James II and the trial of the seven bishops
By: William Gibson.
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; Springer
Published: 2009
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 261
ISBN-13: 9780230204003
Subjects: James -- II, -- King of England, -- 1633-1701; Church of England -- Bishops -- History -- 17th century; Trials (Seditious libel) -- England; Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1660-1688; Great Britain -- History -- Revolution of 1688; Great Britain -- History -- James II, 1685-1688
Description: "James II's prosecution of seven bishops in the summer of 1688 has often been overlooked in the accounts of the Glorious Revolution. Yet it was on the night of the bishops' acquittal, amid widespread rejoicing, that the invitation was issued to William of Orange to come and the save the nation. The book is the first modern examination of the events leading to the prosecution of the bishops, their trial and subsequent acquittal. Drawing on previously unused archival manuscripts, it shows the ways in which the bishops seized the propaganda initiative against the King and won popular support for the Church. In doing so, they created the circumstances by which the revolution of 1688 could be a bloodless one. The book also analyses the divisions between the bishops and the way in which events ran out of their control in the autumn of 1688"--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.