The first modern account of the advancement of political and religious ideas in Scotland in the years between the Restoration of Charles II and the collapse of royal authority under James VII and II. In the twilight years of Scottish independence, the Restoration period witnessed both the triumph of Stuart absolutism and the radical Covenanting resistance of the "Killing Times" immortalised in presbyterian memory. This is thefirst account of this fascinating and dramatic period in Scottish history. It begins with the widespread popular royalism that acclaimed Charles II's return to power in 1660 and concludes by examining the collapse of royal authority that occurred under his brother, James VII & II, and the events of the Williamite Revolution of 1688-90. In reconstructing the world of late-seventeenth century Scotland, this book draws on an extensive range of printed and manuscript sources, the majority of which have never been used by historians before. Amidst current interest in Scottish political and parliamentary history before 1707, this book emphasises the dynamic and characteristic cosmopolitanism of Restoration intellectual culture as revealed from a range of national, British and Continental perspectives. In doing so, it challenges numerous historiographical orthodoxies, and modifies conventional understanding of pre-Enlightenment Scotland. CLARE JACKSON lectures in the history of political thought at the University of Cambridge.

A rich, rewarding work. * THE HISTORIAN *
A very welcome and useful work, with much to recommend it. * EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY SCOTLAND *
A welcome addition to the meagre literature on Restoration Scotland. * ALBION *
Convincing and timely.... Undoubtedly an important book in the field of Restoration studies. Jackson makes her arguments briskly, clearly and succinctly. Besides its obvious interest for students of Scottish history, historians of England will find numerous intriguing points of comparison with Scottish political and ecclesiological ideas. * PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY *
[This] volume not only recovers an obscure story and relates it with nuance and balance, it is also rich and suggestive in its exploration of a range of related subjects.... Jackson's work will now become the standard work on Restoration Scotland and should also act as a point of departure for researchers on a wider front. * H-NET ALBION *
Well-defined, closely-argued.. The author has illuminated a poorly-understood period.. An important and instructive work. * SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY NEWS *
This book, firmly grounded on extensive primary research, triumphantly succeeds in its aim of reconstructing the diverse religious and political languages and `shard sensibilities' of Scotland in the reigns of Charles II and James VII and II. * THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY *
Succeeds in providing a well contextualised and finely nuanced account of Restoration Scottish politics and political thought. It reveals the world of the Scottish political establishment as much more interesting and complex than has often been portrayed, far less isolated and extraordinary than has sometimes appeared. * SCOTTISH ARCHIVES *

CLARE JACKSON lectures in the history of political thought at the University of Cambridge.