Abstract
Sir Thomas Smith was a jurist and specialist in languages, who had defended the Protestant church (or Ecclesia Anglicana) since the Reformation. He was an important man in the 16th century's British political life, as he had been a Member of Parliament, of the Privy Council of Queen Elizabeth I, a Justice of the Peace and a counselor of the young king Edward VI. Thomas Smith was actually a visionary man, who, thanks to his detailed analysis (which was very marked by his opinions on things), have led the way to many defendants of liberties and democracy in many ways. This analysis seems much evolved. The most surprising point is certainly the fact that few years after the writing of this book, when James I replaced Elizabeth, the role of Parliament had been totally overridden because of the theory of absolutism, according to which the King was the only and supreme authority of England. It was also believed that he took his powers directly from God, which meant that as God himself, the King was above the law, which was exactly the opposite of the ideas defended by Thomas Smith.
