In this splendid book, Weil focuses on the role of citizen informers in the aftermath of the 1688 Revolution, which saw the deposition of the Catholic James II and his replacement by William III, savior of Dutch Protestantism, and his wife Mary, daughter of James II. Invited by prominent members of the political elite, William came to England at the head of an army of 5,000 for the stated purpose of restoring the “liberties” allegedly imperiled by his predecessor. The major, and absolutely essential, task of the nascent regime was to establish its legitimacy. It would not be an easy sell. For the next decade, the Williamite government struggled to win the trust of English men and women, sponsoring, for example, the writing of tracts favorable to the government and, in a show of equanimity, appointing to high office less enthusiastic supporters of the new regime.

Although scholars have examined...

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