The Constitutionalist Revolution

AninnovativeaccountofEnglishconstitutionalideasfromthemid-fifteenthcenturytothetimeofCharlesI,showinghowtheemergenceofgrandclaimsforcommonlaw,thecountry'sstrangeunwrittenlegalsystem,shapedEngland'sculturaldevelopment.Thoughhedoesnotneglecttheroleofnarrowlyreligiousdisagreements,Cromartiebringsoutthewaythat'religious'and'secular'valuescametobecloselyintertwined:tothemajorityofCharles'ssubjects,therightsoftheclergyandthekingwerelegalrights;theinstitutionalstructureofChurchandstatewasanexpressionofmonarchicalpower,obediencetothekingandtothelawwasareligiousduty.AproperunderstandingofthisclusterofideasrevealswhyCharlesfoundEnglandsodifficulttocontrolandwhybothpartiesinthecivilwarbelievedthattheywerefightingforestablishedinstitutions.