Towards the end of the Discourses concerning government Algernon Sidney praised Henry V's government. Henry's main aim, Sidney said, had been ‘the conquest of France’ and he had, therefore, shown utmost care not ‘to encroach upon the liberties of his subjects’. Since the only way to pursue glory and greatness was ‘by the bravery of a free and well-satisfied people’, Henry had instead maintained the ‘courage, strength, and love’ of his people. This willingness ‘to preserve their subjects’ liberty' had always been the chief characteristic of ‘virtuous and brave’ princes, who knew that this was the only means of encouraging ‘the people's valour’. Although Henry had made an attempt to perpetuate his government and to discourage his successors from enslaving the people, he had not succeeded. On the contrary, Sidney was ‘inclined to date the general impairing of our government’ from Henry's death onwards. Princes had almost continuously attempted ‘to advance their prerogative’ at the cost of the people's liberty. The only exception had been Queen Elizabeth. Following Henry, she had not set ‘about to mangle acts of parliament’ but had maintained the virtuous nature of the people and thereby the principles of ‘the mixed monarchies’.

This chapter is concerned with the ways in which Elizabethans in the 1570s and 1580s were engaged in an attempt to perceive their commonwealth in terms of classical humanism and themselves as virtuous citizens devoted to the civic life and public service for the promotion of the common good.