Diana Newton's careful study of the early years of King James VI and I's reign in England throws considerable light on his policies, methods of governing, and temperament. It helps to demonstrate, as other recent books have done, that the new Scottish king of England was able to make good use of his experience in ruling north of the border. He proved capable of dealing decisively and on the whole successfully with several urgent problems that had plagued the kingdom under his immediate predecessor, Queen Elizabeth I. James brought the expensive, dangerous, and indecisive war with Spain to an end, while continuing to maintain close relations with France and the Dutch Republic, both traditional adversaries of Spain. He defused the conflict between Puritan militants and the leaders of the established church, while insisting on new standards of clerical conformity under the provisions of the Ecclesiastical Canons of 1604. He set in motion policies aimed at assuring Roman Catholics that they would not be persecuted for their religious views as long as they were loyal to the state. He insisted that officials at all levels strictly enforce laws aimed at preserving the peace. He moved quickly to pacify the border areas between Scotland and England, continuing efforts he had already inaugurated on the Scottish side. James accomplished all of this by using a range of officials: members of the Privy Council and Council of the North, assize judges, bishops, lord lieutenants and sheriffs, and justices of the peace. He laid out his objectives clearly to the English Parliament, though the cooperation he received from its members was uneven, and he frequently encountered opposition, especially on the issue of a union of Scotland and England. He worked closely, even if sometimes contentiously, with members of Parliament in an effort to reach consensus. Meanwhile, the king continued to rule Scotland though the Council and Parliament in Edinburgh with much the same effectiveness that he had achieved during the years immediately before his accession in England.

This study does not maintain that all was smooth sailing for James in the early years of his reign in England. Newton suggests that his understanding of both English Puritanism and English Roman Catholicism was, initially, defective. She also argues that James underestimated the English hatred and suspicion of Spain and that he had much to learn about the institutions of the English government. The English Parliament, he soon discovered, was much less compliant toward the monarchy than its Scottish counterpart. James never really mastered the financial problems of his new realm. The late queen's parsimony and financial expedients, the inadequate tax structure, and the horrendously expensive conflict with Spain, as a result of which a substantial debt had been incurred, exacerbated the government's financial difficulties. But James and his ministers wrestled strenuously to try to put the government's financial house in order. Newton discusses the Hampton Court Conference and the Gunpowder Plot only briefly, on the grounds that their significance has been exaggerated. I think that this is a mistake, since James's policies were developed in large measure in response to what these events revealed about the religious problems confronting the country. Nevertheless, for the attentive reader, her treatment of the religious and political context of these events illuminates them considerably. One important contribution of the book is that it gives a good deal of attention to the petition of Northamptonshire gentlemen in early 1605 on behalf of clergy who resisted conformity to the canons of the previous year. She demonstrates convincingly that James's resolute and evenhanded treatment of the problem of political and religious unrest in an important part of England was key to turning back a serious effort to undo his attempted settlement of religion.

Newton examines and analyzes a wide variety of sources, from central government records to local records in a dozen counties. The sweep and intensity of her research are clearly evident. Throughout the book she demonstrates that James was very much a “hands-on” ruler, who acted quickly to meet challenges. She shows that he had a confidence that sprang from two decades of largely successful rule in Scotland. The book's conclusion is amply supported by evidence: “King James emerges as energetic, vigorous, intelligent and flexible. He quickly grasped the essentials of both Church and State in his new kingdom, which he managed shrewdly, effectively, and even innovatively. Above all his legacy was political and religious stability” (146). This book goes a long way toward disproving the once-prevalent view of James I as a lazy and idle administrator, an opinionated and self-absorbed intellectual out of touch with political realities, and a foreigner who never grasped the fundamentals of English law or the constitution. Instead, as Newton points out, he was one who soon came to recognize the ambiguities and limits of the English “mixed monarchy” that had resulted from the religious and political changes of the sixteenth century, particularly under Henry VIII. With remarkable sagacity he made the system work without producing either intractable problems or irreconcilable conflicts. His vision was of a realm at peace, and he made an impressive start toward realizing this vision during his first several years on the English throne.