Culture, Faith, and Philanthropy

Contemporary observers have noted that land, for centuries the foundation of economic and political power, changed hands at a quickening pace in England during the later sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. As new money - and therefore new people - came into the land market, the social foundations of government shifted, which led inevitably to political crisis. Empowered by new wealth and by their faith, early modern Londoners began to use philanthropy to assert their cultural authority in distant parts of the nation. Culture, Faith, and Philanthropy analyzes how disputes between London and provincial authorities over such benefactions demonstrated the often tense relations between center and periphery. 'This persuasive study of culture, faith and philanthropy breaks important new ground in probing the complex relations between provincial England and the London metropolis. The scope and breadth of Ward's research, and the human dimension of his case studies, guarantee this an enduring place in our scholarly discourse.' - Robert Tittler, Distinguished Professor of History Emeritus, Concordia University, Canada'A superb, fine-grained analysis of the religious politics of charity and greed, which makes a significant contribution to our understanding of Protestant-Catholic relations in the seventeenth century.' - Adrian Chastain Weimer, Assistant Professor of History, Providence College, USA