That Noble Transcript Of The Original Contract, The Confessor's Laws: The Radical Ancient Constitution In The Late Stuart Period. Janelle Greenberg. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 297-333) And Index. This book deals with the ways in which medieval and early modern historians, lawyers and politicians deployed their own national history to justify opposition to the English kingship. More particularly, it is a study of the origins and development of an historical construct called the 'radical ancient constitution', a version of the past which originated from sources including the so-called 'Laws' of Edward the Confessor. The book tells how a cult of kingship, centred around the Confessor's 'Laws', was transformed from a cult that sacralized the upstart Norman dynasty into one which desecrated the Stuart monarchy. In telling the story of the 'ancient constitution' the author reconfigures the historical landscape of early modern England and demonstrates that the so-called Whig version of history, far from being a concoction of seventeenth-century dissidents, enjoyed the sanction of medieval and early modern historians, scholars and lawyers

This book deals with critical aspects of English historical, constitutional and political thought from the Middle Ages to the early modern period. In particular, the book is a study of the ways in which history could be deployed for all kinds of political purposes. The entire story of the historical construct of the "radical ancient constitution" is told, focusing on the ways in which rebels turned to important medieval sources including the so-called "Laws" of Edward the Confessor, in an effort to legitimize resistance, deposition and regicide.

When present-day visitors to the Houses of Parliament pass through St. Stephen's Hall, which connects medieval Westminster Hall with the Central Lobby and the House of Commons, they say on its walls a series of large murals centered around the theme "The Building of Britain." xi, 343 p. ; 24 cm Includes bibliographical references (p. 297-333) and index