Explores the role of plot talk, conspiracy theory, and libellous secret history during the Elizabethan regime, analysing the back and forth between Catholic critics and William Cecil and his circle, and the effect this had on the political, cultural, intellectual, and religious history of the time, both in England, and in a wider European context.

• Introduction


• Part I: The Marian moment


• 1: Libelous politics and the paradoxes of publicity: the case/s for and against Mary Stuart


• 2: Plots, pamphlets, and parliament


• 3: The Treatise of treasons in context/s


• Part II: The Catholic loyalist moment


• 4: The Anjou match and its consequences


• 5: Getting your retaliation in first: Leicester's commonwealth in context


• 6: Challenge and response: Leslie, Allen, Parsons and the Catholic origins of the 'monarchical republic of Elizabeth I'


• Part III: Burghley's commonwealth


• 7: 'Monarchical republicanism', or the vain pursuit of Burghley's commonwealth


• 8: Replying in practise and in theory: the strange fate of William Parry and a very long tract by Thomas Bilson


• 9: Beyond monarchical republicanism


• Part IV: Rogue states and universal monarchs


• 10: How to answer a libel, or French pamphlets and English politics


• 11: Going Papal


• Part V: The regicidal moment


• 12: Killing a queen, and its consequences


• 13: Burghley (and the queen) tell the world what they really think


• Part VI: Resistance and compromise?


• 14: Evil counsel - again


• 15: Religion/politics, politics/religion


• Part VII: Ripostes and replies


• 16: How (not) to answer a libel


• 17: Plots, pamphlets and plays, or the return of plot talk and the tragi-comic fate of Dr Lopez


• Conclusion

Peter Lake completed his undergraduate degree and PhD at Cambridge University and taught subsequently at Bedford College, Royal Holloway, Bedford New College, London, Cornell, and Princeton. He moved to Vanderbilt University in 2008. When in London he is an habitual attender of seminars at the Institute of Historical Research, and has been the grateful beneficiary of extended stints at both the Folger Shakespeare and Huntington Libraries.