ThisisamajornewstudenteditionofthetextdescribdeasthefirstmodernclassicofEnglishhistory.Bacon`spenetrationintohumanmotives,hislife-longexperienceofpoliticsandgovernment,andhisremardableliteraryskills,renderhisHistoryoftheReignofKingHenryamajorworkofEnglishliteratureandanimportantdocumentinthehistoryofpoliticalthought.TheintroductionplacesBacon`sHistoryinthecontextofRenaissancehisoriography,revealingitsdebt
toTacitus,andshowsBacon`soriginalityinre-orderingtraditionalmaterialtomakeacoherentpsychologicalanalysisoftheKing`sactions.Inadditiontotheusualseriesfeaturesandsupportingcontextualmaterial(includingrelevantEssaysbyBacon),generouseditorialfootnotesexplainthehistoricalandpoliticalissuesofthereignofHenry,andasubstantialglossaryclarifiesclarifiesBacon`srichbutsometimesunfamiliarvocabulary.
BRIANVICKERS,isProfessorofEnglishLiteratureandDirectoroftheCentreforRenaissanceStudies,ETHZurich.HehaspublishedextensivelyonFrancisBacon,notablyinFrancisBaconandRenaissanceProse(Cambridge,1968),EssentialArticlesonFrancisBacon(London,1972),andnumerousessays.HehasrecentlyeditedBaconsmajorEnglishworksfortheOxfordAuthorsseries,FrancisBacon(1996).