The 17th Century
The century of revolution
And the Glorious Revolution (bloodless, political revolution, the crowning achievement of the British constitution)
Constitutionalism – the law reigns, not the monarch. Law limits the government’s power. The will of the people. Laws are created in the parliamentary fashion
Charles I was trialed before the parliament and was decapitated because he was overtaxing the public.
Absolutism - reigned by the monarch (divine ruler, based on divine right). The king gets power from god, therefore the king is allowed to reign above the law.
This is a period of conflict between constitutionalism (parliamentary classes) and absolutism (the king).
England is a result of protestant reformation (started by Henry the eighth). France and Spain wanted to bring England back to Catholic. Protestanism was associated with liberty/freedom. People had a lot of faith in the ancient parliament and Protestanism (innate part of English identity).
Arbitrary government (tyranny) is a type of legal system that gives all the power to the king. England railed against it.
Popery (and arbitrary government) stands I n opposition to Protestantism.
Popery (satanic darkness, the pope is the overlord over England, popery is the enemy of liberty) is spread by practice, it’s about bribing people’s feeble mind, leading people away from the holy scripture. It had nothing to do with the word of the god, it’s all about a show. It feeds people’s passion rather than reason. It was the pope’s job to lure people into pretty pictures and desires.
James I r. 1603 – 1625
A king of Scotland
He became the King of England after Elizabeth I died. The English people didn’t like the Scottish. He was seen as a coward and he hated the English people.
He spoke with a Scottish accent
He was an intellectual and a brilliant political theorist. He expressed the concept of kingship in his writing.
The True Law of Free Monarchies: OR