Project Description / Intro / King James I

James I, King of England (1566-1625)
James I was king of Scotland (as James VI) from 1567 to 1625 and first Stuart king of England from 1603 to 1625. James was a strong advocate of royal absolutism, and his conflicts with an increasingly self-assertive Parliament set the stage for the rebellion against his successor, Charles I. A model of the philosopher prince, James wrote political treatises, debated theology with learned divines, and reflected continually on the art of statecraft. His works on these topics along with hundreds of his official proclamations can be found in the EEBO corpus.
Select Texts:

• The essayes of a prentise, in the diuine art of poesie, 1584.
• Ane fruitfull meditatioun contening ane plane and facill expositioun of ye 7.8.9 and 10 versis of the 20 chap. of the Reuelatioun in forme of ane sermone, 1588.
• Ane meditatioun vpon the xxv, xxvi, xxvii, xxviii, and xxix verses of the XV chapt. of the first buke of the Chronicles of the Kingis, 1589.
• His Maiesties poeticall exercises at vacant houres, 1591.
• Daemonologie, in forme of a dialogue, 1597.
• His Maiesties Lepanto, or heroicall song, 1603.
• The true lawe of free monarchies, or, The reciprock and mutuall dutie betwixt a free king, and his naturall subiects, 1598.
• Basilikon doron, Devided into three bookes, 1599.
• A counterblaste to tobacco, 1604.
• An apologie for the oath of allegiance, 1609.
• His Maiesties declaration concerning his proceedings with the States generall of the Vnited Prouinces of the Low Countreys, in the cause of D. Conradus Vorstius, 1612.
• A publication of His Ma[jes]ties edict, and severe censure against priuate combats and combatants whether within His Highnesse dominions, or without, vvith their seconds, accomplices, and adhaerents, 1613.
• A remonstrance of the most gratious King Iames I. King of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. For the right of Kings, and the independencie of their crownes. Against an oration of the most illustrious Card. of Perron, 1616.
• Oxoniensis Academiae parentalia, 1625