Introduction David Loewenstein and Janel Mueller; Part I. Modes and Means of Literary Production, Circulation, and Reception: 1. Literacy, society, and education Kenneth Charlton and Margaret Spufford; 2. Manuscript transmission and circulation Harold Love and Arthur F. Marotti; 3. Print, literary culture, and the book trade David Scott Kastan; 4. Literary patronage Graham Parry; 5. Languages of early modern literature in Britain Paula Blank; 6. Habits of reading and the creation of early modern literary culture Steven N. Zwicker; Part II. The Tudor Era from the Reformation to Elizabeth I: 7. Literature and national identity David Loades; 8. Literature and the court William A. Sessions; 9. Literature and the church Janel Mueller; Part III. The Era of Elizabeth and James VI: 10. Eliza's England, whose Scotland, whose Ireland? Claire McEachern; 11. Literature and the court Catherine Bates; 12. Indoctrination, edification, and polemic: literature and the church Patrick Collinson; 13. Literature and the metropolis Lawrence Manley; 14. Literature and the theater David Bevington; Part IV. The Earlier Stuart Era: 15. An emergent Britain?: literature and national identity Johann P. Sommerville; 16. Literature and the court Leah S. Marcus; 17. Literature and the church Debora Shuger; 18. Civic continuities and revolutionary beginnings: literature and London Thomas N. Corns; 19. The emergence of a metropolitan drama: literature and the theater to 1660 Martin Butler; 20. Literature and the household Barbara K. Lewalski; Part V. The Civil War and Commonwealth Era: 21. Literature and national identity in England Derek Hirst; 22. Literature and religion David Loewenstein and John Morrill; 23. Civil war and the new literary scene: literature and London Nigel Smith; 24. Literature and the household Helen Wilcox; 25. Alternative sites for literature: rural, convivial, and intellectual domains Joshua Scodel; 26. From revolution to restoration in English literary culture James Grantham Turner; Chronological outline of historical events and texts in Britain, 1528-1674, with list of selected manuscripts; Select bibliography (primary and secondary sources); Index.