"Between 1525 and 1632 England faced the usual human tragedies of war, epidemic and food shortages, and the unusual strains of dynastic crises, religious revolutions and inflation. The efficiency of government and the cohesion of society were severely tested but, with occasional disruptions, they were sustained. Unlike many of their neighbours, the English were not 'an ungovernable people' - until the 1640s, that is." "Public obedience was widespread, but it did not come easily. Authority had to be promoted, by monarchy, nobility, gentry, clergy and parish constables, and within the family. Yet stresses in this hierarchical society could sometimes undermine order: there were complaints, occasionally riots and even rebellions - but they were contained. Popular rebellions usually tried to advise rulers, rather than undermine their authority. In changing times, against the odds, society did not fracture." "Using evidence from a range of local archives and reinterpreting published work, this book sets political life within its social context, offering new insights on power, the people, and protest in early-modern English society."--BOOK JACKET.