"A glossy essayist has acknowledged with fact, that “never has there been a doctrine larger written opposed to than the Divine correct of Kings.” yet these, who've exhausted their powers of satire in pouring scorn upon the speculation, have often been at little pains to appreciate it. That the doctrine is absurd, whilst judged from the perspective of contemporary political suggestion, is an announcement that calls for neither facts nor exposition. however the glossy point of view isn't the just one, and the absurdity of the doctrine in our eyes is the least attention-grabbing or vital truth approximately it, other than as riding us to hunt extra for its genuine which means and price. neither is “The Divine correct of Kings” differentiated due to its absurdity from different political theories of the 17th century. The rival doctrine of an unique compact used to be no whit, much less ridiculous in conception, and (if we reflect on its impact upon Rousseau) infinitely extra explosive in perform than the notions of Indefeasible correct and Passive Obedience. it truly is noteworthy, that, whereas Macaulay has not anything yet contempt for the supporters of Divine correct, he doesn't locate it requisite to say that its competitors could make no higher determine between political thinkers of to-day. rather than mentioning a truth, that's universal to all out of date doctrines, it have been definitely larger to investigate into the notions of these, to whom the doctrine appeared traditional, and to set it on the subject of the stipulations which produced it. huge numbers of guys could embody a trust with no strong cause, yet veritably they won't accomplish that with out sufficient reason. And it's as a rule of some distance better value in the direction of definitely the right realizing of a doctrine to understand the explanations, which bring about its incidence or decay, than it's so as to criticize the reasoning, through which males imagine to aid it, whereas it really is well known or to demolish it, because it grows obsolete."

This vintage comprises the next chapters:

I. Introductory
II. Early rules of Kingship
III. The Holy Roman Empire and the Papacy
IV. Wycliffe and King Richard II
V. Kingship in England From Henry IV to Elizabeth
VI. Henry of Navarre and the Salic Law
VII. From James I to the Jacobites
VIII. Passive Obedience and the Church of England
IX. Non-Resistance and the speculation of Sovereignty
X. Conclusion