"A contribution to debates about the origins of the Civil War, this study of English forests and hunting from the late sixteenth century to the early 1640s explores their significance in the symbolism and effective power of royalty and the nobility in early modern England. Blending social, cultural, and political history, Daniel Beaver examines the interrelationships among four local communities to explain the violent political conflicts in the forests in the years leading up to the Civil War. Adopting a micro-historical approach, the book explores how local politics became bound up with national political and ideological divisions"--book jacket.