Eales, Jacqueline

An accessible, concise and much-needed introduction for students to the state of research on women's history in the early modern period.

Based on the private papers of the Harley family of Brampton Bryan and in particular on the letters of Lady Brilliana Harley (1598 - 1643), which contain an unparalleled account of the development of civil war parties in an English county.

This volume honours the memory of Prof Alan Everitt who, in the 1960s-70s advanced the fruitful notion of the 'county community' during the 17th C. Taking into account over two decades of challenges to Everitt's assumptions, the present volume proposes some modifications of his influential hypotheses in the light of the best recent scholarship.

This collection of essays is intended to contribute to the debate on the nature and extent of early-modern puritanism. It highlights several important aspects of this culture, such as sermon gadding, fasting, the strict observance of Sunday and iconoclasm.