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Ambition and Failure in Stuart England: The Career of John, 1st Viscount Scudamore (Politics, Culture and Society in Early Modern Britain)

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This is a fine study of a 17th century provincial magnate who who labored hard to gain recognition and promotion from the Court of Charles I, was given an Irish peerage for his vocal support of the Duke of Buckingham in Parliament, and finally was
appointed ambassador to France (1635-9), a position he was little fitted for in view of his dogmatic rigidity and lack of international experience. He also performed disastrously as the leader of the king's party in Herefordshire in the early stages of the Civil War.

He was a staunch royalist and a friend and disciple of Archbishop Laud in his religious views, as evidenced by his extant correspondence with him. Scudamore's own notes on and extracts of his readings are apparently lost, and Atherton makes no attempt to describe his theological beliefs in detail. Instead, he carefully describes Scudamore's recorded behavior in religious matters.

Atherton deserves credit for considerable research and scrupulous adherence to the factual record.