Puritanism and Historical Controversy

By William Lamont

Book Overview

The seventeenth century has often been seen as a watershed in English history: the time when magic was expelled from the universe, the scientific revolution began, and capitalism drove out feudalism. Since the time of Max Weber these and other developments have been linked with the rise of Puritanism and the debate surrounding its role and significance shows no sign of lessening. In this stimulating and lively study William Lamont assesses the influence of Puritanism in a range of different spheres: revolution, liberty, capitalism, millenarianism, witchcraft, and science.

By grounding the historical debates surrounding Puritanism in the experiences of three representative Puritans - William Prynne (1600-1669), Richard Baxter (1615-1691), and Lodowicke Muggleton (1609-1698) - Lamont is able to challenge many common stereotypes and orthodoxies and illuminate key issues effectively.

Puritanism and Historical Controversy will be welcomed by all students grappling with the many issues surrounding the influence of Puritanism on early modern England.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0773514465
• ISBN13: 9780773514461
• Release Date: March 1996
• Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press
• Length: 232 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.6"