William Maitland of Lethington, 1528-1573A Study of the Policy of Moderation in the Sixteenth-Century Scottish Reformation
| Author: | Blake, William | |
| Year: | 1990 | |
| Pages: | 368 | |
| ISBN: | 0-88946-468-5 978-0-88946-468-1 | |
| Price: | $239.95 + shipping | |
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Has dual usefulness as an analysis of the role of moderation during a revolutionary upheaval and as a comprehensive portrait of the quintessential moderate of the Scottish Reformation, a man who trod the difficult middle ground between the forces of Knox and those of Regent Marie Guise and her daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots. Examines the sources and character of Secretary Maitland's moderation; traces his goals and motivations; delineates his political philosophy and practice; and shows the sort of religious establishment Maitland sought, as contrasted with Knox's vision of the Church.
Reviews
". . . a lively and fair account of Maitland's contributions to Scottish diplomacy during the Scottish Reformation Era. . . . Blake is right in that Maitland made a difference when it counted most _ a man ahead of his time." - Charles H. Haws
". . . an excellent study of English-Scottish relationships of the period from 1555 to 1573. . . . explain[s] with clarity the muddled Scottish political scene of the 1560s. . . . produces a sharp analysis of Lethington's religious ideas. . . . a useful study of a significant Scottish statesman. Matters of foreign policy and religion are masterfully treated, the goals and policies of Lethington and William Cecil nicely meshed." - John R. Rilling
"William Blake attempts in this intellectual biography to counterbalance the significance attributed to Knox with an in-depth study of one of Knox's rivals. . . . provides us with a thorough analysis of Lethington's personal background, his goals and motivations, his relationship to other figures in the Reformation, and his views on politics, society, and religion. . . . a unique and valuable perspective on what is arguably the single most important development in Scottish history. . . . relies greatly on primary sources and uses them, with care and discretion . . . a highly reflective and enlightening study of the Scottish state and church." - Kenneth L. Campbell
". . . a studied assessment of the moderate movement in Scotland [with] thorough scrutiny of one of its towering figures. . . . a very skillful presentation of the sources of Lethington's moderation. . . . Of especial interest is Blake's limning of [Lethington] as the tireless peacemaker between Scotland and her powerful southern neighbor. . . . [U]nanswered questions, such as his possibly equivocal role in both the Riccio and Darnley murders, are tackled directly . . . . This is the unvarnished portrait of a pivotal figure whose contribution has, for too long, been shunted aside." - Raymond Pierre Hylton
"[Blake's] careful and judicious study of Lethington convincingly demonstrates that the Secretary's influence on both the political and the Church settlement was greater than hitherto has been recognized. . . . His study makes an important contribution no
"William Blake attempts in this intellectual biography to counterbalance the significance attributed to Knox with an in-depth study of one of Knox's rivals. . . . provides us with a thorough analysis of Lethington's personal background, his goals and motivations, his relationship to other figures in the Reformation, and his views on politics, society, and religion. . . . a unique and valuable perspective on what is arguably the single most important development in Scottish history. . . . relies greatly on primary sources and uses them, with care and discretion . . . a highly reflective and enlightening study of the Scottish state and church." - Kenneth L. Campbell
". . . a studied assessment of the moderate movement in Scotland [with] thorough scrutiny of one of its towering figures. . . . a very skillful presentation of the sources of Lethington's moderation. . . . Of especial interest is Blake's limning of [Lethington] as the tireless peacemaker between Scotland and her powerful southern neighbor. . . . [U]nanswered questions, such as his possibly equivocal role in both the Riccio and Darnley murders, are tackled directly . . . . This is the unvarnished portrait of a pivotal figure whose contribution has, for too long, been shunted aside." - Raymond Pierre Hylton
"[Blake's] careful and judicious study of Lethington convincingly demonstrates that the Secretary's influence on both the political and the Church settlement was greater than hitherto has been recognized. . . . His study makes an important contribution no