Charles II (1660-85) and James VII & II (1685-88) presided over England, Scotland and Ireland in an age of transition. This volume examines and analyses some of the challenging new theories relating to politics, society, religion, and culture that have attracted attention in recent years. Though transitional, the years from the Restoration of 1660 to the Revolution of 1688-9 have a distinctive character, and they deserve to be studied in their own right.