'… this is a fascinating exercise in detective work - the book which gave me most enjoyment in a twelve month of reading.' Diarmaid MacCulloch, History Today

• List of illustrations; List of tables; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; 1. Introduction; 2. Familist belief: the quest for perfection; 3. Seedbeds and first shoots (1550–1579); 4. Development and consolidation (1565–1579); 5. Crisis (1576–1582); 6. Resolution: the pursuit of internal cohesion (1582–1603); 7. Resolution: the pursuit of external integration (1582–1603); 8. Crisis renewed (1603–1610); 9. After the first generation (1610–1700); 10. Conclusion; Appendix: the membership of the Family of Love; Bibliography; Index.

'… this is a fascinating exercise in detective work - the book which gave me most enjoyment in a twelve month of reading.' Diarmaid MacCulloch, History Today

• List of illustrations; List of tables; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; 1. Introduction; 2. Familist belief: the quest for perfection; 3. Seedbeds and first shoots (1550–1579); 4. Development and consolidation (1565–1579); 5. Crisis (1576–1582); 6. Resolution: the pursuit of internal cohesion (1582–1603); 7. Resolution: the pursuit of external integration (1582–1603); 8. Crisis renewed (1603–1610); 9. After the first generation (1610–1700); 10. Conclusion; Appendix: the membership of the Family of Love; Bibliography; Index.

'… this is a fascinating exercise in detective work - the book which gave me most enjoyment in a twelve month of reading.' Diarmaid MacCulloch, History Today

• List of illustrations; List of tables; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; 1. Introduction; 2. Familist belief: the quest for perfection; 3. Seedbeds and first shoots (1550–1579); 4. Development and consolidation (1565–1579); 5. Crisis (1576–1582); 6. Resolution: the pursuit of internal cohesion (1582–1603); 7. Resolution: the pursuit of external integration (1582–1603); 8. Crisis renewed (1603–1610); 9. After the first generation (1610–1700); 10. Conclusion; Appendix: the membership of the Family of Love; Bibliography; Index.