Synopses & Reviews
This volume contains the political writings of Sir Robert Filmer (1588-1653), an acute defender of absolute monarchy and perhaps the most important patriarchal political theorist of the seventeenth century. The recent explosion of interest in women's history and the history of the family has greatly enhanced the audience for Filmer's work, and in this new edition Johann Sommerville provides accurate and accessible texts of his principal writings, accompanied by all the standard series features, including a concise introduction, chronology, guide to further reading and notes on Filmer's own text.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. xxix-xxxi) and index.
Table of Contents
Preface; Introduction; Principal events in Filmer's life; Bibliographical note; The authorship and dating of some works attributed to Filmer; A note on the text; Abbreviations and sources; 1. Patriarcha; 2. The free-holders grand inquest; 3. The anarchy of a limited or mixed monarchy; 4. The necessity of the absolute power of all kings; 5. Observations concerning the originall of government, upon Mr Hobs 'Leviathan', Mr Milton against Salmasius, H. Grotius 'De Jure Belli'; 6. Observations upon Aristotles politiques touching forms of government, together with directions for obedience to governours in dangerous and doubtfull times; Select biographical notes; Textual notes; Index.