Charles I and the making of the Covenanting movement, 1625-1641 /

Macinnes offers the most scholarly examination of events that led to a revolution in Scotland whereby the crown was shorn of many of its most important prerogatives. By the end of 1641 Charles I had essentially written off Scotland, for the triumph of rule by king-in-parliament in his northern kingdom had, as he predicated, reduced him to the same position as the doge in Venice. At his accession, fears already existed among the aristocracy that Scotland was being provincialized by absentee government. These were reinforced by the crown's revocation policy that revealed "Charles I's unstinting resolve to impose his revocation. . .solely on the strength of his prerogative." Royal economic policy was also resented because it tended to reduce Scottish independence. The growing burden of taxation spread discontent with the King to all levels of society. Charles's visit to Scotland in 1633 failed to halt the erosion of royal support. The King neither revealed any understanding of Scottish political sensibilities nor concealed his religious preferences of Laudian episcopacy. As a result, by 1637, "a situation of revolutionary potential existed within Scotland." Despite its merits, Macinnes's book will be difficult for all but specialists. Students should consult Maurice Lee's The Road to Revolution (CH, Jan'86), a more readable if less inclusive work, before using Macinnes. -C. L. Hamilton, Simon Fraser University