Introduction J. H. BURNS; PART I. RENAISSANCE AND COUNTER-RENAISSANCE: 1. Humanism and political theory ANTHONY GRAFTON; 2. Italian political thought, 1450-1530 NICOLAI RUBINSTEIN; 3. Law DONALD R. KELLEY; 4. Transalpine humanism BRENDAN BRADSHAW; 5. Scholasticism: survival and revival J. H. BURNS; PART II. RELIGION, CIVIL GOVERNMENT, AND THE DEBATE ON CONSTITUTIONS: 6. Christian obedience and authority, 1520-50 FRANCIS OAKLEY; 7. Calvinism and resistance theory, 1550-80 ROBERT KINGDON; 8. Catholic resistance theory, ultramontanism, and the royalist response, 1580-1620 J. H. M. SALMON; 9. Constitutionalism HOWELL A. LLOYD; 10. Sovereignity and the mixed constitution: Bodin and his critics JULIAN H. FRANKLIN; 11. Utopianism J. C. DAVIES; PART III. ABSOLUTISM AND REVOLUTION IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY: 12. Absolutism and royalism J. P. SOMMERVILLE; 13. England: ancient constitution and common law Corinne C. Weston; 14. Leveller democracy and the puritan revolution DAVID WOOTTON; 15. English republicanism BLAIR WORDEN; PART IV. THE END OF ARISTOTELIANISM: 16. Tacitism, scepticism, and reason of state Peter Burke; 17. Grotius and Selden RICHARD TUCK; 18. Hobbes and Spinoza NOEL MALCOLM; PART V. NATURAL LAW AND UTILITY: 19. Pufendorf ALFRED DUFOUR; 20. The reception of Hobbes MARK GOLDIE; 21. Locke JAMES TULLY.