Basilikon Doron: The King’s Gift

James Stuart—King James VI of Scotland—wrote Basilikon Doron (“"Kingly Gift”) for his then six-year-old son, Henry. The book was meant to distill all of James’ knowledge about king-craft, both practical and theoretical, into a brief primer. In 1599 James had seven copies printed, which he entrusted to reliable servants to be given to Henry when he was old enough, even if James did not survive so long—a reasonable precaution, given the short average lifespans of Elizabethan men, particularly those involved in politics.Unfortunately the originally intended audience, Prince Henry, died in 1616, before he could inherit his father’s thrones or read the book. Generations of other readers, however, have enjoyed this fascinating glimpse into the mind of an often misunderstood monarch.This edition features modernized spelling and adds copious front-matter and notes, including translations of all non-English words and quotations. Print editions include a full index.