The Routledge Companion to Britain in the Eighteenth Century

Jeremy Gregory, John Stevenson

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN:
  9780415378833
• eBook ISBN:
  9781136008382
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Early Modern History
• Index: History

Enormously rich and wide-ranging, The Routledge Companion to Britain in the Eighteenth Century brings together, in one handy reference, a wide range of essential information on the major aspects of eighteenth century British history.

The information included is chronological, statistical, tabular and bibliographical, and the book begins with the eighteenth century political system before going on to cover foreign affairs and the empire, the major military and naval campaigns, law and order, religion, economic and financial advances, and social and cultural history.

Key features of this user-friendly volume include:

• wide-ranging political chronologies
• major wars and rebellions
• key treaties and their terms
• chronologies of religious events
• approximately 500 biographies of leading figures
• essential data on population, output and trade
• a detailed glossary of terms
• a comprehensive cultural and intellectual chronology set out in tabular form
• a uniquely detailed and comprehensive topic bibliography.

All those studying or teaching eighteenth century British history will find this concise volume an indispensable resource for use and reference.

I

POLITICAL CHRONOLOGIES

THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION, 1685–89

1685
6 Feb.	Accession of James II.
16 Feb.	Lawrence Hyde, Earl of Rochester, appointed Lord Treasurer and Lord President of the Council (18 Feb.).
Apr.	Meeting of Scottish Parliament expresses loyalty to James.
11 May.	James orders Lord Treasurer to stop recovery of fines from specified ‘loyal’ recusants.
19 May.	Parliament meets; James granted ‘for life’ the revenues conferred on Charles II. Earl of Danby released from the Tower.
26 May.	House of Commons grand committee on religion passes two resolutions pledging them to defend the ‘reformed religion’ and calling for the enforcement of the laws against all dissenters. After the King displays his anger the Commons rejects the resolutions and accepts the royal pledge to defend the Church of England.
11 June.	Outbreak of Monmouth rebellion. Parliament votes new duties on tobacco, sugar, French linen, brandies, calicoes and wrought silks, as well as restoring duties on wine and vinegar which had expired in 1681, against the security of which the King was empowered to raise £400,000.
30 June.	Earl of Argyll executed for rising in support of Monmouth.
6 July.	Defeat of Monmouth’s army at Sedgemoor and capture of Monmouth.
15 July.	Monmouth executed at Tower Hill.
Sept.	Judge Jeffreys presides over ‘Bloody Assizes’ in the West Country.
28 Sept.	Jeffreys appointed Lord Chancellor.
12–19 Nov.	Parliament grants James a further £700,000 on the basis of new duties, but the King’s request for Catholic officers to be permitted in the army provokes opposition. James prorogues Parliament (20 Nov.).
4 Dec.	Earl of Sunderland appointed Lord President of the Council.
1686
Mar.	Duke of Queensbury removed as Scottish Treasurer and office placed in commission.
June.	In the collusive action of Godden v. Hales the Court of King’s Bench ruled that James II had the right to dispense with the Test Act for particular cases. James proceeds to introduce further Roman Catholics into the army, and into the universities, Anglican Church and Privy Council.
14 June.	Scottish Parliament prorogued after refusal to grant indulgence to Catholics.
July.	James sets up a Court of Ecclesiastical Commission to control the church.
10 Dec.	Earl of Rochester dismissed as Treasurer.
1687
12 Feb.	Declaration of Indulgence issued to Roman Catholics and Quakers in Scotland.
4 Apr.	James II granted extensive indulgence in England to Protestant dissenters and Roman Catholic recusants.
Apr.	James orders Magdalen College, Oxford, to elect Anthony Farmer, a reputed Catholic. When the Fellows refused, the College was ordered to set aside their own choice and a visitation of ecclesiastical commissioners was sent to install him.
28 June.	Second Declaration of Indulgence in Scotland.
2 July.	Parliament, prorogued since 20 November 1685, dissolved.
3 July.	D’Adda publicly received as papal nuncio.
July–Aug.	James begins purge of office-holders, gathering pace in winter of 1687–88. Many Tory Anglicans dismissed from municipal corporations and replaced by nonconformists and Catholics. Many Lord and Deputy Lieutenants removed for showing unwillingness to repeal Test Acts. Scottish burghs ordered to cease elections and await royal nomination.
14 Nov.	Official confirmation of Queen’s pregnancy.
1688
3 May.	Republication of the Declaration of Indulgence.
4 May.	James II orders Anglican clergy to read the Declaration from the pulpit on two consecutive Sundays and bishops required to see to it that copies are distributed.
18 May.	Archbishop of Canterbury, Sancroft, and six other bishops personally petition the King to be excused from reading the Declaration, arousing the King’s anger.
8 June.	The ‘Seven Bishops’ are arrested on a charge of seditious libel and committed to the Tower.
10 June.	Birth of son to James II and Mary of Modena, providing for a Catholic succession, and alleged by Protestants to be a child smuggled into the palace in a warming pan.
29–30 June.	Trial and acquittal of the Seven Bishops.
30 June.	Leading Whigs and Tories led by Danby, Shrewsbury, Devonshire, Compton, Sidney, Lumley and Russell invite William of Orange to invade England in defence of ‘Liberties’.
30 Sept.	William of Orange accepts invitation to invade England and issues a declaration denouncing the ‘evil counsellors’ who had subjected the country ‘in all things relating to their consciences, liberties and properties to arbitrary government’ and calling for ‘a free and lawful parliament’ to be assembled ‘as soon as possible’.
1 Nov.	William and the Dutch invasion fleet successfully set sail for England.
5 Nov.	William of Orange lands at Torbay with 15,000 Dutch troops.
14 Nov.	Earl of Abingdon and Lord Cornbury join William’s forces.
15 Nov.	Risings in the North and Midlands in support of William.
19 Nov.	James joins his army at Salisbury.
21 Nov.	William begins march on London.
22 Nov.	Northern and Midland ‘rebels’ issue a declaration from Nottingham setting fo...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• THE ROUTLEDGE COMPANION TO BRITAIN IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 1688–1820
• ROUTLEDGE COMPANIONS TO HISTORY
• Title Page
• Copyright
• CONTENTS
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Part I Political chronologies
• Part II The monarchy
• Part III Ministries and office-holders
• Part IV Parliament, elections and parliamentary reform
• Part V Foreign affairs and empire
• Part VI Military and naval
• Part VII Law and order
• Part VIII Religion
• Part IX Financial and economic
• Part X Social and cultural
• Part XI Biographies
• Part XII Glossary
• Part XIII Select bibliography
• Part XIV Maps
• Index