Ian W. Archer, Simon Adams, G. W. Bernard, Mark Greengrass, Paul E. J. Hammer, Fiona Kisby, eds. Religion, Politics, and Society in Sixteenth-Century England. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. xi + 282 pp. $70.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-521-81867-4.

Reviewed by Gary Gibbs (Department of History, Roanoke College)
Published on H-Albion (May, 2006)

Ian Archer and his colleagues have done a fine job transcribing, editing, and contextualizing five Tudor-era documents for Religion, Politics, and Society in Sixteenth-Century England. While some of these documents have been published previously in extracts, most are published here for the first time.

Part 1, "Religious Ceremonial at the Tudor Court: Extracts from Royal Household Regulations," contains "a precedent book providing" ceremonial instructions from the reign of Mary I (p. 10). John Norris, Usher of the Garter, probably compiled the directives based on tradition and experience. What follows are entries such as, "And from tyme to tyme that nothinge be out of good order ne lacking that ought to be in a kinges chamber. And that the gentileman usher departe not out of the kinges chamber until the comynge of the lord chamberlayne. And then the gentilman ushers to enqiuer of hym that the kinges pleasure maie be knowen where him list to here his masse in his secrett closet or abrod in his chappell or any other place" (p. 19). Kisby helpfully explains in a footnote the distinction between privy closet and Royal Chapel.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the ceremonial book is what might be called the calendar section in which special directions for the holy days are spelled out. Beginning with Christmas, Twelfth Day, Candelmas, and so forth through "Att Seint Geogres Feast at Wyndesore," the manuscript offers much information for numerous lines of inquiry but will be of special interest to those interested in court culture and royal and religious rituals.

The second section, edited by Simon Adams, Ian W. Archer, and G. W. Bernard, presents two texts published with the titles, "A 'Journal' of Matters of State Happened from time to time as well within and without the Realm from Before the Death of King Edw. The 6th until the Yere 1562," and "Certayne Brief Notes of the Controversy Betwene the Dukes of Somerset and Duke of Nor[t]humberland." These texts "are to be found among the papers of Robert Peale (1541-1601), now in the Yelverton Manuscripts (Additional MSS 48000-48196) in the British Library" (p. 37). The editors acknowledge that the "Journal" has been cited in the works of several historians in the last three decades, including studies by George Barnard, Diarmaid MacCulloch, Norman Jones, Susan Doran, and Greg Walker and Henry James; while the second text has been "partially transcribed" and published by A. J. A. Malkiewicz and cited by Dale Hoak, a fully transcribed version has never before appeared (p. 38).

The first text, "A 'Journal' of Matters of State," provides succinct comments on the political situation of Edward's reign, especially focusing on the political situation of Edward Seymour. Later, the text has a section documenting events from the early years of Elizabeth's reign. The entries tend to present information as follows, "The cause of the falling owte of the protector and the admyrall was the ambition of the admiral and the envy he hadd that his brother should be more advaunced than he" (p. 54). And a few entries later, "Howe his brother being in Scotland he ... [Thomas Seymour] ... practysed to have had the government of the king, and how at the returne, Wroth, Cheke and divers of the privey chamber were putt owte because they were suspected to further his ambition" (p. 54).

A close reading unlocks some nuances worthy of our attention. The editors point these out in the rich and full footnotes which guide the reader through the meanings and inferences of the original account. For example, the brief entries which address the 1549 rebellion in East Anglia as beginning at Bury and which state "howe yt was supposed that the Lady Marie and her counsel were pryvey to it," come with footnotes which occupy roughly 85 percent of the page (p. 58). Not only do the editors recount historigraphical information and debates but also offer additional historical context from other sources. The final result is a model of historical analysis with tremendous pedagogical potential.

The second text in part 2, "Certayne Brief Notes," also focuses in on the period of the Protectorship and, more importantly, the fall of Somerset, although it is clearly written after 1561 (p. 40). As the editors observe in the introduction to section 2, "What the two texts have in common is their strong bias against the Dudleys" (p. 41).

The third section contains a text entitled, "Memories et Procesdure de ma Negociation en Angleterre (8 October 1582--8 October 1583) by Jean Malliet, Councillor of Geneva," edited by Simon Adams and Mark Greengrass. This document is related to the financial "collection raised in England for the financial assistance of Geneva in 1583" (p. 141); Jean Malliet being an agent sent to England to help raise revenue for Geneva. The resulting mémoire is a sort of "daily planner," written in a sixteenth-century notary French that commences with Malliet's arrival in Paris, continues for the duration of his stay in England, and ends with his arrival at Rouen at the end of his English sojourn. The mémoire contains entries noting Maillet's dealings with government officials, Star Chamber, church officials, ambassadors, and this entry regarding the City of London: "Le 27 Monsieur l'Alderman Martin dict qu'ilz avoyent tenu cest ordre en la contribution de Londres, que ayans appellé toute une compaigne, leur declaroyent, que Messieurs du Conseil n'entendoyent que ceux qui estoyent Papistes et mal afectionez à la religion contribuassent, mais seulement ceux qui avoyent pitie de leurs freres affligez. Qui estoit cause que ceux qui estoyent tels, contribuoyent plus largement afin de n'estre suspects et de religion contraire" (p. 189). The section editors point out in a footnote "that the aldermen had seen everyone individually, threatening the Queen's displeasure if the sum was small, so the collection was in effect obligatory" (p. 189, n. 130). What is more interesting is the psychological dimension employed in this instance of the collection.

This collection documents, in essence, some sense of an international Reformed community, another point made by Adams and Greengrass. The dates of Maillet's travel correspond with "the Genevan crisis of 1582--la guerre de Raconis--the first of the numerous attempts by Charles Emanuel, Duke of Savoy (1562-1630), to seize the city by force" (p. 142). This crisis for Calvinism would be an emotional issue for many in England in the early 1580s. Such is the context that frames entries such as: "Le 4 du dict mois Mylord Maire me dict que lon avoit faict assez bonne somme: et que iaçoit que leur ville fut chargee d'impostz, que le peuple estoit si affectioné envers Geneve, que de leur bon gré ilz s'offroyent et presentoyent largement" (p. 184). English largesse translated into, as Malliet records, about £5,040 in donations.

The final section, edited by Paul E. J. Hammer, contains a selection of letters from Robert Cecil to Christopher Hatton dating from 1590 91. These letters are housed at University College London with designation MS 7/41. The physical letters date to the seventeenth century and are contained in a commonplace book, one of a collection of fifty-four items probably gathered by one William Drake (1606-69). Drake, according to Hammer, was a collector of books and papers and acted in a manner generally recognizable for mid- to late-seventeenth-century collectors. Drake, "or ... his amanuensis," was also responsible for making the copies of most of these fifty-four items; however, the letters in question are an exception to this observation and their copyists are unknown (p. 199). The letters are probably second-generation copies, and therefore unsigned; they are also erroneously dated.

As far as content is concerned, the letters contain insight into Elizabeth's court, its progress in August-October 1591, and relationships between the Queen and her favorites and ministers (e.g., Cecil and Hatton, obviously, but also Burghley, Essex, etc.). As Hammer points out, the letters date to the beginning of Cecil's career and the end of Hatton's. By using Hatton's death date as a reference point, along with internal evidence from the letters themselves and other sources, Hammer is able to reconstruct a proper dating scheme for the erroneously dated letters.

Students of Elizabeth and her later court will wish to study these letters closely. Just to cite one passage: "Her Majestie had by them commanded the embassador to forbeare going to the king ... [Henry IV] ... till hee came to Roan, but hee, following his former instructions originally and being ignorant of this caution, accidentally is gone to the king. But yt is not spoken of to the queen, but when shee shall know yt, he may be justly excused and yet, as the queen is pleased to use yt yf other thinges succeed not well, this will likewise by her Majestie bee misconstrued" (p. 264).

Hammer is quick to point out this passage in the introduction to section 4. Not only does it appear that Robert Cecil approached Elizabeth in a manner similar to his father, William Cecil, but in fact the Queen's ministers had attempted to "handle" her for most of her reign; something which undoubtedly infuriated Elizabeth Tudor. While reading this particular letter, I recalled a passage from J. E. Neale's biography of the Queen: "Even after two years in Elizabeth's service, Cecil reprimanded an ambassador's messenger for discussing a particular subject with the Queen; 'a matter', he said, 'of such weight, being too much for a woman's knowledge.'"[1] As she began her reign, so it appears she labored at the end.

The texts of the Camden series serve the needs of numerous communities, but outside of the United Kingdom they are an essential component of college and university libraries. Ready access to transcribed and published records relating to English/British history is an essential aspect of the training of students in the discipline, and Camden publications provide a tremendous source of such accounts. Volume 22 of the fifth series is a remarkable editorial effort; all involved are to be congratulated.

Note

[1]. J. E. Neale, Queen Elizabeth I: A Biography (Garden City, NY: Double Day Anchor Books, 1957 ed.), p. 67.

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Citation: Gary Gibbs. Review of Archer, Ian W.; Adams, Simon; Bernard, G. W.; Greengrass, Mark; Hammer, Paul E. J.; Kisby, Fiona, eds., Religion, Politics, and Society in Sixteenth-Century England. H-Albion, H-Net Reviews. May, 2006.
URL: http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=11724

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