Following upon his Papist Pamphleteers and his English Catholic Books, 1641-1700, Father Clancy's new study focuses on the literary history of the English and Welsh Jesuits in the Seventeenth century, from the close of the Elizabethan age through the Stuart Period and up to the Enlightenment.

Tracing the main currents of the intellectual development of this important body of authors who wrote, translated and/or edited over 500 works on spirituality, theology, catechetics, history, sermons, drama, biography, controversy and devotional writings in Latin and English, this thorough study explores the shift of Jesuit spiritual writings from high spirituality to popular religion and the propagation of devotions.

Besides new editions of Elizabethan authors such as Robert Persons, Henri Garnet and Robert Southwell, it analyses the works of later writers such as Nathaniel Bacon, Henry Hawkins, John Falconer, Emmanuel Lobb, Edward Scarisbrick, Matthew Wilson, John Warner, William Darrell and John Huddleston.

An engaging portrayal of the spiritual and intellectual evolution of these influential writers, A Literary History of the English Jesuits will be of interest not only to religious historians but to students and teachers of literature and bibliography as well.