This volume surveys the rich English literary tradition, 1603-1660, in the context of the eventful decades between the accession of James I and the restoration of Charles II. The first Part describes the 'social rules of writing.' The second Part discusses the period's most innovative and important literary genres including satiric city comedy, country house poetry, chorography, masque, tragedy, tragicomedy, religious poetry, epic, the poetry of love and friendship, and a variety of prose.