Memories of the Synod of Dort in 1618–19, when an official British delegation participated in the condemnation of Arminianism, have haunted the Church of England ever since – as a proceeding so seemingly alien to the ethos of Anglicanism. The response has been either to explain Dort away or simply consign it to oblivion, courses of action which this masterly edition of the relevant documents by Anthony Milton and his scrupulously fair commentary now make far harder, if not impossible, to justify. Milton begins with an excellent overview, followed by a ten-part selection of documents each with their own brief introduction. Where Latin documents are reproduced, very helpful accompanying English summaries are provided. The material is arranged under the following headings: political and theological background, opening sessions, prosecution of the Remonstrants or Dutch Arminians, disagreements among the delegates, the ‘collegiate suffrage’ of the British representatives, the canons passed by the synod and related proceedings, aftermath, and responses to the critics – especially the English Arminian Richard Montagu. Rightly rejecting the claim that the Synod of Dort was simply a ‘temporary foreign-policy expedient of King James’, Milton sets himself the dual task of relating the doctrinal views of the British participants to those of their continental colleagues and their fellow English divines at home. He is understandably chary about phrases such as ‘Calvinist consensus’, but writes of a ‘shared common membership of the community of Reformed churches’ and that the collegiate suffrage of the British delegation – made up of four English clergy and a single expatriate Scot – ‘reflected an attempted synthesis of the different strands of English protestant thought’. A contemporary translation of the collegiate suffrage, first published in 1629, is one of the documents edited by Milton and despite its ‘moderation’ is clearly compatible with the Dort canons which the British also signed. Included as well are three little known and fascinating Latin expositions of the theological points at issue by John Overall, who was the most vocal English defender of the Remonstrants at the time of the synod. But what exactly did Overall teach and how similar or different was his position to that of the most moderate of the English representatives John Davenant and Samuel Ward? Unlike Davenant and Ward, Overall would seem to have granted the essence of the Arminian case, namely that others beside the unconditionally elect could attain to heaven. (The more full-blooded Arminian Lancelot Andrewes did not, however, apparently put pen to paper at this date.) Milton has performed a tremendous service in making these and similar documents available. Moreover a second volume is promised. But can one enter a plea that this include some of the striking visual material generated by the synod, not least the Dort medal which the erstwhile British delegates were wont to wear as a badge of pride?