England in Conflict, 1603-1 660. Kingdom, Community, Commonwealth.

Derek Hirst, England in Conflict, 1 603-1 660. Kingdom, Community, Commonwealth

New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. vii + 359 pp. $80. ISBN: 0-340-74144-9.

Derek Hirst's revision of his 1986 work, Authority and Conflict 1603-1658, is a clear, straightforward, account of political events in England between the accession of James I and the death of Oliver Cromwell. The first three chapters set out the contemporary political, religious, and socio-economic scene in England, as well as in Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Chapters four through thirteen describe the events of the period, both domestic and foreign, and assess the relationships between them. The final chapter, a new addition to the text, focuses on demise of the Commonwealth following the death of Cromwell in 1658. It is that period which constitutes for the author "one of the defining moments in English polity ..." and "an unprecedented gauge of the nation's political commitments" (316). The conclusion considers why the English accepted a far more expensive monarchical state following the Restoration than during the reign of the early Stuarts. The updated bibliography is useful for those who wish to dig mo re deeply into the subject. Altogether, this is a well-written narrative, which provides a view of the major events and their causes.

However, the well-crafted refinements to sentences, paragraphs, and chapters do not convince this reader that the author's conclusion about the importance of the 1658-1660 period justify a revised publication. For example, the emphasis is still on the upheavals of the civil war era. Some 176 pages chronicle the crises from 1638-1649. A mere 73 pages cover the Commonwealth and its demise from 1649-1660. There is no sense of why this new interpretation is important for the modern reader to understand. This is a pity because this new generation of students, who have witnessed how the United States weathered the presidential election debacle of 2000, should have a particular appreciation for the significance that Hirst ascribes to the 1658 to 1660 period.

When England in Conflict originally was published in 1986, it was suitable for use in courses in English history. Such a narrative history without footnotes, would appeal to either an expert in the field or require the tutelage of a professor who could explain and/or challenge its sources and arguments. This reissue, with the same major emphasis thirteen years later, is curious given the decline in interest in English history in the United States. A generation ago, faculty could expect students to arrive at university with a basic understanding of English history and literature, at least as it related to American historical studies. Students today need a clear account of why English history is important and compelling, even without its connection to colonial America.

Furthermore, use of maps, material culture, and chronologies, as well as the incorporation of new materials on women and the family, among other new areas of research, would have improved the narrative for the novice. A map of some of the civil war battles might help the uninitiated grasp the regional and community implications of the conflict. Use of material culture, such as architecture, could provide visual and concrete demonstration of the ambiguities of the Puritan consensus throughout the period. Churches, such as St. John's, Leeds (1632-34), illustrate the attraction of Laudian principles to an urban cloth merchant. The pews face the altar and the pulpit is off to one side behind pillars in the north aisle. Chronologies would help students understand the inter-relationship between contemporary events, publications, and culture. The bibliography indicates that new research in areas such as women's studies and the family is valuable. However, failure to connect study of the family with the concept of f amily as a political paradigm, hinders readers in understanding the difficulties which dynastic issues presented to the body politic. Finally, a few footnotes would enable both the neophyte and expert to understand where and how the author developed this particular narrative of the period. There is a place for an historical narrative, but the era in which we find ourselves today demands one with a more explicit and compelling rationale.