5 A commonwealth counselled
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Felicity Jane Stout
Abstract
This chapter considers Giles Fletcher's key arguments in relation to discussions of late Elizabethan politics, suggesting that Fletcher's text resonated with popular representations of tyranny whether Spanish, French, Scottish or even English tyranny. His depiction of Russia's parliament provided further explication of how corrupt forms of counsel detrimentally affected the commonwealth. Fletcher's evident support for a mixed-estate view of government, through his critique of the Russian parliament, offers an indication of where he may have placed himself politically in relation to the late Elizabethan regime. He used the pervasive language of anti-popery to describe the Russian church and to record how Russian Orthodox religious practices and doctrines resembled some of the worst abuses of 'popery'. The extensive use in Fletcher's text of the language of anti-popery points to resonances with the anxieties and concerns that riddled the political and religious consciences and contexts of late Elizabethan England.
Abstract
This chapter considers Giles Fletcher's key arguments in relation to discussions of late Elizabethan politics, suggesting that Fletcher's text resonated with popular representations of tyranny whether Spanish, French, Scottish or even English tyranny. His depiction of Russia's parliament provided further explication of how corrupt forms of counsel detrimentally affected the commonwealth. Fletcher's evident support for a mixed-estate view of government, through his critique of the Russian parliament, offers an indication of where he may have placed himself politically in relation to the late Elizabethan regime. He used the pervasive language of anti-popery to describe the Russian church and to record how Russian Orthodox religious practices and doctrines resembled some of the worst abuses of 'popery'. The extensive use in Fletcher's text of the language of anti-popery points to resonances with the anxieties and concerns that riddled the political and religious consciences and contexts of late Elizabethan England.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- List of figures viii
- Acknowledgements ix
- List of abbreviations xi
- Note on style, dates and terminology xiii
- Introduction 1
- 1 An adventuring commonwealth 15
- 2 A commonwealths-man in Russia 59
- 3 Creating a feigned commonwealth 93
- 4 A corrupted commonwealth 117
- 5 A commonwealth counselled 147
- 6 A controversial commonwealth 189
- Conclusion 227
- Select bibliography 232
- Index 244
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- List of figures viii
- Acknowledgements ix
- List of abbreviations xi
- Note on style, dates and terminology xiii
- Introduction 1
- 1 An adventuring commonwealth 15
- 2 A commonwealths-man in Russia 59
- 3 Creating a feigned commonwealth 93
- 4 A corrupted commonwealth 117
- 5 A commonwealth counselled 147
- 6 A controversial commonwealth 189
- Conclusion 227
- Select bibliography 232
- Index 244
