The Trials of Edward Vaughan : Law, Civil War and Gentry Faction in Seventeenth-Century Britain, c.1596–1661

What the fascinating life of Edward Vaughan reveals about the politics of early modern England and Wales.

This book tells the remarkable story of Welshman Edward Vaughan. Born in 1600, he was the fifth son of a landed gentleman and could not have expected much in life beyond a career as a lawyer. However, by fair means and foul (mostly foul) he managed to gain possession of one of the largest estates in seventeenth-century Wales. His tenure was not to be a quiet one, however, as the Protestant Vaughan endured a bruising legal contest with a powerful Catholic magnate over these lands. Vaughan’s case was then swept up in the politics of the civil wars. A moderate parliamentarian, during the 1640s and 1650s Vaughan fought new battles with local radicals to secure his patrimony. The trials of Edward Vaughan reveal much about the confrontational and sometimes bloody nature of law, politics, and faction in early modern England and Wales. Rich with accusations of attempted murder, treason, and a lengthy legal battle with one of the most powerful Catholic families in the country, this is a surprising story and one that has yet to be told.

OPEN ACCESSTo read the PDF of The Trials of Edward Vaughan: Law, Civil War and Gentry Faction in Seventeenth-Century Britain, c.1596–1661 for free, follow the link belowThe Trials of Edward Vaughan: Law, Civil War and Gentry Faction in Seventeenth-Century Britain, c.1596–1661This book is freely available on a Creative Commons licence thanks to the kind sponsorship of the libraries participating in the Jisc Open Access Community Framework OpenUP initiative. This book tells a remarkable story. Edward Vaughan was the fifth son of a landed gentleman, and could not have expected much beyond a career in law. However, by fair means and foul (mostly foul), he managed to gain possession of one of the largest estates in seventeenth-century Wales. His tenure was not to be a quiet one, however, as the Protestant Vaughan endured a bruising legal contest with a powerful Catholic magnate over these lands. Vaughan’s case was then swept up in the politics of the civil wars. A moderate parliamentarian, during the 1640s and 1650s Vaughan fought new battles with local radicals to secure his patrimony. The trials of Edward Vaughan reveal much about the confrontational and sometimes bloody nature of law, politics and faction in early modern England and Wales. It is a rich and surprising story, and one which has yet to be told.