Catholicism and Community in Early Modern England: Politics, Aristocratic Patronage and Religion, c.1550–1640

Cambridge Studies in Early Modern British History

by Michael C. Questier

This is a study of the political, religious, social and mental worlds of the Catholic aristocracy from 1550 to 1640. Michael Questier examines the familial and patronage networks of the English Catholic community and their relationship to the later Tudors and Stuarts. He shows how the local history of the Reformation can be used to rewrite mainstream accounts of national politics and religious conflict in this period. The book takes in the various crises of mid- and late Elizabeth politics, the accession of James VI, the Gunpowder Plot, religious toleration and the start of the Thirty Years War and finally the rise of Laudianism, leading up to the civil war. It challenges recent historical notions of Catholicism as fundamentally sectarian and demonstrates the extent to which sections of the Catholic community had come to an understanding with both the local and national State by the later 1620s and 1630s.

Genres: History

588 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2006

Reviews

[Betty B Goode · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book of almost 600 pages devoted to the relationships and policy squabbles of the catholic community in England, this was a surprisingly easy and accessible read. Questier's style is engaging and his fascination for his topic is evident. I especially appreciated the fact that he didn't entirely conform to the norm of academic stuffiness, but sometimes threw in a personal reflection, as when he, referring to an argument between different factions within the church, called it the sort of 'bitchiness only found in elderly members of the clergy'. Also, it was an absolutely terrific introduction to "who was who in Catholic Elizabethan and Jacobean England" which was exactly what I needed. I can now tell a Dormer from a Dacre from a Roper, and know what different attitudes could be found among the English Jesuits compared to the secular clergy. It also helped me identify a number of people I have been having trouble with on the outskirts of the subject I'm studying, and I can see it being extremely helpful as a reference for future work.

But, still, this is almost 600 pages devoted to the relationships and policy squabbles of the catholic community in England during a period of almost a 100 years. Unless you have a very strong interest in the subject, it's likely more than you want. Heck, even I referred to it as The Book Which Never Ends at one point, and I loved it. So while I did thoroughly appreciate it, you might want to approach it with caution.