This four-volume history argues that the origins of the English Reformation lie in the Lollard movement of the fourteenth century. First published in 1908, Volume 1 focuses on the history of the Lollards before the Reformation, and the question of royal supremacy during the Tudor period.

James Gairdner (1828-1912) was one of the foremost authorities of his day on the Tudor period. This four-volume historical survey (originally published 1908-1913) argues that the impetus for the English Reformation came from the Lollard movement of the late fourteenth century. A prolific researcher and editor, Gairdner devoted his career to English history, and his study is both meticulous and factually sound. His critics, however, were quick to observe that the Lollard hypothesis was tenuous, and this mature work is most valuable today to those interested in the history of Reformation scholarship. Volume 1 begins with an account of Lollard history from the fourteenth century to the eve of the Reformation. The second part of the volume focuses on the question of royal supremacy from an Elizabethan perspective looking back, and also includes a chapter on Sir Thomas More.