Welsh Journals

assigned to the Unitarians. On p. 202 there is a strange confusion between Swedenborgianism and the faith of the Catholic Apostolic Church (Irvingism), whilst on p. 320 she follows Pevsner in referrring to Holy Trinity, Hanley, instead of Holy Trinity, Hartshill. Other North Staffordshire curiosities include quite erroneously making Wedgwood's partner Bently (sic) into a supervisor of the potter's work-force (p. 248). The first mayor of Hanley is cited as E. J. Ridgway rather than his more famous uncle, John Ridgway of Cauldon Place (p. 290). Twentieth-century collieries provoke some confusion (p. 343). Beyond this, there are parts of the story not told; some are arguably an author's personal choice, but others are substantial-for example, the omission of the major rebuilding at Lichfield Cathedral in the years following 1190 which represent something more substantial than the addition of a lady altar. A thirty-three page bibliography is a welcome addition, but once more the inaccuracies and inconsistencies abound in different styles of citation, typographical errors, sometimes minor, sometimes more significant: Echon for Ecton, Hapton for Hopton, Princetown for Princeton (presumably) amongst places. Quite often authors will find some of their less significant works cited and more major ones omitted. Titles are sometimes unhelpfully abbreviated especially where this involves the omission of dates. The list of theses cited is eclectic and omits many important contributions to the history of the West Midlands. Too large a task too quickly undertaken is, in the end, one's response to this tour de force. JOHN BRIGGS Keele WALES IN THE REIGN OF JAMES I. By Geraint Dyfnallt Owen. Royal Historical Society Studies in History 53. Boydell and Brewer, 1988. Pp. 203. £ 29.50. A generation or so ago, the study of early Stuart history in Wales was in flourishing state, especially at Bangor, under the aegis of such notable students of the period as A. H. Dodd, Thomas Richards, E. G. Jones, and J. Gwynn Williams. In the interim, interest in the period has dwindled to such an extent as to make it something of a Cinderella in Wales. That gives all the more reason to welcome Dr. G. D. Owen's notably foray into the Wales of the first of the Stuart rulers. It follows up his earlier study of Elizabethan Wales and is, indeed, a volume along much the same lines as its predecessor, sharing many of the same strengths and weaknesses. Its virtues are the thorough and untiring search for evidence among the records of the Public Record Office in particular, and the presentation of its conclusions in lively and readable style, laced with the author's characteristically dry and laconic humour. Its weaknesses are the tendency to rely too exclusively on the judicial records from which most of the evidence is drawn, to present eminently quotable but parti-pris allegations as though they were established fact, and not to follow through the testimony of the