Constitutional History of England, Henry VII to George II. Volume 3 of 3

The third volume of this sweeping constitutional history turns its focus to the reign of Charles II, a period where the balance of power between crown and subject began to tilt toward a more restrained monarchy. Hallam shows how the determined efforts of jurists such as Selden and Eliot, together with the steadfastness of parliamentarians like Pym and Hampden, forged clear limits on royal prerogative, allowing the legislature to guard against arbitrary taxation and protect long‑standing liberties.

Beyond the halls of Westminster, the book explores how a burgeoning press and a flood of pamphlets reshaped public discourse, offering a new, albeit imperfect, avenue for accountability. The era’s legal landscape, with its evolving courts and outspoken advocates, illustrates a society moving from secretive, elite judgment toward greater transparency. Hallam’s narrative captures the atmosphere of cautious optimism that defined England’s constitutional development in the decades after the Restoration.