The Loyalty of the Last Long Parliament – 1681 | Restoration Political Tract

The Loyalty of the Last Long Parliament, or, A Letter to an English Gentleman at Florence by a 1681 political tract anonymously written by “T.B.”. This rare Restoration-era pamphlet explores debates over Parliament’s loyalty and the extent of royal prerogative, situating contemporary conflicts within the context of earlier assemblies. It references the king’s statement of 20 February 1663, positioning the discussion against a longer tradition of parliamentary disputes. Works like this illustrate the political tensions surrounding Charles II’s reign, providing firsthand printed evidence of seventeenth-century political thought. Its survival underscores the volatility of press and politics during the later Stuart monarchy, where printed argument often served as both advocacy and rebuttal within contentious national debates.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Loyalty of the Last Long Parliament, or, A Letter to an English Gentleman at Florence
• Author(s): “T.B.” (anonymous)
• Publisher: London, Printed for Francis Smith, Senior
• Edition: First edition, 1681
• Format: (8vo), single volume
• Binding: Leather spine with marbled boards
• Size:  8 in x 6 in (20.3 cm x 15.2 cm)
• Collation: 20pp
• Contents Include:
  • Letter to an English Gentleman at Florence
  • Commentary on “late Parliaments”
  • Reference to King’s 20 Feb. 1663 remark

Condition:

Very Good. Secure leather binding with marbled boards, showing only minor wear consistent with age. Spine firm and joints stable. Pages complete, clean, and bright with only light toning from age. Text block tight and without significant defects.

Why Collect This?

• Rare Restoration-era pamphlet defending and analyzing Parliament’s conduct
• Direct reference to Charles II’s political statements in 1663
• Valuable to collectors of Stuart politics, English law, and press history

Item Number: # 29368