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L I F E
{f~ r)tnoOF (vj
John Milton,
Containing, befides the
Hiftory of his W ORKS,
Several Extraordinary Chara&ers
of Men and Books, Sedts, Parties,
and Opinions.
^ V *
Viclrix Caufa Diis flacuit, fed Cut an.
LONDON,
Printed by John Darby in Bartholomew Clef,
M. DC.XCJX,
( 5 )
THE
L I F E
O F
John Milton.
To T HOMAS R.AULINS of
Kilreag in Herefordshire Efq;
I SEND You at length, my bed
Friend, what you have fo often
and eameftly follicited me to
write, the Life of
MILTON, a Man eminent at home
and famous abroad for his univerfal
Learning, Sagacity, and (olid Judg¬
ment : but particularly noted as well
for thofe excellent Volumes he wrote on
A th
-v /
6 The LtfeofJohnMiltom
the behalf of Civil, Religious, and
Domeftic Liberty ; as for his divine and
incomparable Poems, which, equalling
the mod: beautiful Order and Expreffion
of any antient or modern Compofitions,
areinfinitly above them all for Sublimi¬
ty and Invention. Obfervins in this
J L*
performance the Rules of a faithful Hi-
iforian, being neither provok'd by Ma¬
lice, nor bnb'd by Favor, and as well
daring to fay all that is true, as fcorning
to write any Falfhood, I fhall not con¬
ceal what may be thought againft my
Author's Honor, nor add the leaft word
for his Reputation: but three things
I would have you fpecially obferve.
Firft, I fhall not be too minute in relat¬
ing the ordinary Circumftances of his
Life, and which are common to him
with all other Men. Writings of this
nature fhould in my opinion be defign'd
to recommend Virtue, and to expofe
Vice ,• or to illuftrat Hiftory, and to
preferve the memory of extraordinary
things. That a Man, for example, was
at fuch a time, or well at another,
fhould
A
The Life of John Milton. 7
fh ould never be mention'd ; except in
the Caufes or Efife&s, Cure or Continu¬
ance, there happens fomthing remark¬
able, and for the benefit of Mankind to
know. I had not therfore related Mil¬
ton's Headachs in his Youth, were it
not for the influence which this Indifpo-
fition had afterwards on his Eys; and
that his Blindnefs was raflily imputed
by his Enemies to the avenging Judg»
ment of God. Secondly, In the Cha¬
racters of SeCts, and Parties, Books or
Opinions, I (hall produce his own
words, as I find 'em in his Works; that
thofe who approve his Reafons, may
ow all the Obligation to himfelf, and
that I may elcape the blame of fuch as
may diflike what he fays. For it is
commonly feen, that Hiftorians are liif-
peCted rather to make their Hero what
they would have him to be, than fuch
as he really was; and that, as they are
promted by different Paflions, they put
thofe words in his mouth which they
might not fpeak themfelves without in¬
curring fom danger, and being accus'd
A 4 per- .
8 The Life of John Milton.
perhaps of Flattery or Injuftice : but 1
am neither writing a Satyr, nor a Pane¬
gyric upon Milton, but publifhing
the true Hiftory of his Anions, Works,
and Opinions. In the third place, I
would not have it expected that when I
quote a few Verfes or Paffages in a dif¬
ferent Language, I fhould always pre¬
tend to tranflate 'em, when the whole
turn or fancy abfolutely depends upon
the force of the Original words ,• for the
Ignorant could be nothing the wifer, and
the beft Tranflation would fpoil their
Beauty to the Learned. But this hap¬
pens fo rarely, and almoft only during
his Travels abroad, that it fcarce deferv'd
an Advertifment. The ampleft part of
my Materials I had from his own Books,
where, conftrain'd by the Diflfamations
of his Enemys, he often gives an ac¬
count of himfelf. I learnt lom Parti¬
culars from a Perlon that had bin once
his Amanuenfis, which were confirm'd
to me by his Daughter now dwelling in
London, and by a Letter written to one
at my defire from his laft Wife, who is
ftill
The Life of John Milton. p
ftill alive. I perus'd the Papers of one of
his Nephews, learnt what I could in
Difcourfe with the other} and laftly
confulted fuch of his Acquaintance, as,
after the befb inquiry, I was able to dis¬
cover. Thus completely furnifh'd, I
undertook, moft ingenious Sir, the fol¬
lowing Work, as well to oblige you, as
to inform Pofterity} and perform d what
I knew would be acceptable to my Friend
with as much pleafure as ever you per¬
us'd our Author's excellent Sheets.
JOhn Milton, the Son likewife of
John M ilton, and Sarah Cas-
ton, a Woman exemplary for her Liberality
to the Poor, was born in London, in the Year of
Chrift 1606. a Gentleman by his Education
and Family, being defcended from the M1 l-
tons of Milton in Oxford/hire; tho if you
confider him in his admirable Works or Genius,
he was truly and eminently noble. But he had
too much good Senfe to value himfelf upon any
other Qualities except thofe of his Mind, and
which only he could properly call his own:
for all external and adventitious Titles, as they
may at the pleafure of a Tyrant, or by an un-
fortunat Attemt againft his Government, be
quite abolifh'd ; fo we often find in Hereditary
Ho-
I o The Life of John Milton.
Honors, that thofe Diftin&ions which the
Brave and the Wife had juftly obtain'd from
their Country, defcend indifferently to Cow¬
ards, Tray tors, or Fools, and fpoil the In-
duftry of better Souls from indeavoring to e-
qual cr excede the Merits of their Anceftors.
His Father was a polite Man, a great Mafter
of Mufic, and by Profeflion a Scrivener, in
which Calling, thro his Diligence and Honefty,
he got a competent Eftate in a fmall time : for
he was difinherited by his bigotted Parents for
imbracing the Proteftant Religion, and abjur¬
ing the Popifh Idolatry. He had two other
Children, Anna marry'd to Edward
Philips; and Christopher bred to
the Common .Law, who, more refembling his
Grandfather than his Father or Brother, was of
a very fuperftitious nature, and a man of no
Parts or Ability. After the late Civil Wars,
tho he was intirely addicted to the Royal Caufe,
no notice was taken of him, till the late King
James, wanting a fet of Judges that would
declare his Will to be fuperior to our Legal
Conftitution, created him the fame day a Ser¬
jeant and one of the Barons of the Exchequer,
knighting him of courfe, and making him next
one of the Judges of the Common Pleas: But
he quickly had his quietus eft, as his Mafter not
long after was depos'd for his Maladminiftrati-
on by the People of England, reprefented in a
Convention at Weftminfter. To return now
to the Perfon who makes the Subject of this
Dif-
TheLife of John Milton. 11
Difcourfe, John Milton was deftin'd to
be a Scholar, and partly under domeftic Tea¬
chers (wherof one was Thomas Young,
to whom the firft of his familiar Letters is in-
fcrib'd) and partly under Dr. G/7/, the chief
Mafter of PauPs School (to whom like wife
the fifth of the fame Letters is written) he made
an incredible Progrefs in the knowlege of
Words and Things, his Diligence and Incli¬
nation outftripping the care of his Inftru&ors.
After the twelfth Year of his Age, fuch was
his infatiable. thirft for Learning, he feldom
went to bed before midnight. This was the
firft undoing of his Eys, to whofe natural de¬
bility were added frequent Headachs, which
could not retard or extinguifh his laudable Paf-
fion for Letters. Being thus initiated in feveral
Tongues, and having not flightly tailed the
inexpreffible Sweets of Philofophy, he was fent
at 15 to ChriJPs College in Cambridg to purfue
more arduous and folid Studies. This fame
Year he gave feveral Proofs of his early Genius
for Poetry, wherin he afterwards fucceded fo
happily, that to all Ages he'l continue no lefs
the Ornament and Glory of England, than H o-
m e r is own'd to be that of Greece, and V i r-
g i l of Italy. He firft tranflated fom Pfalms
into Englifh Verfe, wherof the 114th begins in
this manner.
When
11 The Life of John Milton.
When the bleft Seed oFTerah's faithful
Son,
After long toil their Liberty had won,
And paft from Pharian Fields to Can/tan Land,
Led by the ftrength of the Almighty's Hand;
Jehovah's Wonders were in Ifrael fhown,
His Praife and Glory was in Ifrael known.
Ip his feventeenth Year he wrote a handfom
Copy of Verfes on the Death of a Sifter's
Child that dy'd of a Cough ; and the fame
Year a Latin Elegy on the Death of the Bifhop
of Wmchejter, with another on that of Ely.
'Twas then alfo that he compos'd his fine Poem
on the Gunpouder Treafon; concerning all
which and the reft of his Juvenil pieces, the
judicious Morho f, in his Polyhiflor Litera-
rim, fays, that Milton's Writings fhew
him to have bin a Man in his very Childhood ;
and that thefe Poems are excedingly above the
ordinary Capacity of that Age. Hecontinu'd
in Cambridg feven years, where he liv'd with
great Reputation, and generally belov'd, till
taking the degree of Mafter of Arts, and per¬
forming hisExercifes with much applaufe, he
left the Univerfity : for he aim'd at none of
thofe Profeflions that require a longer ftay in
that place. Som of his Academic Perform¬
ances are ftill extant among his occafional Po¬
ems, and at the end of his familiar Letters.
The five fucceding years he liv'd with his Fa-
The Life of John Milton. i 3
ther in his Country Retirement at Horton near
Colebrook in Barkjhire, where at full ieifure he
perus'd all the Crete and Latin Writers ; but
was not fo much in love with his Solitude, as
not to make an excurfion now and then to Lon¬
don, fomtimes to buy Books, or to meet Friends
from Cambridg ; and at other times to learn fom
new thing in the Mathematics or in Mufic,with
which he was extraordinarily delighted. It
was about this time he wrote from London a
Latin Elegy to his intimat Friend Charles
Diodati, wherin fom Verfes reflecting on
the Univerfity, and preferring the Pleafures of
the Town, gave a handle afterwards to certain
Perfons no lefs ignorant than malitious, to re¬
port that either he was expel'd for fom Mifde-
meanor from Cambridg, or left it in difcontent
that he obtain'd no Preferment : and that at
London he fpent his time with leud Women, or
at Playhoufes. But the falfity of this ftory
we fhall in due place demonifrat, and in the
mean time infert thofe lines for the fatisfa&ion
of the curious.
Me tenet urbs rejlua quam alluit unda,
Meque neeinvitum patr habet.
'Jam nee arundiferum mihi cur a revifere Cam inn,
Nee dudum vetiti me angit amor.
Nuda nec arvaplacent, u negantia ,
Quern male Phcebicolis convenit ille locus /
Nec duri libet ufque minas Magijlri,
Cateraqueingenio non fubeunda meo.
14 The Life of John Milton.
Si fit hoc exilium patrios adiffe penatesy
Et vacuum cur is otiagrata. Jequi,
Non ego velprofugi nomen, fortemve recufo,
Lotm & exilii conditione fruor.
0 utinam vates nunquam graviora tuliffet
llle Tomitanoflehilis exul agro;
Non tunc lonio quicquam cejftffet Homeroy
Neque foret victo lam tibi prima, Maro.
Tempora nam licet hie placidis dare libera Mufis,
Et totum rapiunt me me a vita libri.
Excipit hinc fejfum finuofi pompa Theatri,
Etvocat ad plaufm garrula fcena fuos.
Et paulo poft:
Sed neque fub teclo femper, nec in urbe, latemm,
Irrita nec nobis tempora veris eunt•
Nos quoque lucm habet vicino confitus ulmoy
At que fuburbani nobilis umbra loci.
Sopim hie blandas fpirantia Sydera fiammas
Virgineos videos proteriijfe Choros.
He wrote another Latin Elegy to Charles
I^iodati; and in his twentieth year he
made one on the approach of the Spring: but
the following year he defcribes his falling in
love with a Lady (whom he accidentally met,
and never afterwards faw) in fuch tender Ex-
preffions, with thofe lively Paffions, and Ima¬
ges fo natural, that you would think Love
himfelf had directed his Pen, or infpir'd your
own Breaft when you perufe them. We fball
7he Life of John Milton. 15
fee him now appear in a more ferious Scene, tho
yet a Child incomparifon of the Figure Ije af¬
terwards made in the World. The Death of
his Mother happening likewife about this time
facilitated his defign, which was with his Fa¬
ther's leave to travel into foren Regions, being
perfuaded that he could not better difcern the
Preeminence or Defefts of his own Country,
than by obferving the Cuftoms and Inftituti-
ons of others; and that the fludy of never fo
many Books, without the advantages of Con-
verfation, ferves only to render a Man either a
ftupid Fool, or an infufferable Pedant. Firft
therfore he procedes to France with one Ser¬
vant, and no Tutor: for fuch as ftill need a
Pedagog are not fit to go abroad ; and thofe
who are able to make a right ufe of their Tra¬
vels, ought to be the free Matters of their own
Aflions, their good Qualifications being fuf-
ficient to introduce 'em into all places, and to
prefent 'em to the moft deferving Perfons. He
had an elegant Letter of Dire&ion and Advice
from the famous Sir Henry W 0 t t o n,
who was a long time Ambaffador from King
James the Firft to the Republic of Venice.
Being arriv'd at Paris, he was moft kindly re-
ceiv'd by the Englifb Ambaffador, who recom¬
mended him to the famous Grot ius, then
Ambaffador alfo from Queen Christina
of Sweden at the French Court: for we may
eafily imagin that Milton was not a little
defirous to be known to the firft Perfon then in
the
16 The Life of John Milton/
the World for reading and latitude of Judgment,
to fpeak nothing of his other meritorious Cha¬
racters. From hence he parted for Italy, where,
after pafling thro feveral noted Places, he came
at length to Florence ; a City for the Politenefs of
the Language, and the Civility of the Inha¬
bitants, he always infinitly admir'd. In this
place he ftaid about two months, and was dai¬
ly aflifting at thofe learned Conferences which
they hold in their privat Academys, according
to the laudable Cuftom of both for the
improvement of Letters, and the begetting or
maintaining of Friendfhip. During this time
he contrafted an intimat Acquaintance with
feveral ingenious Men, moft of which have
fince made a noife in the World, and deferve
a mention in this place : I mean Gaddi, Da-
ti, FrESCOBALDI, F r a n c i n i, bon-
mattei, coltellin 0,C himentel-
l i, and feveral others. With thefe he kept a
conftant Correfpondence, particularly with
Carolo Dati, a Nobleman of Florence,
to whom he wrote the tenth of his Familiar
Epiftles, and who gave him the following Te-
ftimonial of his Efteem.
Joamt
The Life of John Milton. \y
foanni Miltoni Londinenfi,
fuveni patria & virtutibus eximio.
VIRO qui mult a peregrinatione, Jludio cunc-
ta orbis terrarum perfpexit, ut novus V-
lyffes omnia ubique ab omnibus apprehenderet. Po-
lyglotto, in cujus ore lingua jam deperdita fic re-
vivifcunt, ut idiomata omnia fint in ejus laudibus
infacunda ; & jure ea per collet, ut admirationes
& plaufus populorum ab propria fapientia excita-
tos, intelligat. llli, cujus animi dotes corporif
que fenfus ad admirationem commovent, & per
ipfam motum ctiique auferunt: cujus opera ad
plaufus hortantur, fed venuflate vocem auditori-
bus adimunt. Qui in memoria tot us orbis: in in¬
tellect u fapientia : in voluntate ardor gloria: in
ore eloquentia. Harmonicos coeleflium Sphara-
rum fonitus, Afironomia duce, audienti; charade-
res mirabilium natura, per quos Dei magnitudo
defcribitur, magiftra Philofophia legenti; antiqui-
tatum latebras, vetujlatis excidia, eruditionis
Ambages, comite afftdua autorum led tone, exqui-
renti, refauranti, percurrenti. At cur nitor
in arduum ? Mi in cujus virtutibus evulgandis
or a fama non fuffciant, nec hominum fiupor in
laudandis J at is efl, reverentia & amor is ergo hoc
ejus merit is debit urn admirationis tributum offer t
Carolus Datus Patricius Florentinus,
Tonto homini Servus, tanta virtutis Am at or.
B I
'
iB 7he Life of John Milton^
% I DON'T think the J^/z^Flourifhes were
ever carry'd further than in this Elogy, which
notwithftanding is fincere, and pen'd by an ho-
neft Man. Francini is not lefs liberal of
his Praifes in the long Italian Ode he composed in
his Honor, which, becaufe it dos Jufticeto the
Englijh Nation, and foretold the future Great-
nefsof Milton, I haveannex'dto thisDif-
courfe. That he correfponded afterwards with
Bonmattei, appears from the eighth of
his familiar Letters, which he wrote to him on
his defign of publifhing an "Italian Grammar,
and is not more elegant than pertinent. But
he attained that perfection himfelf in the Italian
Language, as to make fom Songs on a real or
feign'd Miftrefs, in one of which he gives a
handfom account of his writing in this Tongue.
Qual in colle ajpro, al imbrunir di feray
I? avez,z,a giovinetta pafiorella
Va bagnando Uherbetta fir ana e bella,
Chemal fi fpande a difufata (pera
Fruor di fua natia alma prima vera :
Cofi amor meco infiu la lingua fnella
Defia ilfior nuovo di firaniafavella ;
Mentre io di te, vez>z,oz,amente alt era ^
Canto dal mio buonpopo.l non intefio,
£7 belTamigi cangio col be I arno :
Amor lo volfij ed io a P altrui pefo ;
Seppi clfamor cofa mai volfe indarno.
Deh! fofs^il mio cuor lento, tfV duro fieno
A chi pianta dal ciel fibuon terreno.
From
The Life of John Milton. 19
From his belov'd Florence he took his Journy
next to Rome, where he ftay'd two other
Months to fee the miferable Remains of that
famous City, once the glorious Mi lire is of the
World, and defervedly fo, as being then not
only the faireft thing under Heaven ; but that,
till the Ambition of a few Perfons corrupted her
equal Government, fhe extended Liberty and
Learning as far as the Glory of her Name, or
the Terror of her Arms. Here, no doubt, all
the Examples he had hitherto read of the Vir¬
tue, Eloquence, Wifdom, or Valor of her an-
tient Citizens, occur'd to his mind; and could
not but opprefs with grief his generous Soul,
when with his own eys he faw Rome now the
chief Seat of the raoft exquifit Tyranny exer-
cis'd by efteminat Priefts, not reigning in the
World thro any conceiv'd opinion of their Ju-
ftice, or dread of their Courage (for to thefe
Qualities they are known and fworn Enemys)
but deluding men with unaccountable Fables,
and difarming 'em by imaginary Fears, they
fill their heads firft wirh Superftition, and then
their own Pockets with their Mony. Here he
became acquainted with the celebrated Lucas
Holstenius the Vatican Librarian, who
us'd him with great Humanity, and readily
lhew'd him all the Greet Authors, whether
publifh'd or otherwife, that paft his Care and
Emendations: He alfoprefented him to Car¬
dinal Barb e ri n r, who at an entertainment
ofMufic, perform'dathisown expence, look'd
B 2 for
2 o The Life of John Milton.
for him in the Croud, and gave him a kind In¬
vitation. To thank Holstenius for all
thefe Favors, Milton wrote afterwards
from Florence the ninth of his Familiar Letters.
At Rome he likewife commenc'd a Friendfhip
with the Poet Giovanni Sals.illi,
who in the following Tetraftich extols him
for writing fo correftly in Greecy Latiny and
Italian.
Cede Meles, cedat deprejfa Mincius urnay
Sebetus Taffum definat ufque loqui:
At Thamefis victor cunctis ferat altior undasy
Nam per te, Mtlto> par tribus unus erit.
Mil t o n in returnfent toSALSi lli,fhort-
ly after lying fick, thofe fine Scazons which
may be read among his Juvenil Poems. And
here too did Selvaggi adorn him with this
Diftich.
Gratia Maonidem, jaclet fibi Roma Maronem:
Anglia Miltonum j act at utrique par em.
Having departed from Rome to Naples, he was
introduced by his Fellow Traveller to Gio¬
vanni Battista Man so, Marquifs
of Villa, a Perfon moft nobly defcended, of
great Authority, renownM for his military At-
■chievments, and a Patron of learned Men.
To him the famous Tasso infcribM his Poem
of Friendfhip, and makes honorable mention
of
The Life of John Milton. 21
of him among - the Princes of Campania in the
twentieth Book of his Gierufalemme Conquifiata.
He went himfelf to fhew him all the remark¬
able Places of that City, vifited him often at
his Lodging, and made this Diftich in his
Commendation, which he addrelfes to him¬
felf.
Ut mens, forma, decor, fades, mos ; fi pietas ficy
Non Anglus, verum Hercle Angelas ipfe fores.
This exception of his Piety relates to his being
a Proteftant; and the Marquifs told him he
would have don him feveral other good Offices,
had he bin more refervkl in matters of Religi¬
on. But our Author out of Gratitude for all
thefe Angular Favors from one of his high Qua¬
lity, prefented him at his departure with an
incomparable Latin Eclog, intitul'd Manfus,
which is extant among his occafional pieces:
and that I may mention it by the way, I don't
queftion but it was from Manso's Conver-
fation and their Difcourfes about Tasso, that
he firft form'd his defign of writing an Epic
Poem, tho he was not fo foon determined about
the Subjeft.
HE was now preparing to pafs over into
Sicily and Greece, when he was recal'd by the
fad News of a Civil War beginning in Eng¬
land ; efteeming it an unworthy thing for him
fecurely to be diverting himlelf abroad, when
his Countrymen were contending at home for
B 3 their
21 The Life of John Milton.
their Liberty, Intending therfore to return
to Rome, he was advis'd by fom Merchants to
the contrary ; for they had learnt from their
Correfpondents, that the English Jefuits were
framing Plots againft him by reafon of the
great Freedom he us'd in his Difcourfes of Re¬
ligion. Notwithftanding, having refolv'd not
to begin any Difputes, but, being ask'd, not to
diffemble his Sentiments whatever might in-
fue, he went the fecond time to Rome, and
ftay'd there two months longer, neither con¬
cealing his Name, nor declining openly to de¬
fend the Truth under the Pope's nofe, when a-
ny thought fit to attack him : yet he returned
fafe to his learned and affe&ionat Friends in
Florence. I forgot all this while to mention
that he paid a Vifit to Galileo, then an
old man, and a Prifoner to the Inquifition for
thinking otherwife in Aftronomy than pleas'd
the Francifcan and Dominican Friers. He tarry'd
two other months in Florence, and having feen
Lucca,, Bononia, Ferrara, he arriv'd in Venice.
After fpending one month here, andfhipping
off all the Books he colleCted in his Travels,
he came thro Verona, Milan, crofs the Alps,
and along the Lake Lemanno to Geneva, where
he contracted an intimat Familiarity with Gi¬
ovanni Diodati, a noted Profeffor of
Divinity, and was known to feveral others,
particularly to the celebrated Critic and Anti¬
quary Ezechiel Spanhemjus now a -
live, to whom he wrote the 17 th of his Familiar
* Letters,
The Life of John Milton. 2}
Letters,and who,together with Calandri-
n 1, and fom more of that City, fent him intelli¬
gence afterwards concerning his Antagonill:
Morus, wherof in due order. So leaving this
place, and palling back again thro France, he
did after one year and three month's Pe¬
regrination return fafe into England, much
about the fame time that King Charles the
|ltii Firft made his fecond unfuccefsful Expedition a-
*,» gainft the Scots. As foon as the Complements
of Friends or Acquaintance were over, he hir'd
a handfom Lodging in the City, to be a retreat
for himfelf and his Books in fuch uncertain
and troublefom times. But he continu'd a long
while inconfolable for the lofs of his deareft
Friend and Schoolfellow CharlesDioda-
ti, mention'd before, who dy'd in his ablence.
He was from Lucca originally, but an Englifh-
man born, a Student in Phyfic, and an excel¬
lent Scholar, as I have good reafons to believe,
and appears by two Letters of his to
Milton, very handfomly written, and
which I have now in my hands. Our Author
in mournful Notes bitterly laments the imma¬
ture fate of this young Gentleman, whom he
denotes by the appellation of Damon in an
Eclog nothing inferior to the Maronian ,
and which is to be ftill feen among his Latin
Mifcellanies. By this piece we plainly find that
he had already conceiv'd the Plan of an Epic
Poem, wherof he then defign'd the Subject
fhould be the warlike Attions of the old Bn-
B 4 tifb
24- The Life of John Milton,
tijh Heroes, and particularly of King A r-
t h u r, as he declares himfelf in thefe Verfes.
Ipfe ego Dardahias Rut up in a per aquora puppes
Die amy & Pandrajidos regnum vetus Inogenia,
Brennumcpue, Arviragumcpue Duces, prijeumofue
Belinum,
Et tandem Armoricos Britonum fub lege Colonos ;
Turn gyavidam Arturo fatali fraude Idgernen,
Mendaces vultus affumtaque G or lots arm a,
Merlini Dolus.
But this particular Subject was refervM for the
celebrated Pen of Sir Richard Black-
more. Som few lines after he declares his
Ambition of performing fomthing in his native
Language that might perpetuat his Name in
thefe Hands, tho he fhould be the more obfeure
and inglorious by it to the reft of the World.
His words, becaufe they are wonderfully fine,
I fhall here infert.
■
* —Mihi fatis amp la
Mercesy & mihi grande decus (fim ignotus in
avum
Turn licet, externopenitufepue inglorius orbi)
Si me flava comas legat Vfa, & pot or Alauniy
Vorticibufyue frequens Abra, & nemus omne
Treantay
Et Thamefis me us ante omneSy & fufca metallis
Tamara, & extremis me difcant Or cades undis
The Life of John Milton. ij
I faid above that it was by his Converfation
with the Marquifs of Villa, who fo nobly
honored the immortal Memory of Tasso,
that our Milton form'd his vaft Defign,
That this was not a mere Conjecture, and
that King Arthur alfo was to be the He¬
ro of that piece, let but thefe Verfes of his
Man fa be confider'd.
0 mihi ft me a fors talem concede amicum
Phceb^os decor affe viros qui tarn bene nor it,
Siquando indigents revocabo in car mind reges,
Artarumque etiam fub Terr is bella movent em \
Aut die dm invift&focidli feeder e menfe
Mdgndnimos Herods, & (0 modo fpiritus adfit)
Frdngdm Saxonicas Britonum fub Marte Pha¬
langes.
BUT to return to his Lodgings, where we
left him, there, both to beeas'd in the reading of
the beft Authors, and todifcharge his Duty to
his Sifter's Sons that were partly committed to
his Tuition, he undertook the care of their E-
ducation, and inftrufted them in Latin, Greec,
Hebrew and other Oriental Dialefls; likewife
in feveral parts of the Mathematics, in Cofmo-
graphy, Hiftory, and fom modern Languages,
as French and Italian. Som Gentlemen of his
intimat Friends, and to whom he could deny
nothing, prevailed with him to impart the fame
benefits of Learning to their Sons, fpecially
fince the trouble was no more wth many than
16 The Life of John Milton.
a few. He that well knew the greateft Perfons
in all ages to have bin delighted with teaching
others the Principles of Knowlege and Virtue,
eafily comply'd ; nor was his Succefs unan-
fwerable to the opinion which was generally
entertained of his Capacity. And not content
to acquaint his Difciples with thole Books that
are commonly read in the Schools, wherof fe-
veral, no doubt, are excellent in their kind,
tho others are as trivial or impertinent; he
made them likewife read in Latin the antient
Authors concerning Husbandry, as CatO,
V a r r o, Columella, and Palladi-
us; alfo Cornelius Celsus the Phy-
fician, Pliny's Natural Hiftory, the Ar¬
chitecture of Vi truvius, the Stratagems
of Frontinus, and the Philofophical Po¬
ets Lucretius and Manilius. To
the ufual Greec Books, as H o m e r and H e-
s i o d, he added Aratus, Dion ys iusPe-
riegetes, oppian, Qll i n t u s C a-
laber, Apollonius Rhodius, Plu¬
tarch, Xenophon, ^Elian's Tac¬
tics, and the Stratagems of Poly# nus. It
was this greateft fign of a good Man in him,
and the higheft Obligation he could lay on his
Friends, without any fordid or mercenary
purpofes, that gave occafion to his Adverfaries
with opprobrioufly terming him a School-
mafter; tho were this charge as true as it is
utterly falfe, I fee not how it fhould any way
tend to his Difhonor, if he had bin neceflitat-
ed
The Life of John Milton. 27
ed to fuch a laborious occupation for his living,
and difcharg'd it with due Honefty and Care.
lrtllei But what's very remarkable is, that the moft
forward to reproach him in this manner, were
themfelves mean Tutors in the Univerfity, and
the greateft of 'em only a Profeffor, which are
but nominally diftinguifhable from School-
matters.
H E tells us himfelf in his fecond Defence,
That on his return from Travelling he found
all mouths open againft the Bifhops, fom
cdinplaining of their Vices, and others quar¬
relling at the very Order; and that thinking
from fuch beginnings a way might be open'd
to true Liberty, he heartily ingag'd in the
Difpute, as well to refcue his Fellow-Citi¬
zens from Slavery, as to help the Puritan Mi-
nifters, who were inferior to the Bifhops in
Learning. He firft of all therfore in the
year 1641. publifh'd two Books of Reforma¬
tion, dedicated to a Friend. In the firft of
thefe he fhews, by orderly fteps, from Henry
the Eighth's Reign, what were all along the
real impediments in this Kingdom to a perfefl
Reformation, which in general he reduces to
two heads, that is, our retaining of Ceremo¬
nies, and confining the Power of Ordination to
Diocefan Bifhops exclufively of the People.
" Our Ceremonies, he fays, are fenflefs in
u themfelves, and ferve for nothing but either
u to facilitat our return to Popery ; or to hide
the defe&s of better Knowlege, and to fet
" off
u
2 8 The Life of John Milton.
ic off the Pomp of Prelacy. As for the Bifhops,
many of whom he denys not to have bin good
Men, tho not infallible, nor above all human
Frailties, he affirms, u that at the beginning,
" tho they had renounced the Pope, they hug'd
" the Popedom, and fhar'd the Authority a-
<c mong themfelves. In King Ed ward the
Sixth's time, he affirms, u they were with
ic their proftitute Gravities the common Stales
" to countenance every politic fetch that was
<c then on foot. If a Toleration for Mafs were
a to be beg'd of the King for his Sifter Mary,
(c left Charles the Fifth fhould be angry ;
who but the grave Prelats, Cranmer
" and Ridley, fhould be lent to extort it
" from the young King ? When the Lord
" Slid ley, Admiral of England, and the
" Protestor's Brother, was wrongfully to lofe
u his Life, no man could be found fitter than
" Latimer to divulge in his Sermon the
" forg'd Accufations laid to his charge, ther-
u by to defame him with the People. Cran-
a mer, one of King Henry's Executors,
cC and the other Bifhops, did, to gratify the
u Ambition of a Tray tor, confent to ex-
a elude from the Succeffion, not only Mary
u the Papift, but alfo Elizabeth the Pro-
u teftant, tho before declar'd by themfelves
" the lawful Iffue of their late Mafter. In
Queen Elizabeth's Reign he imputes
the Obftru&ions of a further Reformation ftill
to the Bifhops, and then procedes from Anti-
The Life of John Miltcri. ip
quity to prove that all Ecclefiaftical Ele&ions
belonged to the People; but that if thofe Ages
had favor'd Epifcopacy,we fhould not be much
concerned, fince the bejl times were fpreading-
ly infected, the beft Men of thofe times foul¬
ly tainted, and the bejl Writings of thofe Men
dangeroujly adulterated ; which Propofitions he
labors to prove at large. In the fecond Book
he continues his Difcourfe of Prelatical Epif-
copacy, difplays the Politics of the fame;
which, according to him, are always oppofit
to Liberty : he deduces the Hiftory of it down
from its remoteft Original, and fhews, that
in England particularly it is fo far from being,
as they commonly allege, the only Form of
Church-Difciplin agreable to Monarchy, that
the mortalleft Difeafes and Convulfions of the
Government did ever procede from the Craft
of the Prelats, or was occafion'd by their Pride.
Then he incourages the Englijh and Scots to
purfue their begun Conteft for Liberty by this
Exhortation. u Go on both, hand in hand,
" O Nations, never to be difunited. Be the
u Fraife and the heroic Song of all Pofterity.
tC Merit this ; but feek only Virtue, not to
16 extend your limits: for what need you win a
" fading triumphant Laurel out of the Tears of
" wretched Men; but to fettle the pure Wor-
" Ihip of God in his Church, and juftice in
" the State? Then fhall the hardeftDifficul-
u ties fmooth out themfelves before you ; Envy
fhall fink to Hell, Craft and Malice be con-
" founded,
30 The Life of John Milton.
" founded, whether it be homebred Mifchief,
u or outlandifli Cunning: Yea other Nations
" will then covet to ferve you; forLordfhip
u and Victory are but the Pages of Juftice and
" Virtue. Commit fecurely to true Wifdom
" the vanquifhing and uncafing of Craft and
" Subtilty, which are but her two Runnagates.
" Join your invincible Might to do worthy and
" Godlike Deeds, and then he that feeks to
" break your Union, a cleaving Curfe be his
" Inheritance to all Generations.
AFTER this, certain Minifters having
written a Treatifeagaind Epifcopacy, the Title
Smeclymnuus confiding of the initial Letters of
their Names, and a Bifhop of no fmall Autho¬
rity having beftow'd an Anfwer upon it, M i l-
t o n, to ufe his own words, fuppofing him-
felf not lefs able to write for Truth, than o-
thers for their Profit or unjuft Power, publifh'd
his piece of PreUticalEpifcopacy. In this Book
he proves againfl: the famous Usher (for he
would not readily ingage a meaner Adverfary)
that Diocefan Epifcopacy, or a fuperior Order
to the common Miniftry, cannot be deduc'd
from the Apoftolical times by the force of fuch
Tefti monies as are alleg'd to that purpofe.
Now Usher's chief Talent lying in much
reading, and being a great Editor and Admirer
of old Writings, Milton fhews the Infuf-
ficiency, Inconveniency and Impiety of this
method to eftablifh any part of Chriftianity ;
and blames thofe Perfons who cannot think any
Doubt
7he Life of Jolm Milton.1 31
ifti? Doubt refolv'd, or any Doftrin confirmed, un-
% lefs they run to that indigefted heap and fry of
Wfj Authors which they call Antiquity. " What-
a foever either Time (fays he) or the heedlefs
" hand of blind Chance, has drawn down to
" this prefent in her huge Dragnet, whether
u Fifh or Seaweed, Shells or Shrubs, unpicked,
€i unchofen, thofe are the Fathers. And fo he
chides the good Bifhop for divulging ufelefs
Treatifes, ftuft with the fpecious Names of
Ignatius and Poly carpus, with
Fragments of old Martyrologies and Legends,
todiftra&and ftagger the multitude of credu¬
lous Readers.
HIS next performanee was the Reafon of
Church-Government urg'd againjl Prelacy, in two
Books, principally intended againft the fame
Usher's account of the Original of Epif-
copacy. The Eloquence is mafculin, the Me¬
thod is natural, the Sentiments are free, and
the whole (God knows) appears to have a very
different force from what the Nonconformift
Divines wrote in thofe days, or fince that time,
on the fame Subjefr. In the beginning of the
fecond Book he mentions his defign of writing
an Epic Poem, but continues ftill unrefolv'd,
whether his Hero fhould be fom Prince before
the Conqueft, or the Argument be borrowed
from the Scripture or the antient Heathen Hi-
ftory. But becaufe the account he gives of
what the Poet fhould propofe by fuch a work is
exa&ly juft, and withal fo properly expreft, I
fhal!
The Life of John Milton.
fhall not grudg to tranfcribe it in this place,
ci Thefe Abilities (fays he, fpeaking of Inven-
iC tion and Compofition) wherfoever they be
iC found, are the infpir'd Gift of God; rarely
beftow'd, but yet to fom (tho moft abufe
them) in every Nation, and are of power
iC to breed and cherifh in a great People the
a Seeds of Virtue and public Civility, to allay
the Perturbations of the Mind, and fet the
" Affe&ions in a right tune;—or laftly, what-
<£ foever is in Religion holy and fublime, in
" Virtue amiable or grave, whatfoever has
ic Paflion or Admiration in all the changes of
" that which is call'd Fortune from without,
u or the wily Subtilties and Refluxes of Mans
<c Thoughts from within, all thefe things with
(c a folid and treatable Smoothnefs to paint out
u and defcribe. Teaching over the whole
ic Book of Sanftity and Virtue thro all the
" inftances of Example, and with fuch de-
light, to thofeefpecially of a foft and delicious
" temper (who will not fo much as look up-
u on Truth her felf, unlefs they fee her ele-
a gantly dreft) that wheras the Paths of Ho-
<£ nefty and good Life appear now rugged and
" difficult, tho they be indeed eafy and plea-
u fant; they would then appear to all Men
" both eafy and pleafant, tho they were rugged
<c and difficult indeed. And what a Benefit
<c this would be to our Youth and Gentry,
" may be foon guefl: by wnat we know of the
" Corruption and Bane which they fuck in
" daily
The Life of John Milton." 3 3
u daily from the Writings and Interludes of
" libidinous and ignorant Poetafters ; j who ha v-
u ing fcarce ever heard of that which is
" the main confiftence of a true Poem, the
" choice of fuch Perfons as they ought to in-
troduce, and what is moral and decent to
" each one, do for the moft part lap up vitious
" Principles in fweet Pills to be fwallow'd
a down, and make the tafte of virtuous Do-
" cuments harfh and four. But becaufe the
u Spirit of Man cannot demean it felf lively
" in this Body without fom recreating inter-
u million of labor and ferious things, it were
" happy for the Commonwealth, if our Ma-
" giftrats, as in thofe famous Governments of
" old, would take into their care not only the
" deciding of our contentious Law cafes or
(C Brauls, but the managing of our public
u Sports and leftival Paftimes; that they might
" not be fuch as were authoriz'd a while fince,
u the Provocations of Drunkennefs and Lu'ft,
u but fuch as may inure and harden our Bodies
" by martial Exerciies to all warlike Skill and
u Performances; and may civilize, adorn, and
" make difcrete our Minds by the learned and af-
u fable meeting of frequent Academies, and the
" procurement of wile and artful Recitations,
u fweeten'd with eloquent and graceful Intice-
" merits to the love and praftice of juftice,
ic Temperance and Fortitude, inftrufling and
" bettering the Nation at all opportunities,
u that the voice of Wifdom and Virtue may
G "fcg
54 The Life of John Milton.
" be heard every where. Whether this may
" not be don, not only in Pulpits, but after
<£ another perfuafive method, atfet and fo-
" lemn Paneguries, in Theaters, Porticos, or
tc what other place or way may win moft up-
" on the People to receive at once both Recre-
ation and Inftrufkion, let them in Authority
" confult.
ANOTHER eminent || Bifhop having writ¬
ten againft Smectymnuus, our Author pub-
lifh'd Animadverfions on his Book ; and to the
Reafons alleg'd from Councils for fubftituting a
conftant form to occafional Prayers in public, he
gives the following Anfwer. " Set the grave
" Councils, fays he, upon their fhelves again,
" andftring them bard, left their various and
" jangling opinions put their leaves into a
<c flutter. I fhall not intend this hot Seafon to
" lead you a courfe thro the wide and dufty
'' Champain of the Councils; but fhall take
" counfel of that which counfel'd them, Rea-
" fon: And tho I know there is anobfolete
" Reprehenfion now at your Tongues end,
" yet I fhall be bold to fay, that Reafon is the
" Gift of God in one Man as well as inathou-
" fand. By that which we have tafted al-
" ready of their Cifterns, we may find that
" Reafon was the only thing, and not any di-
" vine Command, that mov'd them to injoin
the fet forms of a Liturgy. Firft, left any
" thing in general might be milfaid in their
" public Prayers, thro ignorance or want of
" care,
|| Jofefb Halt.
The Life of John Milcotn \ 5
care, contrary to the Faith: And next, left
" the Arians and Pelagians in particular fhould
u infeft the People by their Hymns and Forms
<4 of Prayer. But by the good leave of thefe
" antient Fathers, this was no folid prevention
<c of fpreading Herefy, to debar the Minifters
" of God the ufe of their nobleft Talent,
" Prayer in the Congregation ; unlefsthey had
<c forbid the ufe of all Sermons and Le&ures too
w but fuch as were ready made to their hands
u like our Homilies : or elfe he that was here-
<c tically difposM had as fair an opportuni-
" ty of infefting in his Difcourfe, as in his
a Prayer or Hymn. As infufficiently, and,
" to fay truth, as imprudently did they pro-
" vide by their contrived Liturgies, left any
u thing fhould be pray'd thro ignorance or
want of care in the Minifters: for if they
u were carelefs and ignorant in their Prayers,
eC certainly they would be more careleL in
u their preaching, and ft ill more carelefs in
" watching over their Flock ; and what pre-
(C fcription could reach to bound them in both
u thefe ? What if Reafon, now illuftrated by
" the Word of God, fhall be able to produce a
" better Prevention than thefe Councils have
" left us againft Herefy, Ignorance, or want
<c of care in the Miniftry, to wit, that fuch
u Wifdom and Diligence be us'd in the Edu-
e6 cation of thofe that would be Minifters,
" and fuch a ftrifl: and ferious Examination to
" be undergon before their admiflion, a St.
C a " Paul
16 The Life of John Milton.
" Paul to Timothy kts down at large ; and then
<c they need not carry fuch an unworthy fuf-
" picion over the Preachers of God's Word,
Cc as to tutor their Unfoundnefs with the a, b,
u c, of a Liturgy, or to diet their Ignorance
u and want of Care with the limited draught
" of a Mattin and Evenfong drench. What
his Opinion was of the Fathers he further de¬
clares, when he calls them thofe more antient
" than trufty Fathers, whom Cuftom and
u fond Opinion, weak Principles, and the neg-
<c left of founder Knowlege, has exalted fo
<c high, as to have gain'd them a blind Reve-
" rence ; whofe Books in bignefs and number
" endlefs and immeafurable, I cannot think
" that either God or Nature, either divine or
human Wifdom, did ever mean fhould be a
" Rule or Reliance to us in the decifion of any
16 weighty and pofitive Doftrins: for cer-
" tainly every Rule and Inftrument of ne-
ceffary Know lege that God has given us,
u ought to be fo in proportion as may be wield-
cC ed and manag'd by the Life of Man, with-
u out penning him up from the Duties of hu-
u man Society.—But he that fhall bind him-
" felf to make Antiquity his Rule, if he reads
u but part (befides the difficulty of choice)
u his Rule is deficient, and utterly unfatisfy^
u ing ; for there may be other Writers of a -
a nother mind, which he has not feen : And if
" he undertakes all, the length of Man's Life
" cannot extend to give him a full and requifit
know-
The Life of John Milton. 37
" knowlegc of what was don in Antiquity-.—
" Go therfore and ufe all your Art, apply your
" Sledges, your Leavers, and your iron Crows,
" to heave and hale your mighty Polyphe-
16 m us of Antiquity, to the delufion of No-
" vices and unexperienced Chriftians. The
prefent Ecclefiaftical Revenues he fays, were
4C not at firft the effeXs of juft Policy or whole-
u fom Laws, but of the fuperftitious Devotp
" on of Princes and great Men that knew no
" better, or of the bafe importunity of beg-
a ging Friers, haunting and ha raffing the
" Deathbeds of Men departing this Life in a
u blind and wretched condition of hope to me-
rit Heaven for the building of Churches,
c4f Cloyfters, and Convents; the black Reve-
cc nues of Purgatory, the price of abus'd and
" murder'd Souls, the damn'd Simony of
u Trentals, and the hire of Indulgences to
" commit mortal Sin.
M ! LTON'S next Book was his Apology
againft the fame Reverend Perfon who tax'd his
Animadverfions with being a fcurrilous Libel.
This Adverfary, as it has always bin the cu-
,ftom of fom People when they can neither an-
fwer well nor defend, had recourfe to Diffa-
mation and perfonal Reflexions, which, had
they bin true, could not derogat from the
force of his Arguments ; but, being falfe, mull
be caPd by their true names of Lying and Slan¬
der. Our Author therfore intreats thole who
have found the leifure to read his name unwor-
C j thily
38 The Life of John Milton.
thily diffam'd, that they would be fo good and
fo patient as to hear the fame Perfon not un-
needfully defended. Being accused of having
bin an inordinat and riotous Youth vomited
out of the Univerfity, he makes this reply;
ic For this commodious Ly I thank him ; for it
has given me an apt occafion to acknowlege
u publicly with all grateful mind that more
u than ordinary Favor and Refpeft: which I
" found above any of my Equals at the hands
u oi thofe courteous and learned Men, the
tC Fellows of that College wherin I fpent fom
u years; who at my parting, after having tak-
" en two Degrees (as the manner is) Agnify'd
" many ways how much better it would con-
u tent them that I fhould ftay, as by many
u Letters full of Kindnefs and loving Refpeft,
44 both before that time and long after, I Was
4c aifurM of their Angular good Affe&ion to-
wards me. Which being likewife propenfe
44 to all fuch as were for their ftudious and civil
44 Life worthy of Efteem, I could not wrong
" their Judgments and upright Intentions fo
44 much as to think I had that regard from them
44 for any other caufe than that I might be
44 ftill incourag'd to procede in the honeft and
<4 laudable Courfe, of which they apprehend-
<c ed I had given good proof.—As for the com-
44 mon Approbation or Diflike of that place,
a as now it is, that I fhould eftcem or difefteem
46 my felf or any other the more for that, is
a too Ample and too credulous in the Confuter,
44 if he thinks to obtain with me or any right
" Difcerner,
The Life of John Milton. 39
" Difcerner. Of fmall practice was that Phy-
" fician who could not judg by what both fne
" or her Sifter have of a long time vomited,
" that the worfe ftuff fhe ftrongly keeps in her
ic Stomach, but the better fhe is ever kecking
" at, and is queafy. She vomits now out of
" Sicknefs, but e're it be well with, her fhe
" muft vomit by ftrong Phyfic. The Sub-
" urb wherin I dwell fliall be in my account a
a more honorable place than his Univerfity;
" which, as in the time of her better Health,
" and my own younger Judgment, I never
" greatly admir'd, fo now much lefs. This
is not the only pailage of the Jpology, wherin
he teftifys his Contemt of the Univerfities,
for in another place he fays, " that what with
" Truanting and Debauchery, what with falfe
" Grounds, and the weaknefs of natural Fa-
" culties in many of them (it being a
" Maxim with fom Men to fend the fim-
if pleft of their Sons thither) perhaps there
" would be found among them as many unfo-
" lid and corrupted Judgments, both in Doc-
" trin and Life, as in any other two Corpora-
" tions of like bignefs. This is undoubted,
" that if any Carpenter, Smith, or Weaver,
" were fuch a bungler in his Trade, as the
'' greater number of them are in their Pro-
" feffion, he would ftarve for any Cuftom :
" And fhould he exercife his Manufacture as
" little as they do their Talents, he would for-
f get his Art: or fhould he miftake his Tools
C 4 " as
40 The Life of John Milton.
'tc as they do theirs, he would mar all the work
cc he took in hand. How few among them that
<c know how to write or fpeak in a pure ftile,
*£ much lefs todiftinguifh the Ideas and various
" kind of Stile ! In Latin barbarous,and oft not
** without Solcecifms, declaming in rugged
6c and mifcellaneous Gear blown together by
" the four Winds ; and in their choice prefer-.
fe ring the gay ranknefs of Apuleius, A r-
a nobius, or any modern jFujlianijl, before
tc the nativeLatinifms of Cicero. In the
fc Greec Tongue moft of them unlettered or
<c unentered to any found Proficiency in thofe
" Attic Matters of Wifdom and Eloquence.
V- In the Hebrew Text, except it be fom few of
(e them, their Lips are utterly uncircumcis'd,
cc No lefs are they out of the way in Fhilofo-
phy, peftring their heads with the faplefs
<c Dotages of old Paris and Salamanca. His
Antagonift infinuating a malicious Reprefenta-
tion even of his early rifing, he tells him, that
" his Morning haunts are, where they fhould
fc be, at home; not fleeping, or concofting
V the Surfeits of an irregular Featt, but up
and ftirring, in Winter often before the
a Sound of any Bell awakens Men to Labor
<c or Devotion; in Summer as oft as the Bird
tc that firft roufes, or not much tardier, to read
f good Authors, or caufe them to be read,
cc till the Attention be weary, or the Memory
f have its full fraught. Then with ufeful and
f generous Labors preferving the Bodys Health
a and
The Life o/—John Milton. 41
u and Hardinefs, to render a lightfom, clear,
44 and not a lumpifh Obedience to the jyiind,
6c for the caufe of Religion, and our Coun-
u trys Liberty, when it fhall require firm
44 Hearts in found Bodies to ftand and cover
u their Stations, rather than fee the Ruin of
44 our Proteftation, and the inforceinent of a
u flavifh Life. Paffing over his ferious and juft
Apology for frequenting Playhoufes, I fhall
fubjoin the Reafon he gives why fom terms of
the Stage might appear in his Writings with¬
out having learnt them in the Theater; u which
" was not needful, fays he, when in the Col-
leges fo many of the young Divines, and
44 thofe in next aptitude to Divinity, have bin
ic feen fo often on the Stage, writhing and un-
u boning their Clergy Lims to all the antic
44 and difhoneft Geftures of Trinculos, Buf-
46 foons, and Bauds : proftituting the fhame of
44 that Miniftry, which either they had or were
44 nigh having, to the eys of Courtiers and
44 Court Ladys, with their Grooms and Ma-
44 demoifelles. There while they a£ted and
44 overafted, among other young Scholars I
44 was a Speftator; they thought themfelves
44 gallant Men, and I thought them Fools;
44 they made fport, and I laugh'd ; they mif-
u pronounc'd, and I miflik'd ; and, to make
44 up the Atticifm, they were out, and I hift.
He was to anfwer next to the heavy charge of
Leudnefs with common Proftitutes; and be-
caufe the account he gives of himfelf upon this
occa-
4i Tl?e Life of John Milton.
occafion, and of that part of his Poetry which
regards the affairs of Love, is not only eflen-
tial to the Hiftory of his Life, but of good In-
ftru&ion alfo to fuch as read fuch pleafant and
alluring Books, I fuppofe none will be offended
with me for laying it here before them. 44 I
" had my time, fays he, like others that have
" good Learning beflow'd upon them, to be
u fent to thofe places where the opinion was it
might be fooneft attained ; and, as the man-
*c ner is, was not unftudyM in thofe Authors
" which are moft commended. Of thefe fom
44 were grave Orators and Hiftorians,whofe mat-
4C ter methought I lovM indeed ; but as my Age
44 then was, fo I underftood them. Others
4C were the fmooth Elegiac Poets, wherof the
Schools are not fcarce, whom both for the
pleafing found of their numerous Writings
c' (which in imitation I found moft eafy, and
" moft agreable to Nature's part in me) and
4' for their matter, which what it is there be
44 few who know not, I was fo allur'd to read,
" that no Recreation came to me more welcom:
ci for that it was then thofe years with me,
" which are excus'd tho they be leaft fevere,
44 I may be fav'd the labor to remember you.
<c Whence having obferv'd them to account it
44 the chief Glory of their Wit that they were
<4 ableft to judg, to praife, and by that could
efteem themfelves worthieft to love thofe
" high Perfections, which under one or other
44 name they took to celebrat; I thought with
The Life of John Milton. 4?
c* my felf by every Inftinft and Prefage of
i6 Nature (which is not wont to be falfe) that
" what emboldened them to this task, might
u with fuch diligence as they us'd embolden
■c me: and that what Judgment, Wit, or E-
" legance, was my fhare, would herein belt
appear, and beft value it felf, by how much
more wifely and with more love of Virtue
I fhould chufe the Objefl; of not unlike Praif-
For tho thefe Thoughts to fom will
a
es.
6c feem virtuous and commendable, to others
u only pardonable, to a third fort perhaps idle;
a yet the mentioning of them now will end in
<£ ferious. Nor blame it, Readers, in thofe
years to propofe to themfelves fuch a Re¬
ward as the nobleft Difpofitions above other
things in this Life have fomtimes prefer'd :
" wherof not to be fenfible, when good and
" fair in one Perfon meet, argues both a grofs
u and fhallow Judgment, and withal an un¬
gentle and fwainifh Breaft. For by the firm
fettling of thefe Perfuafions I became (to
my beft memory) fo much a Proficient,
that if I found thofe Authors any where
fpeaking unworthy things of themfelves, or
" unchaft of thofe Names which before they
" had extoPd, this efteft it wrought with me,
u that from that time forward their Art I ftill
" applauded, but the Men I deplorM; and a-
<c bove them all prefer'd the two famous Re-
" nowners of Beatrice and Laura,
^ who never write but Honor of them to
" whom.
cc
Ci
a
44 The Life of John Milton.
«' whom they devote their Verfe, difplaying
" fublime and pure Thoughts without tranf-
" greffion. And long it was not after, when
" I was confirm'd in the opinion that he, who
" who would not be fruftrated of his hope to
" write well hereafter in laudable things, ought
" himfelf tobea true Poem ; thatis, acompo-
" fition and pattern of the beft and honorableft
" things: not prefuming to ling the high Praif-
" es of heroic Men or famous Cities, unlefs
" he has in himfelf the Experience and thePrac-
" tice of all that is praifeworthy. Thefe Rea-
" fonings, together with a certain nicenefs of
Nature, an honeft Haughtinefs and Self-
" efteem either of what I was,or what I might
" be (which let Envy call Pride) and laftly,
" a becoming Modefty, all uniting the Supply
" of their natural aid together, kept me ftiil
'■ above thofe low Defcents of Mind, beneath
" which he muft dejeQ: and plunge himfelf
" that can agree to falable and unlawful Profti-
" tutions. Next I betook me among thofe
" lofty Fables and Romances .which recount in
" folemn Cantos the Deeds of Knighthood
" founded by our victorious Kings, and from
" hence had in renown over all Chriftendom.
" There I read it in the Oath of every Knight,
a that he fhould defend to the expence of his
beft Blood, or of his Life, if it fo befel him,
" the Honor and Chaftity of Virgin or Ma-
" tron : from whence even then I learnt what
" a qoble Virtue Chaftity fure muft be, to the
The Life of John Milton, 45
defence of wjlifh fo many Worthies by fuch
a dear Adventure of themfelves had fworn ;
and if I found? in the Story afterwards any of
them by word or deed breaking that Oath,
I judg'd it the fame fault of the Poet, as
that which is attributed to Homer, t:o
have written undecent things of the Gods.
Only this my mind gave me, that every free
and gentle Spirit without that Oath ought to
be born a Knight, nor needed to expefl: the
gilt Spur, or the laying of a Sword upon
his- Shoulder, to ftir him up both by his
Counfil and his Arm, to fecure and protect
the weaknefs of any attemted Chaftity. So
that even thofe Books, which to many o-
thers have bin the fuel of Wantonnefs and
loofe Living (I cannot think how, unlefs by
divine Indulgence) proved to me fo many
Inticements, as you have heard, to the love
and ftedfaft obfervation of that Virtue which
abhors the Society of Bordellos. Thus
from the Laureat Fraternity of Poets, riper
years, and the ceaflefs round of Study and
Reading led me to the fhady walks of Phi-
lofophy ; but chiefly to the divine Volumes of
Plat o,and his equal Xenophon: where
if I fhould tell you what I learnt of Chaftity
and Love (I mean that which is truly fo,
whofe charming cup is only Virtue, which
fhe bears in her hand to thofe who are wor-
thy ; the reft are cheated with a thick in¬
toxicating Potion, which a certain Sorcerefs,
46 the
The Life of John Miicon.
" the Abufer of Love's Name, carries about:
" and if I fhould tell you.how the firft and
" chiefeft Office of Love begins and ends in
" the Soul, producing thofe happy Twins of
her divine Generation, Knowlege and Vir-
'' tue) with fuch abftra&ed Sublimities as
" thefe, it might be worth your liftening,
" Readers, as I may one day hope to have you
" in a ftill time, and when there fhall be no
" chiding. Thus far our Author, who after¬
wards made this Character good in his inimi¬
table Poem of Paradife Loft: and before this
time in his Comus or Mask prefented at Ludlow
Caftle, like which Piece in the peculiar difpo-
fition of the Story, the fweetnefs of the Num¬
bers, the juftnefs of the Expreffion, and the
Moral it teaches, there is nothing extant in any
Language. But to procede with the reft of
the Apology, he's in it very fevere upon the
Clergy, not only becaufe in his Judgment he
condemn'd feveral of their Maxims, but alfo
provok'd by the ill ufage he receiv'd. Cer¬
tainly nothing more barbarous and inhuman
ever proceded from the mouth of Pope or Muf¬
ti, than this faying of his Antagonift, " You
" that love Chrift, and know this milcreant
" Wretch, ftonehim to death, left you fmart
" for his Impunity. No wonder that fo many
are fcandaliz'd when they find the name of
Christ moft impudently alleg'd to counte¬
nance fuch devilifh Practices, when there is no¬
thing more evident than that he exprefly injoin'd
X
7 be Life of John Milton. 47
his Followers to forgive their Enemies, and not
to purfue 'em with the Spirit of Revenge, but
rather to reclame them from their Errors, and
to do 'em all the good they could. Our Au¬
thor, on the other hand, carries his Refent-
ments, no doubt, too far, when the following
words could drop from his Pen. " There be
" fuch in.the World, and I among thofe, who
" nothing admire the Idol of a Bifhoprick; and
" hold that it wants fo much to be aBlef-
fing, as that I deem it the mereft, the falfeft,
the mod unfortunat Gift of Fortune : and
were the Punifbment and Mifery of being a
Bifhop terminated only in the Perfon, and did
not extend to the Affli£Uon of the whole Dio-
cefs, if I would wifh any thing in the bit-
ternefs of my Soul to an Enemy, I fhould
" wifh him the biggeft and fatteft Bifhoprick.
If Milton had bin fuch a Saint as never
mift of a favorable anfwer to his Prayers, I
queftion not but at this rate more would covet
to be his Enemies than his Friends. Another
mark of his good Will to the Prelats is this un¬
pardonable Simile. " A Bifhop's Foot, fays
" he, that has all its Toes (maugre the Gout)
" and a linen fock over it, is the apteft Em-
" blem of thePrelat himfelf; who, being a
<c Pluralift, may under one Surplice hide four
" Benefices, beiides the great Metropolitan To
" which fends a foul ftench to Heaven. And
in another place he calls them, " the Gulfs and
'' Whirlpools of Benefices, but the dry Pits of
" all
U
c(
48 The Life of John Milton.
" all found Doftrin. Agreable to thefe Flow¬
ers is his Defcription of Chaplains fomwhere in
IconocLfles. " Bifbops or Presbyters we know,
" fays he, and Deacons we know ; but what
" are Chaplains ? In State perhaps they may
" be lifted among the upper Serving men of
<c fom great Houfhold, and be admitted to
" fom fuch place as may ftile them the Sewers
" or Yeomenufhers of Devotion, where the
" Mafteristoorefty, or too rich to fay his own
" Prayers, or to blefs his own Table. How
much he lov'd to divert himfelf in this manner,
we may perceive by his Apoftrophe to the
Presbyterian Minifters, who were heavily
branded by King Charles the Firft, tho
after his Death they would fain be thought his
very dutiful and good Friends. " O ye Mini-
" fters, faysMiLTON, read here what work
" he makes among your Gaily pots, your Balms,
" and your Cordials, and not only your fweet
" Sippets in Widows Houfes, but the huge
" Gobbets wherwith he charges you to have
" devour'd Houfes and all. Cry him up for a
" Saint in your Pulpits, while he crys you
" down for Atheifts into Hell. Nor is he
more merciful to the Liturgy, than to the Read¬
ers of it, as appears by this Character. "To
" contend that it is fantaftical, if not fenflefs
" in fom places, were a copious Argument,
" fpecially in the Refponfories. For fuch Al-
" ternations as are there us'd muff be by fcveral
" Perfons; but the Minifter and the People can-
not
The Life of John Milton. 4^
not fo fever their Interefts as to fuftain feve-
ral Perfons, he being the only month of the
whole Body which he prefents. Ard if the
People pray, he being filent, or they ask one
thing and he another, it either changes the
Property, making the Prieft the People, and
the People the Prieft by turns, or elfe makes
two Perfons and two Bodies Reprefentatiye
where there fhould be but one: which, if
there were nothing elfe, muft be a ftrange
Quaintnefs in ordinary Prayer. The like or
worfe may be faid of the Litany, Wherin
neither Prieft nor People fpeak any intire
Seilfe of themfelves throout the whole (I
know not what to name it) only by the
timely contribution of their parted flakes,
clofing up as it were the Schifin of i flic'd
Prayer, they pray not in vain ; for by this
means they keep Life between them in a
piece of gafping Senfe, and keep down the
Saucinefs of a continual rebounding Non-
fenfe. And hence it is that as it has bin far
from the imitation of any warranted Prayer,
fo we all know it has bin obvious to be the
pattern of many a Jig. And he who has?
but read in good Books of Devotion, and
no more, cannot be fo either of Ear or Judg¬
ment unpra&is'd to diftinguifh what is grave,
pathetical, devout, and what not; but he
will prefently perceive this Liturgy all over
in conception lean and dry, of Affeflions
errsty, and unmoving of Paffion, or any
< m
£~
ft
1
D
height
50 The Life of John Milton^
" height wherto the Soul might foar upon the
" wings of Zeal, deftitute and barren. Befides
" Errors, Tautologies, Impertinences, as thofe
" Thanks in the Woman's Churching for her
" delivery from Sunburning and Moonblaft-
" ing, as if fhe had bin travelling, not in her
" Bed, but in the Deferts of Arabia. So that
" while fom men ceafe not to admire the in-
" comparable Frame of our Liturgy, I cannot
" but admire as faft what they think is becom
<c of Judgment and Tafte in other men, that
" they can hope to be heard without Laugh-
" ter. And if this were all, perhaps it were
" a compliable matter. But when we re-
c< member this our Liturgy, where we found
" it, whence we had it, and yet where we
" left it, flill ferving to all the Abominations
" of the Antichriftian Temple, it may be
" wonder'd how we can demur, whether it
" fhould be abolifh'd or no, and not rather
" fear we have highly offended in ufing it fo
" long. It has indeed bin pretended to be
" more antient than the Mafs, but fo little
" prov'd, that wheras other corrupt Liturgies
" have had fuch a feeming Antiquity, that
" their Publifhers have ventur'd to afcribe them
" either to Saint Peter, St. James, St.
u Mar k, or at leaft to Chrysostom,
" or B a s i l, ours has bin never able to find
" either Age or Author allowable on whom to
" father thofe things which therin are leaft of-
u fenfive, except the t\yo Creeds. I fhall
con-
The Life of John Milton. 51
conclude my account of his Books concerning
religious Controverfies with this remarkable
account of his reading in the Councils and
Fathers of the Church. " Som years, fays he,
" I had fpent in the Stories of thofe Greec and
te Roman Exploits, wherin I found many things
" both nobly don and worthily fpoken : when
" coming in the method of time to that age
" wherin the Church had obtain'd a Chriflian
" Emperor, I fo prepar'd my felf as being now
" to read examples of Wifdom and Good-
u nefs among thofe who were foremoft in the
" Church, not elfwhere to be parallel'd. But
u to the amazement of what I expe&ed,
" Readers, I found it quite contrary ; except-
u ing in fom very few, nothing but Ambition,
<c Corruption, Contention, Combuftion: in-
" fomuch that I could not but love the Hifto-
" rian Socrates, who in the Proem to
" his fifth Book profeffes, he was fain to in-
" termix Affairs of State, for that it would be
" elfe an extreme annoyance to hear in a con-
" tinu'd Difcourfe the endlefs Brabbles and
" Counterplottings of the Bifhops. Finding
" therfore the moft of their Aftions in par-
" ticular to be weak and yet turbulent, full of
" Strife and yet flat of Spirit, and the fum of
" their beft Councils there col'ecfed to be moft
" commonly in Queftions either trivial and
" vain, or elfe of fhort and eafy decifion,
" without that great buftle which they made :
" I concluded that if their fxngle Ambition and
D 2 Igno-
5 2 The Life of John Milton.
" Ignorance was fuch, then certainly united
" in a Council it would be much more ; and
" if the compendious recital of what they there
" did was fo tedious and unprofitable, then
" furely to fit out the whole extent of their tat-
« tie in a dozen Volumes, would be a lofs of
" time irrecoverable. Befides that which I
" had read of St. Martin, who for his laft fix-
" teen years could never be perfuaded to be at
" any Council of the Bifhops; and Gregory
" N a z i a n z e n betook him to the fame
" refolution, affirming to Procopius that
" of any Council or Meeting of Bifhops he
never faw good end, nor any remedy ther-
" by of evil in the Church, but rather an
" increafe: for, fays he, their Contentions
and defire of Lording no Tongue is able to
'' exprefs.
IN the year 1645 he chang'd his condition,
and was marry'd to Mary the Daughter of
R ichard Powel of Forrejlhill'm Oxfordjljire,
a Juftice of the Peace, and a man of good figure
in that Country. But whether it was that this
young Woman, accuftom'd to a large and jovi¬
al Family, could not live in a Philofophical Re¬
tirement ; or that fhe was not perfectly fatisfy'd
with the Perfon of her Husband; or laftly,
that, becaufe her Relations were all addicted to
the Royal Intereft, his Democratical Principles
were difagreable to her Humor (nor is it
impoffible that the Father repented of his match
upon the profped of fom Succefs on the King's
The Life of John Milton. > j
fide, who then had his Headquarters at Oxford)
or whatever were the reafon, 'tis certain that
after he injoy'd her Company at London about
a month, fhe was invited by her Friends to
fpend the reft of the Summer in the Country ;
to which he confented, on condition of her re¬
turn by Michaelmas. Yet he faw her not at
the time appointed, and, after receiving feveral
of his Letters without fending him any anfwer,
fhe did at length pofitively refufe to com, dif-
miffin£ his MefTenger with contemt. This
ufage incens'd him to that degree, that he
thought it againft his Honor and Repofe to own
her any longer for his Wife. He made that
time however as eafy to himfelf as he might,
fomtimes by keeping a gaudy day with his
Friends, and at other times in converfation
with the Lady Margaret Lee, Daugh¬
ter to the Earl of Marlborough, whofe fprightly
Wit and good Senfe drew frequent Vifits from
him, and for whom he had a fingular efteem,
which he has left recorded by a Sonnet in her
Praife among his other occafional Poems. He
thought it now high time to juftify by proper
Arguments the firm Refolution he had taken of
never receiving his Wife back again ; and ther-
fore in the year 1644 he pubiifh'd his Doc-
trin and Difciplin of Divorce, which he de¬
dicated to the Parlament and to the AlTem-
bly of Divines, that as they were bufy then
about the general Reformation of the King¬
dom, they might alfo take this particular cafe
D 1 of
||||!
i
ill
54 The Life of John Milton.
of domeflic Liberty into their confideration:
for he thought all theboafted Freedom of pub¬
lic Judicatures fignify'd little, if in the mean
while one mull be oblig'd to indure a kind of
Servitude at home below the Dignity of a Man.
What thing, fays he, is more inftituted to
the Solace and Delight of Man than Marri¬
age? And yet the mifinterpreting of fom
u Scriptures directed mainly againft the Abu-
" fers of the Law for Divorce given by
" Moses, has chang'd the Bleffing of Matri-
" mony not feldom into a familiar and cohabit¬
ing Mifchief; at leaft, into a drooping and
difconfolat houfhold Captivity, without Re¬
fuge or Redemtion. So ungovern'd and fo
wild a race dos Superftition run us, from one
Extreme of abus'd Liberty into the other of
unmerciful Reftraint! Tho God in the firlt
ordaining of Marriage taught us to what end
he did it (the words exprefly implying the apt
and chearful Converfation of Man with Wo¬
man, to comfort and refrefh him of the evil
of a folitary Life; not mentioning the pur-
pofe of Generation till afterwards, as being
but a fecondary end in Dignity tho not in
Neceffity) yet now if any two be but once
handed in the Church, and have tailed in any
fort the nuptial Bed, let them find them-
felves never fo miftaken in their Difpofitions
thro any Error, Concealment, or Mifadven-
ture; that thro their different Tempers,
Thoughts, and Conftitutions, they can nei-
* " ther
a
a
u
a
Cc
u
a
u
a
cC
c(.
a
ic
i C
■111
The Life of John Milton. 5 5
li ther be to one another a remedy againft
" Lonelinefs, nor live in any Union or Con-
" tentment all their days : yet they fhall
" (fo they be but found futably weapon'd to
" the Ieaft poflibility of fenfual Enjoyment)
tc be made in fpite of Antipathy to fadg toge-
" ther, and combine, as they may, to their un-
" fpeakable Wearifomnefs, and defpair of all
" fociable Delight, in the Ordinance which
" God eftablifh'd to that very end. Then he
largely fhews all the unjuft San£tions concern¬
ing Marriage to be owing to the Superftition of
fom antient Fathers, and to the defign of pro¬
moting the Gain or Authority of the Clergy,
as they make a part of the Canon Law: For
the Greecs, the Romans, and all civiliz'd Na¬
tions, did not only allow of Divorce upon mu¬
tual Averfion or Confent; but in many other
cafes, befides the violation of the nuptial Bed,
there was a Separation made on the Petition of
one Party, tho the other fhould not be willing.
His purpofe, in fhort, is to fhew that there are
other fufficient Reafons for Divorce befides A-
dultery; and that to prohibit any fort of Di¬
vorce but fuch as are excepted by Moses, is
unjuft and againft the Reafon of the Law : in
handling which Heads he has, befides his Ar¬
guments from Reafon, had always a due care
to explain thofe Paffages of Scripture which are
thought to contradict his Opinion. The grand
Pofition he maintains is, That
ftnefs, or contrary Humors, proceding from any
D 4 unchangeable.
5 6 Tk Life of John Milton.
unchangeable caufe in Nature, hmdring and always
likely to hinder the main ends and benefits of conju-
gal Society (that is to fay, Peace and Delight) are
greater Reafons of Divorce than ADULTERY
or natural FRIGIDITY, provided there be a
mutual Confent for Separation. And indeed it
feems to be a perfefl: Tyranny to oblige a Man
or Woman beyond the defign of their Cove¬
nant : nor fhould they, who never try'd this
condition together, be hinder'd from difcrete-
ly and orderly undoing it, when they find
things otherwife than they promised them-
felves; no more than in any other bargain Peo¬
ple are punifhM for unwilfnl Ignorance: fince,
whenever both Parties are willing, they may
draw back their flakes, and leave matters as
they were before, or compound for the Dama¬
ges that may be don. It feems likewife to me
very grofs, that in Lawmaking (particularly in
the Canon Law) a regard fhould be had to the
fit Difpofition of the marry'd Couples Bodies,
and no confideration of the Agreablenefs of
their Minds, when the Charms of the latter are
often thegreateft inducements to the conjuncti¬
on of the former. And fince no Man or Wo¬
man can be fecure of true Information from
others, qor infallible in their own Obfervations
upon one another's Humors and Conditions
("fpepially fince they are not admitted to a requi-
fit Familiarity for iuch an inquiry before Mar¬
riage) it is the hardeft thing in the world that
no Ckufe§ fhould be provided for cafes of this
*' v nature/
The Life of John Milton. 57
nature. As for the common Objection, that Mar¬
riage is a Remedy againft Fornication and Adul¬
tery, I grant it to be moft true, if the Parties mu¬
tually love; but if it be a forc'd Compact, or
afterwards diflik'd, it is fo far from producing
this good effe£t, that we clearly fee by con-
ftant Experience (and Reafon may convince
us all of it) that fuch a fatal Knot expofes Men
and Women to various Temtations, breaks
the Peace of Families, expofes the Reputation
of the Children, and difturbs or deftroys all the
Duties of Society. Nor dos it anfwer the firft
Inftitution which fuppofes it was not good for
Man to be alone, fince every body would ra¬
ther chufe to be alone than be forc'd to keep bad
Company. To conclude, Marriage certainly,
like all other Contracts, was ordain'd for the
benefit of Man, and not Man created for Mar¬
riage : wherfore it ought to be futed to his
Convenience and Happinefs, and not be
made a Snare to render him uneafy or mifera-
ble. No Pretences can be drawn from this
Opinion to favor Libertinifm, but on the con¬
trary, the Conduct of the Oppofers of it may
be terribly hamper'd with infamous Confequen-
ces, on which we fhall not infill: in this place,
referring the curious to Milton's own
Book. As for the Popifh and ridiculous prac¬
tice in certain Spiritual Courts of feparating
People from bed and board (which any Cou¬
ple may agree to do themfelves) and refufing
?em the liberty of marrying more for their con¬
venience
5 3 The Life of John Milton."
venience (if the Civil Power dos not interpofc
for their Relief) I fhall have a more proper op¬
portunity to fhew the Mifchief and Unreafona-
blenefs of it.
ON thefirft appearing of this Book, the
Clergy did generally d?clame againft it, and
fix'd upon the Author the ufual Reproaches of
Atheifm, Herefy, Leudnefs, and what not ?
They daily inftigated the Parlament, which
little minded their Clamors, to pafs their Cen-
fure on it; and at laft one of them in a Ser¬
mon before that Auguft Aflembly, on a day
of Humiliation, roundly told them that there
was a wicked Book abroad which deferv'd to
be burnt, and that among their other Sins they
ought to repent it had not yet bin branded with
a mark of their Difpleafure. This man's main
accufation being, that Milton taught other
caufes of Divorce than were mention'd by
Christ and his Apoftles, which was alfo urg'd
againft him at the fame time by fom others, he
publifh'd the Tetrachordon, dedicated to the
Parlament, or his Expofition of the four chief
Paffages of Scripture that treat of Marriage,
and the nullifying of the lame, namely
1.27, &c. Gen. 2. 18, &c. Deut. 24. 1, 8cc.
Mat. 5. j 1, &"C. and Mat. 29. 3, &c. Other
places out of the Epiftles he alfo occafionally
explains; he alleges the Authority of thofe
great Men who favor'd his Opinion, fets
( down the determination of the Imperial Laws,
with more proofs that are ufual in fuch cafes.
On
The Life of John Milton. 59
On this Book our Author himfelf made the
following lines.
I did but promt the Age to quit their Clogs
By the known Rules of antient Liberty,
When ftraight a barbarous Noife invirons
me
Of Owls, and Cuckoos, Affes, Apes, and
Dogs:
As when thofe Hinds that were transform'd
to Frogs
Rail'd at Latona's twinborn Progeny,
Which after held the Sun and Moon in fee.
But this is got by calling pearls to Hogs,
That baul for Freedom in their fenflefs mood,
And Hill revolt when Truth would fet
them free.
Licence they mean,when they cry Liberty;
For who loves that, mull firft be wife and
good: ■+
But from that mark how far they roave
we fee,
For all this wafte of Wealth and lofe of
Blood.
THE next piece he publifh'd on this Subjeft
was the Judgment of the famous Reformer Mar¬
tin Bucer touching Divorce, extracted out of
the fecond Book of the Kingdom of Christ,
dedicated to King Edward the Sixth. He
exa£lly agrees with Milton, tho the latter
had not feen this Book till after the publication
of
60 The Life of John Milton.
of his own. He alfo fhews very fairly, that
Paulus Fagius the Affociat of B u c e r,
that Peter Martyr, Erasmus, and
Grotius, did teach the fame Dodrin, that
he might flop the mouths of fuch as were de«
termin'd more by thefe Names than by all the
light of Reafon or Scripture; and that he might
not appear to be cal'd an Atheift or Libertin
with more reafon than thefe Perfons, who not-
withftanding they had affirm'd as much as
he, were yet generally counted very fober and
pious.
THE fourth Book he wrote relating to Di¬
vorce was his Colafterion, being a Reply to one
of his Anfwerers,who, to all the Dulnefs and Ig¬
norance imaginable, added the higheft Bitternefs
and Malice: fo far from tolerably underftand-
ing any of the Learned Languages (as in fom
fecondhand Quotations he would be thought to
do) that he could not rightly fpell what he fo
meanly Hole. Yet this rude Invedive muft be
licens'd by Mr. Carryl, the fame who in his
voluminous and fenflefs Comments did more
injury to the memory of Job, than the Devil
and the Sabeans could inflid Torments on him
in his life time. But, not content to prefix his
Imprimatur, he pronounces his Judgment too
againft Milton, which was a moll: unwor¬
thy treatment of him from thefe men, of whom
he deferv'd fo well by his former Writings
againft their Enemies the Bifhops; tho, to
fpeak the truth, this was only a fervice to the
Presby-
The Life of John Milton. 65
Presbyterians by accident: for, as we fhall fee
hereafter* he never intended by humbling the
Hierarchy, to fet up the Confiftorian Tribunal
in the room of it. However, the following
Reproach was extorted from him by their bafe
Ingratitude. " Mr, Licenfer, fays he, you
4t are reputed a man difcrete enough, religious
cC enough, honefl: enough, that is, toanordi-
iC nary competence in all thefe : But now your
ic turn is to hear what your own hand has earned
" you, that when you fuffer'd this namelefs
il Hangman to caft into public fuch a fpiteful
" Contumely upon a Name and Perfon deferv-
" ing of the Church and State equally to your
" felf,and one who has don more to the prefent
advancement of your own Tribe,than you or
" many of them have don for themfelves; you
" forgot to be either honefl;, religious, or dif-
" crete. Whatever the State might do con-
" cerning it, fuppofing it were a matter to ex-
" peft evil from it, I fbould not doubt to meet
<c among them with wife, and honorable, and
<c knowing men. But as to this brute Libel,
" fomuch the more impudent and lawlefsfor
il the abusM Authority which it bears, I fay
" again, that I abominat the Cenfure of Raf-
" cals and their Licenfers. Thefe are all the
Pieces concerning Divorce written by Milton,
whofe Arguments ought not to be efteemM the
lefs cogent, becaufe occafion'd by his domeftic
Uneafinefs; when this reafon would equally
enervat the Apologies exhibited for Chriftianity
under
6i The Life of John Milton.
under its Perfecutors, and fruftrat all the noble
Treatifesof Civil Government, for which we
are beholding to the Lawlefnefs of Tyrants or
Ufurpers; witnefs the Incomparable and Gold¬
en Difcourfes of that Heroic Patron of Liberty,
Algernon Sidney. And indeed the
beft Books we have on any Subjeft, are fuch
as were oppos'd to the prevalency of the con¬
trary Opinion: for as he that was forc'd to pafs
lorn part of his time in the Regions of extreme
Heat or Cold, can beft value the Bleffings of a
temperat Country ; fo none can be fo well fur-
nifh'd with Arguments for a good Caufe, like
fuch as were Sufferers under a bad one: the
Writings of unconcern'd and retir'd Perfons be¬
ing either an Exercife of their Parts, and the
Amufements of idle time, or, what is worfe,
pitiful Declamations without any Force, Expe¬
rience, or Vivacity.
ABOUT this time Milton wrote a
fmall piece of Education to Samuel Hart-
lib, looking upon the right Inftitution of
Children to be the Nurfery of all true Liber¬
ty or Virtue; and of whatfoever in Government
is good and wife, or in privat praftice amiable
and worthy.
THE next Book he wrote was his Jreopa-
gitica, or an Oration to the Parlament of Eng¬
land for the liberty of Unlicens'd Printing ; in
which he proves that the Republics of Greece
and Italy never cenfur'd any but immoral, dif-
famatory, or atheiftical Pieces, Nor was it by
/
/
/
7 be Life of Jolin Milton. 6}
Inferences and Infinuations they were to judg
of Atheifm; for they never fuppreft the Writ¬
ings of the Epicureans, nor fuch other Books
denying even the Dodlrins of Providence, and
the future State: but it rauft have bin a formal
doubt or denial of the being of a Deity. Yet
it is beyond contradiction, that thofe Nations
maintain'd an excellent Government, diftri-
buting public and privat Juftice, and abound¬
ing in all Knowlege and Virtue, infinitly above
thofe who have bin ever fince the raoft rigid
Purgers, Corrupters, or Executioners of Books.
The Roman Emperors were Tyrants, and none
but fuch as would imitat them, fhould quote
their Examples. The Primitive Chriftians ob-
ferv'd no Uniformity of Conduft in this Af¬
fair. At firft they were for reading all the
Works of the Gent Us, but none of thofe they
reckon'd Heretical among themfelves; after
this they were only for confuting the Books of
the Heretics, and fupprelfing thofe of the Gen-
tils, even fuch as did not in the leaft concern
Religion : for about the year 400, in a Cartha¬
ginian Council, the very Bifhops were prohi¬
bited the reading of Heathen Authors. Had
this infamous and barbarous Refolution bin
throly executed (for it had but too much effe&)
to what a degree of Ignorance and meannefs of
Spirit it would have reduc'd the World, de¬
priving it of fo many inimitable Hiftorians, O-
rators, Philofophers, and Poets, the Repofito-
riesof ineftimableTreafure, confifting of war¬
like
<$4 TXe Life of John Milton.
like and heroic Deeds, the beft and wifeft Arts
of Government, the moft perfeft Rules and
Examples of Eloquence or Politenefs, and fuch
divine Lectures of Wifdom and Virtue, that
the lofs of Cicero's Works alone, or thofe
of L i v y, could not be repair'd by all the Fa¬
thers of the Church. In procefs of time,
when the Clergy begun to be exalted even a-
bove the fupreme Magiftrat himfelf, they burnt
and deftroy'd every thing that did not favor
their Power or Superftition, and laid a reftraint
on Reading as well as Writing, without ex¬
cepting the very Bible; and thus they preced¬
ed til] the Inquifition reduc'd this abominable
practice to the perfettion of an Art by Expur-
gatory Indexes and Licenfing. All the confe-
quences of this Tyranny, as depriving men of
their natural Liberty, ftifling their Parts, in¬
troducing of Ignorance, ingroffing all Advan¬
tages to one Party, and the like, were perpetu¬
ally objected before the Civil Wars by the Pref-
byterittns to the Bifhops, but no fooner were
they poiTeft of the Bifhops Pulpits and Power,
than they exercis'd the fame Authority with
more intolerable Rigor and Severity. M i l-
ton, after fbewing the Origin, Progrefs, and
Mifchief of this Cuftom, proves firft that we
muft not read the Bible, the Fathers, nor al-
moft any fort of Books, if we regard theRea-
fons ufually alleg'd to forbid the publifhing of
others, fuch as the fear of wreftiiig of miftak-
ing their meaning.. Secondly? that the ends
pro-
The Life of John Milton. 65
propos'd cannot be , attained after this manner-
And, Thirdly, that no man is fit to be a Li-
cenfer, not in any one fingle Faculty, unlefshe
is univerially learn'd, or a better Scholar than
all the Authors whofe Labors he*s to licenfe:
and that, granting thefe things poffible (tho
they are not fo) he could neitner find ftrength
nor time enough for perufing all Books; and
fhould he ufe Deputies, he^ likelieli: to have
ignorant, lazy, and mercenary Fellows. Then
difplaying the Difcouragementthatmuft follow
hence to all Literature and new Difcoveries
(with the danger of fuppreffing Truth, and
propagating Error, as it happens in Popifh
Countries, and the not reprinting of antient
Authors in any Language) he proves Licenfing
to be both unjuft in it felf, and difhonorabie
to a free Government. " To include the whoje
" Nation, fays he, and thofe that never yet
cc thus offended, under fuch a diffident and
" fufpeftful Prohibition, what a difparagement
" it is may be plainly underftood. So much
" the more, fince Debtors and Delinquents
u may walk abroad without a Keeper ,
<( but inoffenfive Books muff: not ffir forth
" without a vifible Jailor in their Title. Nor
u is it to the common People lefs than a Re-
" proach ; for if we be fo jealous over them,
a as that we dare not truft them with an Eng~
" lift* Pamphlet, what do we but cerifurethem
" for a giddy, vitious, and ungrounded Peo-
" pie, in fuch a fick and weak ftate of Faith and
E «Difr
66 7he Life of John Milton.
44 Difcretion, as to be able to take nothing but
<4 thro the Glifterpipe of a Licenfer ? That
4c this is any care or love of them, we cannot
44 pretend, fince in thofe Popijb Places, where
u the Laity are mo A hated and defpis'd, the
u fame ftri&nefs is us'd over them. Wif-
4' dom we cannot call it, becaufe it flops but
<4 one breach of Licenfe; nor that neither, fee-
44 ing thofe Corruptions, which it feeks to pre-
44 vent, break in fafter at other doors which
<4 cannot be flout. And it reflefts on the Re-
4c putation of our Minifters alfo, of whofe La-
44 bors we fliould hope better, and of the Profi-
44 ciency which their Flocks reap by them, than
44 that after all this Light of the Gofpel which
44 is, and is to be, and after all this continual
44 Preaching, they fhould be ftill frequented
44 with fuch an unprincipled, unedify'd, and
44 Laic Rabble, as that the whif of every new
44 Pamphlet ILould ftagger them out of their
44 Catechifm. This may have much reafon to
44 difcourage theMiniflers, when fuch a low
44 conceit is had of all their Exhortations and
44 the benefiting of their Hearers, that they are
44 not thought fit to be turn'd loofe to three
44 Sheets of Paper without a Licenfer. In a-
nother place he fays, 44 A man may be a
44 Heretic in the Truth: and if he believes
4c only becaufe his Paftor fays fo, or the Af-
44 fembly fo determins, without knowing any
44 other Reafon ; tho his Belief be true, yet
" the very Truth he holds becoms his Herefy.
44 Therq
?Tbe Life of John Milton. 67
" There is not any burden that fom would
gladlier put off to another, than the charge
and care of their Religion. Who knows
not that there be fom Proteftants who live
in as arrant an implicit Faith as any Lay-Pa,-
pift of Loretto ? A wealthy man, addi&ed
to his Pleafures and his Profit, finds Reli-
" gion to be a Traffic fo intangPd, and of fo
a many pidling accounts, that of all Myfteries
" he cannot indure to keep a ftock going upon
u that trade. What dos he therfore, but re-
ic folves to give over toiling, and to find out
fom Faftor to whofecare and credit he may
" commit the whole management of his reli-
gious Affairs; and that muft be fom Divine
" of Note and Eftimation. To him he ad-
" heres, refigns the whole Warehoufe of his
Religion with all the Locks and Keys into his
cuftody ; and indeed makes the very Perfon
of that Man his Religion, efteems his affo-
ciating with him a fufficient evidence and
a commendation of his own Piety. So that a
man may fay his Religion is now no more
within himfelf, but is becom a dividual mov¬
able, and gos and corns near him according
as that good man frequents the Houfe.
He entertains him, gives him Gifts, feafts
him, lodges him; his Religion corns home
at night, prays, is liberally fup'd, and
" fumtuoufly laid afleep; rifes, is faluted,
" and (after the Malmfy, or fom well fpie'd
'I Brewage, and better breakfafted than he
E 2 ** whofe
a
a
(6
a
J
6 3 The Life of John Milton,
whofe Morning-appetit would have gladly
^ fed on green Figs between Bethany and Je-
u rufalem) his Religion walks abroad at eight,
Cc and leaves his kind Entertainer in the Shop
c< trading all day without his Religion. Ano-
€' ther fort there be, who, when they hear
ic that all things fhall be order d, all things re-
gulated and fetled, nothing written but what
' paffes thro the Cuftomhoufe of certain Pub-
c' licans that have the tunnaging and poundage
ing of all freefpoken Truth, will ftraight
tc give themfelves up into your hands, make
4 'em and cut 'em out what Religion you
pleafe; there be Delights, there be Recrea-
4 tions, and jolly Pafiimes that will fetch the
day about from Sun to Sun, and rock the te-
4 dious year as in a delightful dream. What
<4 need they torture their heads with that which
others have taken fo ftrittly and fo unalter-
ably into their own purveying ? Thefe are
<4 the Fruits which a dull Eafe and Ceffation of
tc our Knowlege will bring forth among the
'c People. Nor much better will be the confe-
ie quence among the Clergy themfelves. It is
ic no new thing never heard of before for a
Parochial Minifter, who has his Reward,
H and is at his H e r c u l e s Pillars in a warm
46 Benefice, to be eafily inclinable (if he has
<c nothing elfe that may roufe up his Studies)
44 to finifh his^Circuit in an Englijh Concor-
cC dance, and a Topic Folio, the Gatherings
44 and Sayings of a fober Graduatfhip, a Har-
"mony
aft1
The Life of John Milton. 69
mony and a Catena, treading the conftant
ic round of certain common doftrinal Heads?
" attended with their Ufes, Motives, Marks,
" and Means; out of which, as out of an Al¬
phabet or fol fa mi,by forming and transform¬
ing, joining and disjoining varioufly a little
Bookcraft, and two hours Meditation, he
might furnifh himfelf unfpeakably to the
performance of more than a weekly charge
of Sermoning ; not to reckon up the infinit
helps of Interlinearies, Breviaries, Synopfes,
" and other loitering gear. But, as for the mul-
c< titude of Sermons already printed on every
" Text that is not difficult, he need never fear
" penury of Pulpit Provifion; yet if his Rear
" and Flanks be not impaPd, if his backdoor
be not fecur'd by the rigid Licenfer, but that
u a bold Book may now and then iffue forth
c< and give the affault to fom of his old Col-
c< leftions in their trenches, it will concern
u him to keep waking, to ft and in watch, to
u fet good Guards and Sentinels about his re-
" ceiv'd Opinions, to walk the round and coun-
<c terround with his Fellow-Infpe&ors, fearing
Cc left any of his Flock be feduc'd, who alfo
" then would be better inftrufted, better exer-
cis'd and difciplin'd. And God fend that
" the fear of this Diligence, which muft then
" be us'd, do not make us affefl: the lazinefs
of a licenfing Church. Such was the effeQ:
of our Author's Areopagitica, that the following
year Mabol, a Licenfer, offer'd Pveafons a-
E l gainft
Cc
CC
cc
cc
<c
cc
cc
m
i i
II
70 The Life of John Milton.
gainft Licenfing ; and, at his own requeft, was
difcharg'd that Office. And certainly there's
nothing deferves more wonder, than that any
wife People fhould fuffer a fmall number of in¬
judicious Fellows, always ready to fupprefs
whatever is not relifh'd by their own Seft or
the Magiftrat, to be the fole Matters and Judg¬
es of what fhould or fhould not be printed;
that is, of what the Nation is to know, fpeak,
or underftand : and I need not hefitat to affirm
that fuch a Power in the hands of any Prince
(theLicenfers being always his Creatures) is
more dangerous even than a ftanding Army to
Civil Liberty ; nor in point of Religion is it
inferior to the Inquifition.
BUT to return to his privat Affairs, left he
might feem by hisfeveral Treatifes of Divorce
not to aft from an intire Conviftion, but out
of fudden Refentmenr, or to fhew his Parts
in maintaining a Paradox, he was ferioufly
treating a Marriage with a young Lady of
great Wit and Beauty, when one day as he
was at a Relations houfe whom he often vifited,
he was extremely furpriz'd to find his Wife
(whom he thought never to have feen more)
acknowleging her fault at his feet, and beg¬
ging Forgivenefs with tears. At firfl he feem'd
inexorable, but his own Generofity, and the
interceffion of Friends, foon procured a perfeft
Reconciliation, with an aft of Oblivion for all
that was paft. The firft fruit of her return
'was a Girl, born Within a year after: And fo far
was
X
V
The Life of John Milton. 71
was he from remembring former Provocations*
that the Kings Intereft in every place vifibly de¬
clining, he received his Wives Father and Mo¬
ther, feveral of her Sifters and Brothers into
his own Houfe, where they had Protettion
and free Entertainment till their Affairs were
in a better condition. And now both his own
Father dying, and his Wives Relations return¬
ing to their feveral Habitations, he revived his
Academic Inftitution of fom young Gentle¬
men, with a defign, perhaps, of putting in prac¬
tice the model of Education lately publifh'd by
himfelf. Yet this courfe was of no long continu¬
ance ; for he was to be made Adjutant General
to Sir W1 l n a m Waller, but that the
new modelling of the Army foon following,
and Sir William turning cat in pan, this
defign was fruftrated.
A LI TT LE after Fairfax and Crom-
w e l had march'd thro the City with the whole
Army to quell the Infurreftion of Brown
and Massy, now grown discontented like-
wife w;ith the Parlament, our Author chang'd
his great Houfe for one more accommodated to
his Circumftances, where in the midft of all
the noife and confufion of Arms, he led a quiet
and privat Life, wholly delighted with the Mu-
fes, and profecuting his indefatigable fearch
after ufefui and folid Knowlege.
H A V IN G occafionally mentioned that
Great man General Fairfax, I fhall fubjoin
here, becaufe it is not printed among his other
E 4 Pc-
■
7Z Tin Life of John Milton.
Poems, a Sonnet our Author fent him.
Fairfax, vvhofe Name in Arms thro Europe
'rings,
And fills all mouths with Envy or with Praife,
And all her jealous Monarchs with Amaze,
And Rumors loud which daunt remoteft
things:
Thy firm unihaken Valor ever brings
Victory home, while new Rebellions raife
Their Hydra Heads, and the falfe dif-
plays
Her broken League to imp her Serpent Wings.
0 vet a nobler task awaits thy Hand :
For what can War but Afts of War ftill
breed,
Till injur'd Truth from Violence.be freed,
And public Faith be refcu'd from the brand
Of public Fraud ? In vain dos Valor bleed,
While Avarice and Rapine fhare the Land.
The following lines, never likewife publifh'd
among his Poems, he wrote to Sir H e n r y
Vane the Younger.
Vane, young in years, but in fage Counfils
old,
Than whom a better Senator ne'er held
The Helm of Rome (when Gowns, not Arms
repel'd
The fierce Eptrot, and the African bold)
Whether
The Life of John Milton. 73
Whether to fettle Peace, or to unfold
The drift of hollow States hard to be fpePd.
Then, to advife how War may beft b'upheld,
Man'd by her two main Nerves, Iron and
Gold,
In all her Equipage: Befides to know
Both fpiritual and civil, what each means,
What ferves each thou haft learn'd, which
few have don.
The bounds of either Sword to thee we ow ;
Therforeon thy right hand Religion leans,
And reckons thee in chief her eldeft Son.
BUT after Charles theFirft (fomtime
before judg'd an Enemy by the Parlament)
was made a Prifoner by their victorious Army,
afterwards judicially try'd and condemned, and
the form of the Government was chang'd into
a Democracy or Free State, the Presbyterian
Minifters, who from the beginning were the
King's mortal Enemies, but now inrag'd that
the Independents and other SeCts fhould enjoy
either Liberty or Life (not angry at the Fad
but the Faftion) did tragically declame in their
Pulpits, that the King's Ufage was very hard,
that his Perfon was facred and inviolable, and
that any violence ofter'd to him in the field
(much lefs by the hands of an Executioner) was
contrary to the Doftrin of the Reform'd
Churches. This oblig'd Milton in the
year 49 to write his Tenure of Kings and Ma-
giftrats, wh&rin he labors to prove that it is not
only
74 Li/e of John Milton,
only in it felf a moft equitable thing, but that
it has alfo bin fo efteem'd by the free and confi-
dering part of Mankind in all ages, that fuch
as had the Power might call a Tyrant to ac¬
count for his Maladminiftration, and after due
Convi&ion to depofe or put him to death, ac¬
cording to the nature of his Crimes: And fur¬
ther flhews,that if the ordinary Magiftratsofany
Nation refufe to do 'em this Juftice, that then
the duty of Selfprefervation, and the good of the
whole (which is the fupreme Law) impowers
the People to deliver themfelves from Slavery
by the fafeft and moft effeftual methods they
can. As for the Presbyterians, who were then
grown fo tender of Majefty (and that only be-
caufe they could not, abfolutely and exclufive-
ly of others, govern all mens Perfons and Con-
fciences) he evidently fhews that they were
the moft zealous to take arms againft the King,
to deveft and difanoint him of his Dignity, nay
to curfe him in all their Sermons and Pamphlets
over the Kingdom (wherof there remain nu¬
merous Monuments ft ill to be produced) that,
in a word, after they had join'd with others to
a degree from which Men of Honor or Pru¬
dence could not retreat, they were louder than
the Cavaliers themfelves to cry Difloyalty and
Trealon. After proving at large that they
broke their Allegiance to him, obey'd another
Authority, and had often given Commiflion to
flay where they knew his Perfon could not be
exemt from danger; and where, if chance or
flight
TbeLife of John Milton. 75
flight had not fav'd him like others, he muft be
infallibly kil'd, he fhews how ridiculoufly it
became them to pretend a tendernefs for his Per-
fon or Chara&er ; wheras indeed it was neither
Perfuafion nor Remorfe, but their averfion to
civil and religious Liberty that hurry'd 'em to
thefe extremes. But becaufe I hope the bulk of
thofe now cal'd Presbyterians in England, fcm
few leading Men excepted, are no fuch Ene¬
mies to a Toleration, and that they underftand
no more of the Confiftorian, Claffical, or Sy-
nodical Judicatories, than they allow of the
Inquifition or Hierarchy, I fhall in this place, to
difabufe'em, and to let 'em fee how much bet¬
ter others forefaw their Fate than Paffion would
fuffer themfelves at that time, infert the follow¬
ing paffage. " As for the Party cal'd Presby¬
terian, fays Milton, of whom I believe
very many to be good .and faithful Chriftians,
tho mifled by fom of turbulent Spirit, I wifh
them earneltly and calmly not to fall off
from their firft Principles, nor to affeft Rigor
and Superiority over Men not under them ;
not to compel unforcible things in Religion
<c efpecially, which if not voluntary, becoms
a Sin; nor to affift the clamor and malicious
drifts of thofe whom they themfelves have
judg'd to be the worft of Men, the obdurat
Enemies of God and his Church; nor to dart
againft the Aftions of their Brethren, for
want of other Argument, thofe wrefted
Laws and Scriptures thrown by Prelats
" and
«
u
ic
u
a
t*
76 The Life of John Milton.
ic and Malignants againft their own fides,
" which tho they hurt not otherwife, yet taken
" up by them to the condemnation of their
" own doings, give fcandal to all Men, and
u difcover in themfelves either extreme Paftion
a or Apoftacy. Let them not oppofe their beft
" Friends and Affociats who moleft 'em not at
" all, infringe not the leaft of their Liberties,
" unlefs they call it their Liberty to bind other
" Mens Confciences, but are ftill feeking to live
. " at peace with them, and brotherly Accord.
" Let them beware an old and perfeft Enemy,
" who tho he hopes by fowing Difcord to make
ic them his Inftruments, yet cannot forbear
a a minute the open threatning of his deftin'd
" Revenge upon them, when they have ferv'd
<c his purpofes. Let them fear, therfore, if
16 they be wife, rather what they have donal-
u ready, than what remains to do ; and be
" warn'd in time that they put no confidence
" in Princes whom they have provoked, left
" they be added to the Examples of thofe that
a miferably have tafted of the event. -I
u have fomthing alfo to the Divines, tho brief
" to what were needful, not to be Difturbers
" of the Civil Affairs, being in hands better
" able, and to whom it more belongs to ma-
" nage them ; but to ftudy harder, and to at-
<c tend the Office of good Paftors, not per-.
<c form'd by mounting twice into the Chair
u with a formal Preachment huddled up at the
" odd hours of a whole lazy week, but by in-
" ceflant
The Life of John Milton, 77
tc cefiant pains and watching which if they
" well confider'd, how little leifure would
" they find to be the moft pragmatical Sidef-
a men of every popular Tumult and Sedition ?
u And all this while they are to learn what the
" true end and reafon is of the Gofpel which
" they teach, and what a world it differs from
" the cenforious and fupercilious lording over
" Confcience. It would be good alfo they
u livM fo as might perfuade the People they
u hated Covetouinefs, which, worfe than He-
u refy, is Idolatry ; hated Pluralities and all
" kind of Simony; left rambling from Bene-
a fice to Benefice, like ravenous Wolves feek-
" ing where they may devour the biggeft.
<c Let them be forry that, being cal'd to afiem-
a ble about reforming the Church, they fell to
<c ProgS^n§ an(^ folliciting the Parlament (tho
u they had renounced the name of Prieffs) for
i( a new fettling of their Tithes and Oblations,
" and doublelin'd themfelves with fpiritual
" places of Commodity beyond the poffible dif-
" charge of their Duty. Let them alfemble in
a Confiftory with their Elders and Deacons to
<c the preferving of Church-Difciplin each in his
" feveral charge, and not a pack of Clergymen
" by themfelves to bellychear in their prefumtu-
" ous Sion.; or to promote defigns to abufe and
u gull the fimple Laity, to ftir up Tumults, as
" the Prelats did before them, for the mainte-
€i nance of their Pride and Avarice. Onthisocca-
fion I mult remark, that by reafon of the Presbyte¬
rians
7 8 The Life of John Milton.
rians warmly joining with others the laft Parla-
ment to promote Penal Laws againft the
ans, I find few People will believe that thofe in
England differ from their Brethren in Scotland
about Perfecution, nor that their own Sufferings
of late have made 'em more tender to the
Confidences of others. This naturally leads
men to think that they have not repented of
their Rigor in the Civil Wars; and that fhould
the Dilfenters once more get the Secular Sword
into their hands, they would prefs Uniformity
of Sentiments in Religion as far as any other
Proteffants or Papifts ever yet have don: wit-
nefs their inhuman Treatment of Daniel
Williams (a fober man and a judicious Di¬
vine) for no caufe that I can difcern, but that
he made Chriftianity plainer than fom of his
Collegues in the Miniftry, and that, it may be,
he takes a greater latitude than fuch as thro their
ignorance cannot, or will not from defign. But
what renders them moft fufpcdcd of affe£ting
Dominion, is the Project of a Comprehenfion
now on foot, wherof fom men of figure among
'em feem to be fo fond, wherby the reft
are eafily deceiv'd, and like to be left in the
lurch by certain Perfons who for feveral years
paft made the Hierarchy and Liturgy fuch
ftrange bugbears : tho if the Church will
pleafe to becom a kind Mother to themfelves,
and fhew a little complaifance for their old
Friends, they are ready to pronounce her Or¬
ders, her Prayers, and her Ceremonies to be
very
7be Life of Jolm Milton. 79
very innocent and harmlefs things; but mifta-
ken formerly for the Pillars of Antichrift, the
Symbols of Idolatry, the Dregs of Popery, the
Rags of Superftition, and Proteftant Paint to
hide the Deformities of the old Babylonifh
Whore. And after all, whatever ours may
be, Comprehenfion in all other places of the
World has never bin any thing elfe but the
Combination of a few Parties to fortify them-
felves, and to opprefs all others by their united
Force, or by an abfolute Exclufion from Pre¬
ferment and other Advantages to which by
Nature or perfonal Merit they had an equal
claim with the reft of their Fellow Citizens.
Tho to be perfecuted in their turn is the juft
Judgment of God upon Perfecutors, yet Ven¬
geance muft be left to Heaven : and the Wifhes
of all good Men are, that the National Church,
being fecur'd in her Worfhip and Emoluments,
may not be allowM to force others to her Com¬
munion ; and that all Diffenters from it, being
fecur'd in their Liberty of Confcience, may
not be permitted to meddle with the Riches
or Power of the National Church.
AFTER thefe things our Author thinking
to have leifure enough for fuch an undertaking,
apply'd himfelf intirely to the Hiftory of the
Englifh Nation, which he intended from the re-
moteft traditional beginning to continue down
to his dwn time, and had already finifh7d
four Books of the fame, when neither courting
nor expefting any fuch Preferment, he was ta¬
ken
So The Life of John Milton.
ken into the Service of the New Common¬
wealth. Hitherto he gratuitoufly lent his
Country the aid of his Pen, content with the
efteem of good Men, and the internal Satif-
faftion of having performed his Duty ; while
others that defervM it not fo well, were vari-
oufly rewarded, fom with Riches, fom with
Honors, and all with Liberty. But the Pubr
lication of the Tenure of Kjngs and Magiftrats
reviving the fame of his other Books, and as
well fhewing the Excellency of his Stile and
Capacity, as his Affe&ion to the good old
Caufe, he was made Secretary to the Council
of State for all foren Affairs: for the Republic
fcorn'd to acknowlege that fort of Tribute to
any Prince in the World, which is now paid to
the French King, of managing their Matters
only in his Language ; and took up a noble
Resolution, to which they firmly adher'd, that
they would neither write to others, nor receive
their Anfwers, except in the Latin Tongue, as
being common to them all, and the propereft
in it felf to contain great things, or the Subjeft
of future Pens. But this Proceding could not
be acceptable to thofe whofe Tranfaftions
were afham'd or afraid to fee the light, and
whofe Names will not be tranfmitted to Pofte-
rity, unlefs for dextroufly cheating their own
People, and laying the Springs of their Tyran¬
ny or Negleft in the dark, tho the Effefts are
fufficiently felt by their deluded Subjefts, and
the Injuftice vifibly exposed to all difcerning eys.
None
The Life of John Mil ton J 81
None could be found more fitted for fuch a Poffc
than Milton, who quickly gain'd no lefs
Reputation no himfelf than Credit to the State
that imploy'd fo able a Perfon. Of this the Let¬
ters he wrote under that and the fucceding Ad-
miniftrations (for he ferv'd Oliver, Ri¬
chard, and the Rump) are abundant evi¬
dence, being for different Reafons admir'd by
Critics and Statefmen, as they are certain and
authentic Materials for fuch as may hereafter
write tlie Hiftory of thofe times.
BUT it was not only in foren Difpatchesthat
the Government made ufe of his Pen ; for juft
after the King's Death appear'd a Book under
his Name, intitul'd Eikon Bafilike, ivherinhe
Vindicats himfelf in fo many diftinQ: Chap¬
ters from the chief Heads of thofe Tyrannies
charg'd upon him by the People, either as oc-
cafions of the Civil War, or as Inhumanities
committed during the fame. This piece, like
Cesar's laft Will, doing more execution
upon the Enemy than its Author when alive,
Milton was commanded to prevent by an
Anfwer thofe ill effects the Eikon Bafilike might
produce. Having undertaken this task, he oh-
ferves that Kings indeed have gain'd glorious
Titles from their Flatterers or Favorers for wri¬
ting againft privat men, as our Henry the
Eighth was ftiPd Defender of the Faith for in-
gaging Luther; yet that no man can expeft
much Honor by writing againft a King, as not
ufually meeting with that force of Argument
n ^
Bi JbeLifeof John Milton.
in fuch courtly Antagonifts, which to confute
might add to his fame. " Kings, fays he,
" tho ftrong in Legions, are moll commonly
<£ but weak at Arguments; as they who e-
" ver have accuftom'd from the Cradle to ufe
*' their Will only as their right hand, their
" Reafon always as their left: whence unex-
" pe&edly conftrain'd to that kind of Combat,
" they prove but weak and puny Adverfaries.
'' Neverthelefs, continues he, for their fakes,
*' who thro Cuftom, Simplicity, or want of bet-
" ter teaching have not more ferioufly con-
" fider'd Kings than in the gaudy name of Ma-
" jefty, and admire them and their doings, as if
" they breath'd not the fame Breath with other
'' mortal men, I fhall make no fcruple to take up
" this Gauntlet, tho a Kings, in the behalf of Li-
icberty and the Commonwealth. Having thus
accepted the Challenge, he fairly meafures Wea¬
pons,and anfwers all the Allegations of that Book
beyond the poffibility of a Reply. But every
Chapter of it ending with Devotion, model'd
into the form of a privat Pfalter, he once for all
gives his judgment of it in thefe words. " They,
l< who fo much admire the Archbifhops late
" Breviary, and many other as good Manuals
" and Handmaids of Devotion, the Lipwork
" of every prelatical Liturgift, clapt this to-
" gether, and quilted it out of Scripture Phrafe,
" with as much eafe, and as little need of Chri-
" ftian Diligence or Judgment, as belongs to
" the compiling of any ordinary and falable
" piece
V
The Life of John Milton* 8}
u piece of Englifh Divinity that the Shops va-
a lue. But he who from fuch a kind of Pfal-
" miftry, or any other verbal Devotion, with-
" out th/e pledg and earneft of futable Deeds,
" can be perfuaded of a Zeal and true Righ-
u teoufnefs in the Perfon, has much yet to
w learn ; and knows not that the deeped: Policy
" of a Tyrant has bin ever to counterfeit Reli-
" gion: and Aristotle in his Politics has
u mentioned that fpecial Craft among twelve
u other tyrannical Sophifms. Neither want
u we Examples. Andronicus Com-
u n e n u s the Byzantin Emperor, tho a moil:
" cruel Tyrant, is reported by Nicetas
" to have bin a conftant Reader of St. P a u l's
ic Epiftles ; and by continual Study had fo in-
i( corporated the Phrafe and Stile of that A-
w poftle into all his familiar Letters, that the
u Imitation feem'd to vy with the Original!
Then having inftanced our Richard the
Third, to whom he might have added Tar-
q^u i n who built the ftately Temple of Ju p i-
Ter Capitolinus, and the Ruffian
Basilowitz that pray'd feveri times a day^
he difcovers a piece of Royal Plagiarifm, or
(to be more charitable) of his Chaplains PriefD
craft; for one of KingCharleS7s Prayers,,
ftil'd a Prayer in the time of Captivity 0 delivered
by himfelf to Dr, j u x o n, and twice printed a-
tnong his Works in Folio, is plainly ftolen and
taken without any confiderable variation from
the mouth Of P a m e l a, an imaginary Lady,
E £
84 7be Life of John Milton.
to a Heathen Deity in Sir Philip Sii>
ney'sJrcadia, This has bin mentioned by
others after Milton, and thofe Prayers laid
parallel together on divers occafions. One of
Milton's Sagacity could not but perceive
by the Compofltion, Stile, and timing of this
Book, that it was rather the produftion of fom
idle Clergyman, than the work of a diftreft
Prince, either in perpetual hurry at the head of
a flying Army, or remov'd from one Prifon to
another during his unfortunat Captivity till his
Death. Befides the Theological Phrafes fre¬
quently interfpers'd, there are fuch fanciful Al-
lufionsand bold Comments in it upon the fecret
Judgments of God, as fmell ranklyof a Syftem
or the Pulpit. When he mentions the fate of
the Hot hams, by whom he was repuls'dat
Hull, he fays of the Father, That his Head was
divided from his Body, becaufe his Heart was di¬
vided from the Kjng : and that two Heads were
cut off in one Family for affronting the Head of
the Commonwealth; the eldejl Son being infecled
with the Sin of the Father, againjl the Father of
his Country. Thefe and fuch Arguments drawn
only from the Book it felf, without any further
light, induc'd a great many at that time to fuf-
petf the Impofture ; and that becaufe Crom-
wel got fuch a Reputation among the Peo¬
ple for his fuppos'd Piety, the Royalifts would
reprefent the King to be a wifer Man and bet¬
ter Chriftian. But in the year 1686 Mr. Mi l-
li ngton happening to fell the late Lord jto
Angle-
11' ■'■imum ■ ■
The Life of John Milton. 85
Anglesey's Library by Au&ion, put up
an Eikon Bafilike; and a few bidding very low
for it, he had leifure to turn over the Leaves,
when to his great Surprize he perceived written
with the fame noble Lords own hand, the fol¬
lowing Memorandum*
"
' .. • -J K..
IfJ. NG Charles the and
the Duke of York, did both
Sef/ions of Tar lament, t 5. when /
fiew'd them in the Lords Houfe the
written Copy of this 'Book, are
fom Corrections and'Alterations written
with the late f\ing Charles the
Firft'sown hand) me, that this
was none of the / acompiling,
bat made by Dr. Gauden
of Exeter: which I here infert for
the undeceiving of others in point,
by attejlmg fo much under my own hand.
Anglesey.
This occafion'd the World to talk ; and feve-
ral knowing the Relation which the late Dr.
AnthonyWalkek. an EJfex Divine had
to Bifhop Gauden, they inquir'd of him
what he knew concerning this Subjeft, which
F j he
\
8 6 The Life of John Milton.
he then verbally communicated to them: but
being afterwards highly provok'd hy Dr. H o l-
lingworth.'* harfh and injurious Reflections,
he was oblig'd in his own defence to print an ac¬
count of that Book, wherin are fufficient An-
fwers to all the Scruples or Objections that can
be made, and wherof I here infert an exaCt £-
pitome. He tells us in the firft place that Dr.
Gauden was pleas'd to acquaint him with
the whole defign, and fhew'd him the Heads of
divers Chapters,, with fom others that were
quite finifh'd: and'that Dr.Gauden asking
his opinion of the thing, and he declaring his
DiffatisfaCtion that the World fhould be fo im-
pos'd upon, GauPen bid him look on the
Title, which was the Kjngs Portraiture; for
that no man is fuppos'd to draw his own PiCture.
A very nice Evafion ! He further acquaints us,
that fom time after this being both in London,
and having din'd together, Dr. G a u d e n took
him along with him to Dr. D u p p a the Bifhop
of Salisbury (whom he made alfo privy to his
defign) to fetch what Papers he had left before
for his perufal, or to fhew him what he had
fince written : and that upon their return from
that place, after Gauden and D u p p a were
a while in privat together, the former told
him the Bifhop of Salisbury wifh'd he had
thought upon two other Heads, the Ordinance
againft the Common Prayer Book, and the de¬
nying his Majefty the attendeuce of his Chap¬
lains; but that D u p p a defifd him to finifh the
1 i-; <* :A; ?; - ;<■■'»
m « ; »r
I
The Life of John Milton. 87
reft, and he would take upon him to write two
Chapters on thofe Subje&s, which accordingly
he did. Thereafon, it feems, why Dr. G a u-
den himfeif would not perform this, was,
firft, that during the Troubles he had forborn
the ufeof the Liturgy, which he did not ex¬
traordinarily admire; and Secondly, that he
had never bin the King's Chaplain, wheras
Dr. Duppa was both his Chaplain, his Tu¬
tor, and a Bifhop, which made him more con-
cern'd about thefe Particulars. Thirdly, Dr.
Walker informs us that Dr. Gauden
told him he had fent a Copy of Eikon
by the Marquifs of Hartford to the King in the
lie of Wight; where it was, we may be fure,
that he made thofe Corrections and Alterati¬
ons with his own Pen, mention'd in my Lord
Anglesey's Memorandum: and which
gave occafion to fom then about him that had
accidentally feen, or to whom he had fhown
the Book, to believe the whole was his own.
Fourthly, Dr. Gauden, after the Reftora-
tiori, told Dr. Walker, that the Duke of
Tork knew of his being the real Author,
and had own'd it to be a great fervice ; in con¬
sideration of which, it may be, the Bifhop-
rick of Winch efer, tho he was afterwards put
off with that of Worcefler, was promis'd him.
And, notwithstanding it was then a Secret, we
now know that in expectation of this Tranfla-
tion, the great Houfe on Common was
built indeed in the name of his Brother Sir D e-
F 4 N1S,
jggt
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8S The*Life 0/John Milton.
K i s, but really to be a Manfionhoufe for the
Bifhops of f¥>inchefier. Fifthly, Dr. Wal¬
ker fays, that Mr. Gauden, the Doftor's
Son, his Wife, himfelf, and Mr.Giflord
who tranfcrib'd it, did believe it as firmly as
any fa ft don in the place where they were;
and that in that Family they always fpoke of
it among themfelves (whether in Dr. G au-
den) prefence or ablence) as undoubtedly
written by him, which he never contradi&ed,
We learn, Sixthly, that Dr. G a u d f. n, after
part of it was printed, gave to Dr. Walker
with his own hand what was laft fent to Lou¬
don ; and after fhewing him what it was, feal'd
it, giving him cautionary Directions how to
deliver it, which he did on Saturday the 23d
of December, 1648. for Mr. Roys ton the
Printer, to Mr. Peacock Brother to Dr.
G a u d &n ' s Steward, who, after the Impref-
fion was finifh'd, gave him, for his trouble,
fix Books, wherof he always kept one by him.
To thefe particulars Dr. Walker adds,
that the Reafon why the Covenant is more fa¬
vorably mention'd in Eikon Bafilike, than the
King or any other of his Party would do, was
beecaufe Dr. Gauden himfelf had taken it:
That in the devotional part of this Book there
occur feveral Expreffions which were habitual
to Dr. Gauden in his Prayers, which al¬
ways in privat and public were conceiv'd or
extemporary : and that to his knowlege it was
Dr. Gauden, being beft acquainted with the
The Life of John Miltoti^ 8p
Beauty of his own Sayings, who made that
Collection of Sentences out of Eikon Bajilike,
irititul'd, Apophthegmata Car oilman a. Thefe
and fom Observations about the fame individual
Perfons variation of Stue on different SubjeCts,
with the facility and frequency of perfonating
others, may be further confider'd in Dr. Wal¬
ker's original Account. In this condition
flood the Reputation of this Book, till the laft
and finiflhing difcovery of the Impofture was
made after this manner. Mr. Arthur
North, a Merchant now living onTower-
hil, London, a man of good Credit, and a
Member of the Church of England, marry'd
the Sifter of her that was Wife to the Do&or's
Son Charles Gaud en, who dying left
fom Papers with his Widow, among which
Mr. North, being concerned about his Sifter
in Law's Affairs, found a whole bundle relat¬
ing to Eikon Bafilike: Thefe Papers old Mrs.
Gauden left to her darling Son John, and
he to his Brother Charles. There is firft a
Letter from Secretary Nicholas to Dr.
Gauden, 2. The Copy of a Letter from
Bifhop Gauden to Chancellor Hyde,
where, among his other Deferts, he pleads
that what was don like a King, fhould have
a Kinglike Retribution'; and that his defign in
it was to comfort and incourage the King's
Friends, to expofe his Enemies, and to con¬
vert, &c. There is, 3. The Copy of a Letter
from the Biflfrop to the Duke of York, wher-
in
po The Life of John Milton^
in he ftrongly urges his Services. 4. A Letter
under Chancellor Hyde's own hand, dated
the 1 phof March, 1661. wherin he expreffes
his uneafinefs under the Bilhop's importunity,
and excufes his inability yet to ferve him: but
towards the Conclufion it contains thefe remark¬
able words; The Particular you mention has in¬
deed bin imparted to me as a Secret; I am forry I ever
knew it: and when it ceafes to be a , it will
pleafe none but Mr. Milton. There are other
Papers in this bundle, but particularly a long
Narrative of Mrs.Gauden's own writing,
irrefragably fhewing her Husband to be Au¬
thor of Eikon Bafilike. It intirely confirms
Dr. Walker's account, and contains moft
of the fa£ts we have hitherto related, with ma¬
ny other curious Circumftances too long to be
here inferted, yet too extraordinary not to be
known ; wherfore I refer the Reader to the 0-
riginal Paper, or to the faithful extract made
out of it before feveral learned and worthy
Perfons, and which is printed in a Paper inti-
tul'd, Truth brought to light. Thus came all
the World to be convinc'd of this notorious
Impofture ; which as it was dexteroufly
contriv'd, and moft cunningly improv'd by a
Party whofe Intereft oblig'd 'em to keep the
Secret, fo it happen'd to be difcover'd by very
nice and unforeseen Accidents. Had not Gau-
den bin difappointed of Winchejler, he had
never pleaded his Merit in this affair; nor
would his Wife have written her Narrative,
had
The Life of John Milton. 9?
had King C h a r l e s the Second beftow'd one
half years Rent on her after her Husband's
deceafe, which upon her Petition, and confider-
ing her numerous Family, none could imagin
fhould berefus'd. It was a {lighter accident
that begot a Confeffion from two Kings, and
Charles's own Sons: and I doubt if
any other than one of Mr. Millington's
great Curiofity, and no Bigotry, had the dif-
pofal of my Lord Anglesey's Books, we
fhould never have heard of the Memorandum.
Had not Hollingworth's indifcrete
Zeal provok'd the only Man then alive who
had any perfonal knowlege of this bufinefs,
Dr. Walker had never publifh'd his Ac¬
count ; nor could the whole difcovery be fo
complete, without the leaft intricacy or que-
ftion, without Mr. North's Papers. When
I ferioufly confider how all this happen'd a-
mong our felves within the compafs of forty
years, in a time of great Learning and Polite-
nefs, when both Parties fo narrowly watch'd
over one another's A&ions, and what a great
Revolution in Civil and Religious Affairs was
partly occafion'd by the Credit of that Book,
I ceafe to wonder any longer how fo many fup-
pofititious pieces under the name of Christ,
his Apoftles, and other great Perfons, fhould
be publifh'd and approv'd in thofe primitive
times, when it was of fo much importance to
have'em believ'd; when the Cheats were too
manyon all fides for them to reproach one ano¬
ther,
9i The Life of John Milton?
ther,which yet they often; did when Commerce
was not near fo general as now, and the whole
Earth intirely overfpread with the darknefs of
Superftition. I doubt rather the Spurioufnefs
of feveral more fuch Books is yet undifcover'd,
thro the remotenefs of thofeAges, the death of
the Perfons concern'd, and the decay of other
Monuments which might give us true Infor¬
mation ; efpecially when weconfider how dan¬
gerous it was always for the weaker fide to
lay open the tricks of their Ad verfariCs, tho
never fo grofs: and that the prevailing Party
did ftri&ly order all thofe Books which offend¬
ed them to be burnt, or otherwife fuppreft,
which was accordingly perform'd, as well in
obedience to the Laws by fom, as out of con-
fcientious Obligations by others, which made
the execution more effectual than ufually hap¬
pens in cafes of an ordinary nature. Of this
we are furnifh'd with numberlefs Examples by
Church-Hiftorians, who have preferv'd intire
feveral of the Laws and Orders enacted to this
purpofe. From thefe general Remarks I muft
obferve in particular, that 'tis likely when
Charles the Second knew the forgery of
this Book, he was fully confirm'd in the Popifh
Religion, which in his Childhood he learnt of
his Mother, and in his Exile by his foren Con-
verfation. The Author of de-
fires him to adhere to the Church of England,
as neceffary both for his Soul's peace, and that
of the Kingdom. This and the like Exhorta¬
tions
The Life of John Milton. ^
tions of Refpefl: for the Liturgy and Clergy,
might fhew, at leaft, the Judgment of his
dying Father; but from Dr. Gauden it was
mere Intereft and Impofture. Charles
therfore, who knew Morley, Duppa,
and others, to approve of this Fraud to which
they were privy, and for whofe Advantage the
belief of it was ferviceable, muft either fufpeft
the Forgeries laid by Ptoteftants to the charge
of Popery, when he a&ually knew the Prote-
ftants to play the fame Game : or not being
able to deny the Popifh Cheats, 'tis moft pro¬
bable the Opinion which his intimat Friends
had of him was too true, that he was really of
neither Church, but believed the Pretences of
both to be Credulity or Craft; and that the
tranfaQions of his laft Minutes were only the
effefts of a weak Mind in a dillemper'd Body.
MILTON wrote alfoin the year 48. Ob¬
servations upon the Reprefentation of the Pref-
bytery of Belfafl in' Ireland, concerning the
King's Death, the breaking of the Covenant,
and the Toleration of different Perfuafions, to
which thefe Prieftlings, as he calls them, were
mortal Enemies; while they calPd their own
Presbyterian Government the Hedg and Bul¬
wark of Religion, which is exa£My the lan¬
guage of the Popifh Inquifition. In the fame
Obfervations he examins the Duke of Or¬
mondes Letter to Colonel Jones Govern¬
or of Dublin,, perfuading him to revolt from
the Parlament. M 1 l t © n is very angry that
O r-
94 The Life of John Milton."
Ormond made a contemtuous mention'Iof
General Cromwei, "who, according
" to him, had don in a few years more eminent
<c and remarkable Deeds, wheron to found
" Nobility in his Houfe, tho it were wanting,
" and perpetual Renown to Pofterity, than
" Ormond and all his Anceftors put together
" could fhew from any Record of their
" Exploits, the wideft Scene of their Glory.
But his chiefeft Remarks are upon the Articles
of Peace which Ormond concluded in the
King's Name, and by his Authority, with the
Popifh Irifb Rebels, wherin they are pardon'd
for the MalTacre and Depredation of the
lifb Proteftants; acknowleg'd to be dutiful and
loyal Subjefts; are difcharg'd from taking the
Oath of Supremacy, principally fram'd on the
account of Papifts: and, in a word, fuch Free¬
doms and Privileges were granted to thofe in¬
human Butchers, as were never injoy'd by their
Engl ifb Conquerors. The Second Article im-
powers the Irifb Parlament to repeal or fufpend
(as they think fit) Poyning's Aft, the
only fecurity of their dependence on England.
They are intruded by him with the Militia;
and fo indulgent was he to thefe his choice Fa-
vorits, as ridiculoufiy to promife them the re¬
pealing of thofe Afts which prohibited their
plowing with HOrfes by the Tail, or burning
Oats in the Straw, marks of their fdttiflh ana
indocil Barbarity.
iff
7be Life of John Milton. 95
AND now we corn to his Matter piece, his
chief andfavorit WorkinProfe, for Argument
the nobleft, as being the Defence of a whole
free Nation, the People of England; for ftile
and difpofition tjhe moft eloquent and elaborat,
equalling the old Romans in the purity of their
own Language, and their higheft Notions of
Liberty ; as univerfally fpread over the learned
World as any of their Compofitions; and
certain to endure while Oratory, Politics, or
Hiftory bear any efteem among Men. It can*
not be denfd, fays that excellent Critic Monfieur
Baile, that Milton's Latin flile is ea-
fy, brisk, and elegant; nor that he defended the Re¬
publican Caufe with a world of Addrefs and
Wit: Agreablq to which Judgment is the
unanimous Suffrage of Foreners, not except¬
ing the moft zealous Alfertors of Monarchy.
It was written upon this occafion. Charles
eldeftSon to the King of the fame name living
in Exile, and wanting fom body to paint the
Death of his Father in the blackeft Colors, ei¬
ther to render the Authors of it odious, the
better to bring about his own return ; or, if
that effefl: did not anfwer, to move the Com¬
panion of Foren Potentats to procure his Re-
ftoration, was told of Salmasius a Pro-
feflor of the Univerfity of Leyden. in Holland,
as the fitteft perfon for his purpofe. This Man
had got fuch a mighty Name from his Rlinian
his critical Notes on feveral
Authors, that none was
thought
Exer citations, and
Latin and Greec
I
I
I
9 6 The Life of John Milton.'
thought fo knowing to equal, or fo hardy to
incounter him. This Man therfore Charles
the Second hir'd for a hundred to
•write that bulky Volume, which in the year
49 appear'd under the Title of Regiai
or a Defence of Charles the Firft to
Charles the Second. Salmasius be¬
ing better verft in the Writings of Grammari¬
ans, and Lexicographers (which fort of Men
were his chief Admirers) than in thofe of Le-
giflators and Politicians, gave a true Demon¬
stration that mere Scholars, when they meddle
with any thing that requires Reafoning or
Thought, are but mere Affes: for being whol¬
ly occupy'd about frivolous Etymologies, or
the bare found of words, and living moft of
their time excluded from Converfation, bury'd
in duft among Worms and mouldy Records,
they have no exa£t knowlege of things, and
are perfect ftrangers to all the ufeful bufinefs of
the World, Accordingly the Royal Defence
was deftitute of Eloquence or Art, being no¬
thing elfe but a huge heap of Rubbifb, con*
fitting of injudicious Quotations, very difor-
derly piec'd together, feldom maki g for his
purpofe ; and, when they feem'd to favor him,
quite fpoil'd again by his own mi pertinent
Comments. But what's worfe than all the
reft, he appear'd on thisoccafion fuch an abfo*
lute ftranger and bungler in his own Province,
as to open a large Field for M i l t o n to divert
himfelf with his barbarous Phrafes and Sole-
i cifms.
The Life of John Milton. gy
cifms. Nbr had he more Wit like wife than to
publifh his Defence of Monarchy in Hollandf
at the fame time that he had a Penfion from that
Free State, and was actually entertained in their
Service ; for tho the Dutch were then do good
Friends to the Englifh, being jealous of their
growing Power, yet they could not be pieas'd
with any Writing opposed to the common
Caufe of Liberty, and accordingly they blam'd
S a l m a s i u s, and ordePd the Defence to be
fuppreft. Nq fooner did this Book appear in
England, but Milton being then prefent?
was unanimously nanvd by every Member of
the Council of State to anfwer it; fo good an
opinion they had of his Capacity, neither did
he fail their Expectations: for within a Very
fhort time he publifh'd his Defenfio fro pofulc
Anglkano, or the Defence of the People of
England; wherin, to fpeak rio more of his ad¬
mirable Stile than We have don already, nor of
his handfomly expofing the Ignorance or Fury
of Salmasius, he defended theProceclirig^
bf the People of England from the beginning
of the Civil War to that time, with fuch Force
bf Arguments and Authority of Examples,
that fince there could be no difpute about the
Victory he obtained over his Adverfary, the
only dohbt remaining with his Readers Was,
Which ihould be counted fuperid'r, his own
great Reading, Folitenefs, of - Judgment.
The Subject ri tod nice for me to make a-
df it according to the method.!
bti-
&
9$ 7be Life of John Milton,
obferv'd in fom of his other Books; and be- ^
fides, it deferves fo much to be confider'd at fj
length in the Original, or in the Englijh Ver- y
fion by Mr. W a s ii i n g t o n of the Temple, J i
that I will not deprive any body of that plea- ^
fure. It's true indeed, that fom have blam'd
Milton for his rough ufage of Salma-
sius, nor herein will I pretend wholly to ex-
cufe him ! But when I confider how bafely ^
the whole Englifb Nation was abus'd by Sal- ^
ma si us, as fo many Barbarians or Enthufi-
afts, fiercer than their own Maftifs and yet f
fillier than Athenian Owls, it gos a great way ;:e]
with me towards Milton's Juftification; W
and if we add to this, that he fpeaks not in his 'D®
own Perfon, but as the Mouth of a potent irfi
State traduc'd by a pitiful Profelfor, there be ^c
thoie in the World that will pofitively com- ;
mend him. Two paffages only I jfhall infert 'n(®
here out of his Book; wherof the firft fhall
be an Epigram he made to rid icule his Adverfary
for medling with Affairs to which he was a
itranger, having all his intelligence from in- SI(Ma
i ag'd and partial Exiles; but particularly for % i
his miftaking of Englijh Names, and his men- iju
tioning of the County Court^ and Hundred. ^oii
'lie Epil
Quis expedivit Salmafio fuam Hundredam ? Mr,
Picamque docuit verba no ft r a. conari ? "tfs
Magifter art is venter, & Jacobs 1 Art
Centum, exulantis vifcera Marfupii regis. '
"apl
Quod \tfci
The Life of JoHn Milton.
Quodfi dolofi [pes refulferit ,
Ipfe, Antichrifti modo qui
Minatus uno ejldiffipare
Cantabit uitroCardinalitium
Engliflfd.
Who taught Sal mas i us, that Frenth chat-
tring Py,
To aim at Engliflj,and Hcry ?
The ftarving Rafcal, flufht with juft a hun¬
dred
Englijbjacobuffes, Hundredablunder'd ;
An outlaw'd King's laft Stock. A hundred
more
Would make him pimp for th'Antichriftian
Whore;
And in Rome's praife imploy his poifon'd Breath,
Who threaten'd once to ftink the Pope to death.
In thefe Verfes he refldffs on Salmasius
for declaring hirrrfelf againft any fort of Hie¬
rarchy in his Book de Primatu Papa, and yet
being a mighty ftickler for Bilhops in his De¬
fence of the King. The other Paifage fhall be
the Epilogue or Conclufion of Milton's
Book. " And now I think, fays he, that by
" God's Affiftance I have finifh'd the Work I
" undertook, namely to defend the noble Adi-
" ons of my Countrymen at home and abroad
" againft the raging and envious madnefs of
this diftraded Sophifter; and to affert the
G 2 " common
i oo The Life of John Milton.
ic common Rights of the People againft the un«
juft domination of Kings, not out of any
hatred to Kings, but Tyrants: nor have I
purpofely left unanfwerM any one Argument
alleg'd by my Adverfary, nor any Example
or Authority quoted by him, that feenftd to
have any force in it, or the leaft color of a
proof; perhaps I have bin guilty rather of
the other extreme, of replying to fom of his
Fooleries and Trifles as if they were folid
Arguments, and therby may feem to have
attributed more to them than they deferv'd.
One thing yet remains to be don, which per¬
haps is of the greateft concern of all, and
that is, That you my Countrymen confute
this Adverfary of yours your felves ; which
I do not fee any other means of your effect¬
ing than by a conftant indeavor to outdo all
Mens bad words by your own good Deeds.
When you labored under more forts of Op-
preflion than one, you betook your felves to
God for Refuge, and he was gracioufly
pleased to hear your moft earneft Prayers and
Defires. He glorioufly delivered you, the
firft of Nations, from the two greateft
Mifchiefs of this Life, and the moft perni¬
cious to Virtue, Tyranny and Superftition ;
he induM you with that Greatnefs of Soul to
be the firft of Mankind, who, after having
conquered and captivated their own King,
have not fcr-upl'd to condemn him judicially,
and according to that juft Sentence, to put
£ " him
ic
<i
a
ic
<t
ic
<C
<(
a
CC
a
a
a
ic
a
a
ic
ci
a
a
a
ic
ic
ci
cc
ic
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a
a
ic
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The Life of John Milton. 101
him to death. After performing foilluftri-
ous an Action as this, you ought to do no¬
thing that's mean and little, not even to
think, much lefs to do any thing but what
is great and fublime. To attain which
Praife there is only this way, that as you
have fubdu'd your Enemies in the field, fo
to make it appear that unarm'd and in full
Peace you of all Mankind are ableft to con¬
quer Ambition, Avarice, the love of Riches,
and can beft avoid thofe Corruptions of Pro-
fperity which are apt to get the better of o-
ther Nations; to fhew as great Juftice,
Temperance, and Moderation, inpreferving
your Liberty, as you have don Courage in
freeing your {elves from Slavery. Thefe are
the only Arguments and Authorities by
which you will be able to evince that you
are not fuch perfons as this Fellow repre-
fents you, Traitors, Robbers, Murderers,
Parricides, Madmen; that you did not put
your King to death out of any ambitious de-
fign, oradefireof invading the Rights of o-
thers, not out of any feditious Principles or fi-
nifter Ends,not agitated by Fury or Madnefs;
but that it was wholly out of love to your
Liberty, Religion, Juftice, Virtue, and in-
flam'd with an Atfeftion for your Country,
that you punifh'd a Tyrant. But if it
fhould happen other wife (which I pray God
mercifully to forbid") if as you have bin va¬
liant in War, you fhould grow debauch'd in
G 3 " Peace
A: if!'
My
101 The Life of John Milton.
-f Peace, you that have had luch vifible De~
ic monftrations of the Goodnefs of God to your
■ ' felves, and his Wrath againft your Enemies,
" and that you fhould not learn by fo eminent
" and memorable an Example before your eys,
a to fear God and work Righteoufnefs, for my
u part, I fball eafily grant and confefs (for I
16 cannot deny it) all the ill that Liers and Slan-
u derers now think or fpeak of you to be true.
And you will find in a little time that God's
Difpleafure againft you will be greater than
it has bin againft your Adverfaries, greater
than his benign Favor and paternal Care
a which you have experienced above all the
" Nations under Heaven. Milton was
rewarded with a thoufand Pounds for this per¬
formance ; and how differently his Defence of
the People, and that of Salmasius for the
King were entertained by the curious, we may
learn from the mouth of him that next ap¬
peared for the Royal Caufe. " What the mdft
" accomplifh'd Salmasius, fays he, has
" difcretely written in defence of the Right
u and Honor of Charles the Britifh Mo-
" narch, murder'd by wicked Men, has born
" but one Impreffion, and faw the Light with
iC great difficulty ; with fo much hatred dos
" the World persecute Truth in thefe latter
ic times: but of what the moft execrable
7 Milt o n has fpitefully elaborated to ruin
" the Reputation of the deceas'd King, and to
£ deftroy the hereditary Succeffion of the
" Crown,
The Life of John Milton.1 105
e( Crown, there are fo many Editions, that I
" am uncertain to which of them I flhould re-
" fer my Reader ; fo paffionatly fond are Men
" grown now of Lies and Calumnies! On this
Book our Author did not think it worth his
while to animadvert, but delegated thateafy
task to his younger Nephew John Phi¬
lips, now alive, who foon wrote a fufficient
Anfwer to Bifhop Bramhal; for fo this
new Antagonift was fuppos'd to be cal'd.
SALMASIUS n^de a huge figure at
this time in the Swedifh Court, whither Queen
Christina invited all the Men of Letters
in Europe, fo that her whole Train was com¬
posed in a manner of Grammarians, Rhetori¬
cians, Philofophers, Aftrologers, and Critics:
nor was her Adminiftration unanfwerable to her
Attendents; for befides a total negle£t of good
Laws for the public Benefit, and her imprudent
preferring of Strangers before the Natives of
the Country, fhe led a mere romantic Life,
fomtimes frolicfomly difguifing her felf in
Mens Clothes, and then gravely difputing with
her Do£lors,till at laft file was forc'd to, a fiiame-
ful Abdication of the Government; and the
end of all her Learning was to turn Papift for a
Penfion from the Pope, or to have an old mea¬
ger Frier to pardon her Sins, and a brawny
Cardinal for her Stallion. Now no fooner
had the Defence of the Englifli Nation reached
Sweden, and was read to the Queen at her own
defire, but S a l m a s i u s, who till then had
Q 4 hi a
f
I
if
P
m
II
104 The Life of John Milton.
bin as it were her prime Minifter, and who,
when he firft faw the Book, foolifhly fwore
he would deftroy Milton and the whole
Parlament, decreased fo much in her efteern,
and dwindled to fucli a degree in the opinion
of all others, that he thought it not for his
Intereft to continue longer there, and was dif-
mift with extraordinary Coldnefs and Contemt,
And not expefting to be better received in Hol¬
land y or any where elfe, he left an imperfeft
pofthumous Reply, and had recourfe to Death,
the laft refuge of the Miferable, and the fafeft
fhelter to cover them from Infamy and Difgrace*
Milton, on the other hand,was, on the firft ap¬
pearance of his Book, vifited or invited by all the
AmbafTadors at London, not excepting thofe of
Crown'd Heads, and particularly efteem'd by'
Adrian Paw the Ambalfador of the flourifhing
Pvepublicof Holland. His Book indeed was burnt
at Paris, not by order of the Parlament, but,
at the inftigation of the Priefts, by the Lieu¬
tenant Civil, and likewife at Tholoufe, which
ferv'd only to procure it more Readers : for he
was highly extol'd at the fame time, or com¬
plemented by Letters from the moft ingenious
Perfcns in Germany or Prance ; and, as if the
old Grecian Republics'had revived to decree the
accuftom'd Honors to the Affertors of Liberty,
L e o n a r d u s P h 1 la ra s, an Athenian born,
and Ambalfador from the Duke of Parma to
the French King, wrote a fine Commendation
6f his Defence, and fent him his Pi&ure, to-
L: ... v gether
The Life of John Milton 105
gether Vith a perfonal Elogium. From thefe
undeniable Matters of FaQ: (without decid¬
ing the merit of the caufe on either fide) it is
plain that in the judgment of all Europe, M f l-
t o n got infinitly the better of Salmaslus;
for it could not be Partiality to a Free Govern¬
ment, but the refiftlefs Light of Truth, that
obtained fuch a Confeffion from the Minifters
or Subjefts of abfolute Princes.
N O W he had fom leifure again to follow
his other Studies of a more delightful and
peaceable nature than thefe Controverfies, and
had alfo a Son born to him, who dy'd in his
Infancy. In the year 52, he removed for his
Health from his Lodgings at Whitehal to a
Houfe opening into St. J a m e s ' s Park, which
fhall be the Scene of ah his Aftions till the Re-
ftoration of the Royal Family. In this place
his firft Wife dying in Childbed, he,* after a
convenientfpace, marry'dafecond, Catha-
rine the Daughter of Captain Woodcock
of Hackny, who within a year dy'd alfo in the
fame condition, and was about a month after
followed by her Child, which was a Girl. His
Sight was quite gon before this Match ; for by
reafon of his continual Studies, and the Head-
ach to which he was fubjeft from his Youth,
His Eys were decaying for a do&en years before
but we fhall have an occafion by and by to
give a further account of this matter.
THE fame year appeared a bitter Invefiive
from abroad again ft the Parlamentarians. The
" Title
106 Tbe Life of John Milton.
Title of it was, * Tbe Cry of the Kjngfs Blood
for Vengeance to Heaven a the Par¬
ricides. In this Book M1 lt o n is particular¬
ly traduc'd, and accus'd to have bin expel'd out
of the Univerfity of Cambridg for fom Mifde-
meanors, wherupon he retir'd into : but
thefalfity of this Story is already prov'd. Se¬
veral other frivolous things are laid to his charge,
which he on the other hand denies; nor do his
Adverfaries infift upon them in their Anfwers :
now there cannot be a clearer proof of his In¬
nocence, than that being accus'd he publicly
denies the fa&, and his Enemies can't contra-
di£t him. But Envy and Malice often carry
luch as have got the worfe to affirm moft ab-
furd and ridiculous things: So Salmasius
in his dying Reply foolifbly reports that Mi l-
t 0 n wrote not the Defence himfelf, but lent
his Name to the Hand of a little French School-
mafter at London. But, as it always happens
in fuch cafes, he got nothing by this filly fig¬
ment, but gave Milton an opportunity of
making his own Ability, and the Weaknefs of
Salmasius, further known to the World.
Thus fom People think to gratify an offended
Perfon with telling him a hundred ilnatur'd
Stories of his Antagonift, to which his Palfion
makes him give credit without due Examina¬
tion, and then becoms a Fool by afferting them.
The true Author of the Clamor Regii
nis,
* Clamor Regii Sanguinis ad Gcelum, See.
The Life of John Milton. 107
nit, was Peter du Moulin the young¬
er, a Prebendary of Canterbury; but Alex-
anderMorus a French Minifter being
the Publifher of it, and having prefix'd a De¬
dication in the Printer's Name to Charles
II. he was generally thought to be the Writer
of the whole. This M o r us was the Son of
a learned Scot, who was Principal of the Pro-
teftant College formerly at in -
doc. His iniufferable Haughtinefs, immoderat
Inclination for Women, and Contemt of his
Collegues, made him odious and uneafy wher¬
ever he liv'd. He was hafty, ambitious, fa-
tyrical, and could never commend any thing
but his own Works, or thofe of his Admirers.
He was cry'd up for a Seraphic Preacher; but,
as Baile judicioufly fays, his Talent muft
have confided in the Gracefulnefs of his Pro¬
nunciation and Gefture, or in thofe Flourishes
and Puns wherof his Sermons are full: for 'tis
certain that they retain not thofe Charms now
on Paper which they were faid to have former¬
ly in the Pulpit. Againfl: him therfore M 1 l-
t o n by public Command publifhes a fecond
Defence for the People of England, which,
befides what the Title promifes, contains a
bloody Satyr upon Morus, nor dos he deny
himfelf to have bin the occafion of Samasi-
us's Death. I Shall not rake into the AShes
of the Dead, but content my fell with inferr¬
ing here two pieces of Milton's Wit.
The firft is a Diftich made upon Morus for
8%
io3 The Life of John Milton.'
getting P o n t i a the Maid of his Friend S a t-
masilis with Child.
Galli ex Concubitu gravidam te, Pontia, Mori,
Quis bene moratam, morigeramque neget ?
The other fhall be an Epigram wherin M i l-
ton laughs at Morus for threatning him
with a fecond Edition of Salmasius's De¬
fence of the King, augmented with Animad-
verfions on his Defence of the People.
Gaudete Scombri, & quicquid efi pifcium Sab,
Qui frigida Hyemeincolitis algentes fret a,
Vefirfim mifertus ille Salmafius Eques
Bonus amicire nuditatem cogitat;
Chartj!que largus apparat papyrinos
Vobis cucullos preferentes Claudii
Infignia, Nomenque, & Decus Salmafii:
Gefletis ut per omne cetarium foYum
Equitis clientes, fcriniis mungentium
Cubitovirorum, & capfulis gratijjimos.
The Author of the Clamor Regii Sanguinis ha¬
ving barbaroufly objected to Milton his
Blindnefs, and that he was meager and pale,
he give^ him an Anfwer in thefe words: " I
" was never counted deformed, as I know, by
" any that ever faw me; but whether to be
A' counted handfom or not is none of my con-
" cern. My Stature, I confefs, is not extraor-
" dinary tall, yet I am rather a middlefizM
« than
Tl:e Life of John Milton. 109
Xi than little Man. But what if little I were ?
u Have not many Perfons eminent in the Arts
of War and Peace bin fo before me ? tho I
" fee no reafon why that fhould be cal'd little
u which in Courage is fufficiently great. Nei-
ic ther am I fo (lender ; for I was ftrong and
capable enough in my Youth to handle my
u Weapons, and to exercife daily Fencing : fo
a that wearing a Sword by my fide, as became
" a Gentleman, I thought my felf a match for
" thofe that were much ftronger, and was not
a afraid of receiving an affront from any body.
" I have ftill the fame Soul and Vigor, but not
" the fame Eys; yet to all outward appear-
cC ance fo found, fo clear, and free from the
<c leali fpot, as theirs who fee furtheft: and
" herein only, in fpite of my felf, I am a De-
" ceiver. My Countenance, than which he
u fays there's nothing paler, is ftill of a Color
ic fo contrary to wan and bloodlefs, that tho
f < I am above forty, any body would think me
" ten years younger, being neither contrafted
<( in Body or Skin. If in any of thefe par-
^ ticulars I told a Ly, I fhould be deferyedly
^ ridiculous to many thoufehds of my own
^ Countrymen, and tafeveral Strangers that
a perfonally know me. As for his Blindnefs,
he fays that fuch a condition is not miferable,
but not to be able to bear it; and then quotes
the Examples of valiant, learned, wife, and
holy Men of all times that have bin blind. But
thelofs of his Eys being objefted to him as an
effefl:
11 o The JJfe of John Milton.
effeftof divine Vengeance, after folerAnly pro-
tefting that he's not confcious of any thing for
which he fhould deferve that punifhment more
than other Men, he adds, " As for what I
" wrote at any time (fince the Royalifts think
" I now fuffer on that account, and triumph
" over me) I call God to witnefs that I did
" not write any thing but what I then thought,
" and am ftill perfuaded to be right, and true,
" and acceptable to God ; not led by any fort:
" of Ambition, Profit, or Vainglory ; but
" have don all from a fenfe of Duty and Ho-
" nor, or out of piety to my Country, and
<c for the Liberty of Church and State. Ori
" the contrary, when that Task of anfwering
" the King's Defence was injoin'd me by pub-
u lie Authority, being both in an ill ftate of
" Health, and the Sight of one Ey almoft
" gon already, the Phyficians openly prediQing
" the lofs of both if I undertook this Labor;
" yet nothing terrify'd by their Premonition, I
" did not long balance whether any Duty
u fhould be prefer'd to my Eys. And what he
really thought of his Blindnefs, and how he
bore it, may be further perceiv'd by this
Sonnet to his Friend Cyriac Skinner,
never printed with his other Poems.
Cy r i®
t
^
Ihe Life of John Milton. 111
Cyri ac, this three years day, thefe Eys, tho clear
To outward view of blemifh or of fpot,
Bereft of fight, their feeing have forgot.
Nor to their idle Orbs dos Day appear,
Or Sun, or Moon, or Star, throout the year;
Or Man, or Woman. Yet I argue not
Againft Heaven's hand,or will,nor bate one jot
Of Heart or Hope; but ftil! bear up, and lteer
Right onward. What fupportsme,doft thou ask?
The Confcience,Friend, t'have loft them over-
ply'd
In Liberty's Defence, my noble Task,
Wherof all Europe rings from fide to fide.
This Thought might lead me thro this
World's vain Mask,
Content, tho blind, had I no other Guide.
M O R U S publiflb'd his publico, in an-
fwer to Milton's fecond Defence, to which
the latter oppos'd a * Defence of himfelf; and by
Original Letters, or the like Authentic Pieces,
made good all his Affertions againft his Adver-
fary: wherupon Morus vanquifh'd and baf¬
fled, quitted the Field. Our Author was now
Latin Secretary to the Protestor Oliver
CromwEl, who, he confidently hop'd,
would imploy his Truft and Power to extin-
guilh the numerous Faftions of the State, and
to fettle fuch a perfett Form of a Free Govern-
- i ■.'■i -i ^
* Defcnfio pro fe,
ment,
\ it The Life of John Milton*
ment, wherin no fingle Perfon fhould injoy
any Power above or befide the Laws : but he
particularly expeQed his eftablifhing an impar¬
tial Liberty of Confcience, to which he incou-
rages him by thefe lines, never printed among
his Poems.
Cromwel, our chief of Men, that thro a Croud
Not of War only, but Diftra&ions rude,
(Guided by Faith and matchlefs Fortitude)
To Peace and Truth thy glorious way haft
plow'd,
And fought God's Battles,and his Work purfu'd,
While Darrnnt Streams,with Blood of Scots im-
bru'd,
And Dunbar Field refound thy Praifes loud,
And Worcfers Laureat Wreath. Yet much re¬
mains
To conquer ftill; Peace has her Victories,
No lefs than thofe of War. New Foes arife
Threatning to bind our Souls in fecular Chains:
Help us to fave free Confcience from the Paw
Of hireling Wolves, whofe Gofpel is their Maw,
HE had leifure enough now from his ItrE
ployment in the State (no Adverfary daring to
appear any more) to purfue his Hiftory of Bri-
tain, and his new Thefaurm Lingua Latina t
but what took up moft of his time was the Epic
Poem he had fo long defigrpd, and which is
fince printed under the Title of ParatUfe Left *
wherof in due order. But the next Book life
The Life of John Milton. 1i \
publifh'd was a Treatife, dedicated to the Park-
merit, of Civil Power in Ecclefiaftical Caufes?
iTiewing that it is not lawful for any Power on
Earth to compel in Matters of Religion, whe¬
ther fpeculative or practical; or in any thing
except Immorality, or what evidently fubverts
the Foundation of civil Society: for which rea-
fonhe juftly excludes Popery from this Tolera¬
tion, for being not fo much a Religion, as a po¬
litic Faftion, wherof the Members, wherfoe-
ver they are, own the Pope for their Superior,
to the prejudice of the Allegiance due to their
natural Soverains. Befides, that they never
fcolerat others where they, have the mattery ;
and that their Doftrin of Difpenfations, ;or
keeping no Faith with fuch as they count He¬
retics, renders rem worfe than Atheifts, and
the declared Enemies of all Mankind befides
thofe of their own Communion.
AFTER this headdreft to the Parlament
Confederations touching the likeliefe means to re¬
move Hirelings out of the Church ; not that he
was againft all fort of Maintenance for the pub¬
lic Miniftry of Religion, which he acknow-
legesdue by the Light of Reafon, as well as
the Examples of all Ages; but he proves thai
Tithes were inconvenient, and not of Divine
Right, which was then Rrongly aiferted even
by tile Presbyterians and Independents. He ob~
lerves, that two things do mainly corrupt Re¬
ligion, and hinder the advancement of Truth,
Force on the one fide reftraining the Profeffors,
H arid
114 The Life of John Milton.
and Hire on the other fide corrupting the fuM
Teachers of it. " The latter of thefe, fays T1
" he, is by much the more dangerous: for un- [othe:
" der Force, tho no thanks to the Forcers, true ©u
" Religion oft times beft thrives and flourifhes; if III
" but the Corruption of Teachers, mod com- fe t
" monly the effect of Hire, is the very bane of #
" Truth in them who are fo corrupted. There sti:rc
is much curious Hiftory in this Book concerning fecoi
Church Revenues, to which I refer thofe who tyb
have not read Father Paul of Beneficiary Mat- n's
ters, nor Father Simon who wrote after him. fe?
Speaking of the Minifters, " They pretend,
" fays he, that their Education, eithejr at
" School or the Univerfity, has bin very charge-
" able, and therfore ought to be repair'd after- J|(
wards by a fruitful Maintenance: wheras it y
" is well known that the better half of them ,!|s
<' (and oft times poor and pitiful Boys, of no fu
u merit or promifing hopes that might intitle
" them to the public Provifion, but their Po- ^
" verty and the unjulf favor of Friends) have mja\
" had the mod of their Breeding, both at y,
" School and Univerfity, by Scholarfhips, Ex-
" hibitions, and Fellowfiiips, at the public flB|
" Coif, which might ingage them the rather
" to give freely as they freely receiv'd. Or if y
" they have mift of thefe Helps at the latter ....
" place, they have after two or three years left .
u the courfe of their Studies there (if they 'ijy
" ever well began them) and undertaken, tho «
" furnifh'd with little elfe but Ignorance, Bold- «fl)
" nefs,
The Life of John Milton. 11 ^
nefs, and Ambition, if with no worfe Vices,
a Chaplainfhip in fom Gentleman's Houfe,
to the frequent imbafing of his Sons with illi-
terat and narrow Principles. Or if they have
liv'd there upon their own, who knows not
that feven years charge of living there, to
them who fly not from the Government of
their Parents to theLicenfe of a Univerfity,
but com ferioufly to ftudy, is no more than
may be well defray'd and reimburft by one
year's Revenue of an ordinary good Bene¬
fice ? If they had then means of Breeding
from their Parents, 'tis likely they have more
now ; and if they have, it muft needs be
mechanic and difingenuous in them to bring
a Bill of Charges for the learning thofe libe¬
ral Arts and Sciences which they have learnt
(if they have indeed learnt .them, as they
feldom have) to their own benefit and ac-
cornplifhment. Towards the Conclufion he
as thefe words: " I have thus at large exa-
min'd the ufual Pretences of Hirelings, co-
lor'd over mod commonly with the Caufe of
Learning and Univerfities; as if with Di¬
vines Learning flood and fell, wherin for the
moft part their Pittance is lb final 1 ; and, to
fpeak freely, it were much better there were
not one Divine in the Univerfity, nor no
School Divinity known, the idle Sophiftry cf
Monks, the Canker of Religion ; and that
they who intended to be Minifters, were
train'd up in the Church only by the Scrip-
H 2 " turi,
116 The Life of John Milton.
" ture, and in the Original Languages therof at
u School, without fetching the compafs of
" other Arts and Sciences more than what they
" can well learn at fecondary leifure, and at
u home. Neither fpeak I this in contemt of
" Learning, or the Miniftry, but hating the
" common Cheats of both; hating that they
cc who have preach'd out Bifhops, Prelats, and
u Canonifts, fhould, in what ferves their own
" ends, retain their falfe Opinions, their pha-
u rifaical Leven, their Avarice, and clofely
ic their Ambition, their Pluralities, their Non-
u refidences, their odious Fees, and ufe their
" Legal and Popifh Arguments for Tithes:
46 That Independents fhould take that name,
4c and feek to be Dependents on the Magiftrat
44 for their Maintenance ; which two things,
44 Independence ^nd Statehire in Religion, can
44 never confift long or certainly together. For
44 Magiftrats at one time or other, not like
" thefe at prefent our Patrons of Chriftian Li-
44 berty, will pay none but fuch whom by their
u Committees of Examination they find con-
4c formable to their Interefi: and Opinions: And
u Hirelings will loon frame themfelves to that
cC Interefi: and thofe Opinions which they fee
44 beft pleafing to their Paymafters; and, to
44 feem right themfelves, will force others as to
<4 the Truth. After proving the Chriftian Re¬
ligion not to be more difficult than any other
Art or Science, nay, and that the know lege of
it may be much fooner attained; a We may
u con-
The Life of John Milton. V17
" conclude, fays he, that if Men be not all
« their lifetime under a Teacher to learn Logic,
u Natural Philofophy, Ethics, or Mathema-
ic tics, which are more difficult; that certain-
« ly it is not neceffary to the attainment of
" Chriftian Knowlege, that Men fhould fit all
" their life long at the feet of a pulpited Di-
" vine, while he, a Lollard indeed over his El-
" bow Cufhion, in almoft the feventh part of
<< forty or fifty years, teaches them fcarce half
ic the Principles of Religion : And his Sheep
" oft times fit all the while to as little purpofe
" of benefiting, as the Sheep in their Pews at
" Smithjield, and for the moft part are by fom
a Simony or other bought and fold like them ;
" or, if this Comparifon be too low, likethofe
« Women, mentioned by St. Paul, ever
a.learning and never attaining; yet not fo
much thro their own fault, as thro the un-
" skilful and immethodical Teaching of their
" Paftor, preaching here and there at random
u out of this or that Text, as his eafe or fancy,
*c and oft times as his health guides him.
C R O M W E L being dead, Richard
deposed, and the Army having reftorM the old
famous Parlament, but almoft as foon dilfolv'd
it, Milton wrote a Letter to fom Statef-
man, with whom he had a ferious Difcourfe
about the lamentable Confufions of that time.
It is in a very pathetic Stile, and contains a true
Ileprefentation of what the Soldiers had don :
to whom he tells, that it is fcarce to be exam-
H 3 Pled,
11 8 The Life of John Milton.
pled, even among Barbarians, that an Army
duly paid fhould, for no caufe at all, fubdue
the Supreme Power that fet them up. u This,
" fays he, other Nations will judg to the fad
a difhonor of that Army, lately renown'd for
a the civileft and beft ordered in the Univerfe,
u and by us here at home for the moft confci-
<c entious. Now, if an Army deferving this
Character was capable of inflaving their Coun¬
try, what may be expefted from any other, as
moft are, of a worfe difpofition ? In this Letter
he delivers the Model of a Commonwealth;
not fuch as he thought the beft, but what might
be readieft fettled at that time to prevent the
reftitution of Kingfhip and Domeftic Difor-
ders, till a more favorable Seafon, or better
Difpofitions for erefting a perfeft Democracy.
This and another fmall Piece to the fame pur-
pofe, addreft I fuppofe to M on k, were com¬
municated to me by a worthy Friend, who a
little after the Author's Death, had them from
his Nephew ; and I imparted them to thePub-
lifhers of the new Edition of his Works in
Folio.
HIS laft Piece before the Reftoration of the
Royal Family, except the brief Notes he pub-
lifht on Dr.Griffith's Sermon, was in-
titul'd, The readj and eajy Way to efiabliflj a free
Commonwealth^ and the Excellence therof compared
with the Inconveniences and Dangers of read¬
mitting ICjngfbip in this Nation. This Book
appear'd in Sixty, when he perceiv'd that noxi¬
ous
The Life of John Milton. 119
ous humor of returning to Bondage, as he calls
it, to prevail, which was inftiPd by fom De¬
ceivers, and nouriflht by the bad Principles or
falfe Apprehenfions of the People. 44 If their
44 abfolute Determination be to enthral us, fays
44 he ; before fo long a Lent of Servitude, they
44 may permit us a little Shroving time fir ft,
44 wherin to fpeak freely and take our leaves of
44 Liberty. He indeavors to fet before the Eys
of the Nation the folly and unreafonablenefs
of all they had fo valiantly don for fevcral years,
if they at laft readmitted Kingfhip; that they
would be the fhame of all free Countrys, and
the Laughingftock of all Monarchies. c4 W here
44 is this goodly Tower of a Commonwealth,
44 will Foreners fay, which the Englijh boafted
44 they would build to overfhadow Kings,
44 and be another Rome in the Weft? The
44 Foundation indeed they laid gallantly, but
44 fell into a worfe Confufion, not of Tongues
44 but of Factions, than thofe at the Tower of
u Babel, and have left no Memorial of their
44 Work behind them remaining, but in the
44 common laughter of Europe. Which muft
44 needs redound the more to our fhame, if we
44 but look on our Neighbors the United Pro-
44 vinces, to us inferior in all outward Advan-
44 tages; who notwithstanding, in the midft
^ of greater Difficulties, couragioufiy, wife-
44 ly, conftantly, went thro with the fame
4C Work, and are fettled in all the happy in-
44 joymentsof a potent and flourishing Repub-
H 4 44 lie
ii 2D The Life of John Milton.
lie to this day. Befides this, if we return
c toKingfhip, and foon repent (as undoubted-
t£ ly we fhall when we find the old Incroach-
" ments coming by little and little upon our
" Confciences, which muft neceffarily pro-
<c cede from King and Bifhop united infepa-
f rably in one Intereft) we may be forcM per-
" haps to fight over again all that we have.
" fought.' A Free Commonwealth was not
" only held by wifeft Men in all Ages, the
" nobleft, the manlieft, the equalled:, the juft-
" elf Government, the moft agreable to due
" Liberty, and proportioned Equality, both
a Human, Civil, and Chriftian, njoft cherifh-
ing to Virtue and true Religion, but alfa
u plainly commended, or rather injoin'd by
a our Savior himfelf to all Chriftians, not
a without a remarkable difallowance, and the
Cc brand of Gentilifm upon Kingfhip. God
" in much difpleafure gave a King to the Ifra-
ic elites, and imputed it a Sin to them that they
4C fought one: but Christ apparently forbids
u his Difciples to admit of any fuch Heathen-
6c ifh Government. The Kjngs of theGzntils,
fays he, exercife Lordfhip over them, and they
c' that exercife Authority upon them are caPd Ber
€C nefaclors : But you jhall not do fo, but he
that is greatefl among you, let him be as the
c ■ younger ; and he that is chief as he that ferves.
The occafion of thefe words was the am-
" bitious defire of Zebedees two Sons to
be exalted above their Brethren in the King-
" dom,
The Life of John Milton 11\
u donVjwhich they thought was to be e'er long
u upopK&rth. That he fpeaks of Civil Go-
" ver/imerit is manifeft by the former part of
u the Comparifon, which infers the other part
u to bealvyays of the fame kind. And what
ic Government corns nearer to this Precept of
" Christ, than a Free Commonwealth ?
cC Wherin they who are greateft are perpetual
<c Servants and Drudges to the Public at their
" own coft and charges, negle&ing their own
u Affairs, yet are not elevated above their Bre-
" thren, live foherly in their Families, walk
" the Streets as other Men, may be fpoken to
a freely, familiarly, without Adoration. Wher-
as a Kingmuftbe ador'd like a Demigod,
? with a diffolute and haughty Court about
him, of vaft Expence and Luxury, Masks
a and Revels, to the debauching of our prime
" Gentry both Male and Female, not in their
a Paftimes only, but in earned by the loofe
<c Imployments of Court Service, which will
" be then thought honorable. There will be
u a Queen of no lefs charge; in mod likeli-
<c hood outlandifh and a Papift, befides a
u Queenmother fuch already, together with
" both their Courts and numerous Train.
" Then a Royal Iffue, and e'er long fever ally
iC their fumtuous Courts, to the multiplying
" of a fervil Crew, not of Servants only, but
" of Nobility and Gentry bred up then, not
u to the hopes of Public, but of Court Offices;
" to be Stewards, Chamberlains, Ufhers,
Grooms,
in The Life of John Milton.
u Grooms, even of the ClofeftooJ: and the
" lower their Minds are debased with Court o-
" pinions contrary to all Virtue andReforma-
u tion, the haughtier will be their Pride and
u Profufenefs. As to the burden of Expence,
" we fhall foon know it to our coft; for any
" good to us, deferving to be term'd no better
u than the vaft and lavifh price of our Sub-
" jeftion and their Debauchery, which we
a are now fo greedily cheapening, and would
fo fain be paying moft inconfideratly to a
u fingle Perfon, who, for any thing wherin
tC the Public really needs him, will have little
u elfe to do but to beftow the eating and drink-
u ing of exceffive Dainties, to fet a pompous
ic face upon the fuperficial aEtingsof the State,
Cc to pageant himfelf up and down in progrefs
<c among the perpetual Bowings and Cringings
" of an abjedt People, on either fide deilying
a and adoring him for nothing don that can
" deferve it. In this Book he delivers the Mo¬
del of a Commonwealth, well futed perhaps
to the Circumftances of that time, but infe¬
rior in all refpefls to H a r r i n g t o n ' s 0-
ceana, which for the PraEticablenefs, Equality,
and Completenefs of it, is the moft perfeEt
form of fuch a Government that ever was de¬
lineated by any antient or modern Pen.
A N D noyv, the King being ready to land,
our Author was difcharg'd from his Office of
, Latin Secretary, and obliged for the Safety of
his Perfect to leave his Houfe near St. J a m e s' s
Park,
The Life of John Milton. 12;
Park, where for eight years before he was vi-
fited by all Foreners of Note, by feveral Per-
fonsof Quality, and by the Ingenious of eve¬
ry Perfualion or Party. Andrew Mar-
v e l, who by his Parts and Probity made him-
felf fo much known fince that time in England,
us'd to frequent him the ofteneft of any body ;
and whether it was he or M1 l t o n (for both
are nam'd for it) that made the Verfes fent
with Cromwel's Pifture to the Queen of
Sweden, I am uncertain: but whoever was the
Author, they deferve a room in this place.
Cromrvel fpeaks :
Bellip opens <virgo, feptem Regina Tr ion urn
Chrifiina, ArBoi lucida fie 11 a poli ;
Cernis quas merui dura fub Caffide rugas,
Utque fenex armis impiger or a tero :
Inviafatorum dum per vefiigia nit or,
Exequor & populi fortia jujfa manu.
Afi tibi fubmit tit front em reverentior umbra,
Nec funt hi vultus regibus ufque truces,
EnglifiPd,
Bright martial Maid, Queen of the frozen
Zone,
The Northern Pole fupports thy f ining
Throne;
Behold
3 24 The Life of John Milton."
Behold what Furrows Age and Steel can plow,
The Helmet's weight oppreft this wrinkled
Brow.
Thro Fate's untrodden Paths I move, my Hands
Srill a£t my freeborn Peoples bold Commands :
Yet this ftern fhade to you fubmits his Frowns,
Nor are thefe Looks always fevere to Crowns.
FROM the' year 5 2 to that of 6o he cor-
refponded much with learned Foreners, as ap¬
pears by his Letters to Millius, Olden¬
burg, Heimbachi us, De Brass, Leo
ab Aizema, and Emeric Bigot. His
Admirer Leonardus Philaras coming
upon fom occafions to London, went to fee
Milton, who, tho he could not fee him
again, was extremely pleas'd with his Conver-
fation. He afterwards acquainted Milton
by a Letter, that there was a Phyfician who
perform'd Wonders on blind People at Paris,
and requefts him to fend in writing the ftate
and progrefs of his Diftemper, which to grati¬
fy his Friend our Author perform'd, yet with¬
out expreffing any hopes of a cure. Cyriac
Skinner was one of his conftant Vifitors,
which Honor he not feldom receiv'd alfo from
the pious and virtuous Lady Ranelagh,
whofe Son, the prefent Earl of Ranehgh, he
inftrufted for fom time, and fent him feveral
Letters of Advice during his Travels abroad ;
but in one dire&ed to him at the Univerfity,
he
The Life of John Milton. 125
lie nfes thefe words: <c As for what you write
" to me, that you are fo much pleas'd with
" Oxford, you cannot perfuade me the more
" that you received any Improvement there,
a or art becom a bit the wifer, unlefs you fhew
tc me fom other Reafons for it. Thofe Vifto-
" ries of Princes which you extol, and fuch
" other things, wherin Force has the gteateft
" fhare, I would not have you too much ad-
" mire, efpecially now being a Hearer of Phi-
<c lofophers: where's the wonder if in the
(< Country of Rams there grow ftrong Horns,
u which are able to batter Towns and Cities
" with fuch violence ? But learn thou from
" thy Childhood to difcern and judg of great
u Examples, not from Violence and Force, but
" by JulFice and Temperance.
BUT, as I faid before, he was now obliged
to abfcond till the Aft of Oblivion was pub-
lifh'd, wherin he and John Goodwin
(the great Spreader of Armimanifm, and who
in writing alfo juftify'd the Death of Charles
the Firft) were only excepted from bearing
any Office in the Nation. Our Author had ma¬
ny good Friends to intercede for him both in
the Privy Council and in the Houfe of Com¬
mons ; nor was Charles the Second fuch
an Enemy to the Mufesasto require his De-
ftruftion, tho fom are of opinion that he was
more obliged to that Prince's Forgetfulnefs than
to his Clemency.
AS
12 6 The Life of John Milton.
A S foon as his Pardon was part the Seals,
he appeared again, and marry'd his third Wife
Elizabeth, the Daughter of Mr. Min-
shal of Chcjhire, recommended to him by
his Friend Dr. Paget. He had no Children
by this laft Wife, nor any living by his fecond ;
but of his three Daughters by the firft, he made
two very ferviceable to himfelf, and, info do¬
ing, to the reft of the World. For tho many
fent their Sons to read for him, and feveral
grown Perfons were ambitious of obliging him
that way for their own Improvement; yet he
taught thefe young Women to read and pro¬
nounce with great exaftnefs the Englijh, Itali¬
an, Spanifb, French, Hebrew, Greec, and Latin
Languages. So that whatever Book he had
occafion to ufe, one of 'em was forc'd to read it
to hirn, tho neither of 'em underftood a word
of thofe Writings, except Engli/h their Mo¬
ther Tongue. Phis Drudgery could not but
render them in time very uneafy ; and accord¬
ingly when he underftood their Murmurs, he
difpens'd with their Duty in this cafe, and fent
them out to learn other things more becoming
their Sex and Condition.
WPIAT imploy'd a good part of his
Thoughts for many years before, and was at
firft only defign'd to be a Tragedy, I mean his
incomparable Epic Poem, intitufd Paradife
Loft, he now had fufficient leifure to profecute
and fiuifh. It is a great wonder that this piece
fhould
7he Life of John Milton. 127
fhould ever be brought to perfe&ion, confider-
ing the many Interruptions that obftrufted it.
His Youth was fpent in Study, Travelling, and
religious Controverfy; his Manhood was im-
ploy'd in Affairs of State, or thofe of his Fami¬
ly • and in his latter years, to fpeak nothing of
a decaying Fancy, nor of his perfonal Trou¬
bles, he was by reafon of his Blindnefs obliged
to write by whatfoever hand came next, ten,
or twenty, or thirty Verfes at a time; and con-
fequently muff truft the judgment of others at
leaft for the Pointing and Orthography. But
another difficulty that ftopt its paffagetothe
World was very lingular: for his Vein never
happily flow'd but from the Autumnal to the
Vernal Equinox, as his Nephew Edward
Phi li ps affirms, who fays he was told this
particular by Milton himfelf; and yet I
fancy he might be miftaken as to the time, be-
caufe our Author in his Latin Elegy on the ap¬
proach of the Spring feems to fay juft the con¬
trary, as if he could not make any Verfes to his
fatisfaftion till the Spring begun, according to
thefe lines.
Fallor ? An & nobis redeunt in carmine vires7
Ingeniumque mibi munere veris adejl ?
Munere veris adeji, iter unique vigefcit nb illo,
(Quufutet) at que aliqtwd jamjibi pcfcit of us.
n{
f
HI
A
/
i i 8 The Life of John Milton.
A more judicious Friend of his informs me, that
he could never compofe well but in the Spring
and Autumn : And let it be which way you
will, it follows that this Piece was compos'd in
half the time he was thought to be about it.
As to the choice of his Subje£t, or the Particu¬
lars of his Story, I fhall fay nothing in defence
of them againft thofe People who brand 'em
with Herefy and Impiety : for to incur the
Difpleafure of certain ignorant and fupercilious
Critics, argues free Thinkihg, accurat Wri¬
ting, and a generous Profeffion of Truth. I'm
fure if H e s i o d, or fuch other fabulous Au¬
thors in the rude ages of the World, had given
fo intelligible, coherent, and delightful an ac¬
count of the Creation of the Univerfe and the
Origin of Mankind, their Syftem had paft for
Divine Infpiration; and the Unbelievers of it
would appear to be fo few, that any of 'em
might well be fhewn for a Monfter rather than
be thought worthy of Puniflhment or Confuta¬
tion. As to the regularity of the Poem, I ne¬
ver knew it queftion'd by any but fuch as would
build themfelves a Reputation on the flaws arid
miftakes they difcover in other Mens Labors,
without producing any thing better or equal of
their own. But the unparallel'd Sublimity and
Force of the Expreflion, with the delicacy of his
Thoughts, and the copioufnefs of his Invention,
are unanimoufly own'd by all ranks of Writers;
He has inconteilably exceded the fecundity of
Ho-
The Life of John Milton." lip
H o m e r, whofe two Poems he could almoft
repeat without book: nor did he com much
fhort of the corre&nefs of Virgil;
which is affirm'd by one whofe judgment
in this Province will be acknowleg'd by
every man that is not willing to expofe the
defeffc of his own. I mean thefamous John
D r y d e n, the bed E Poet alive, the
prefent Glory of our Stage, and the Mo¬
del of the fame to future Ages; for he
(having abfolutely mader'd thefe three Ori¬
ginals by framing a Tragedy out of -
aifte Loft, making the Charms of Vi r g i l
appear in the Englijb Tongue, and ftudying
Homer for the fame purpofe) pronounces
his judgment in favor of Milton by this
incomparable and envy'd Epigram.
Three Poets in three didant Ages horn,
Greece, Italy,and England did adorn:
The firft in Loftinefs of Thought furpad;
The next in Majefty; in both the lad.
The Force of Nature could no further go:
To make a Third, fhe join'd the other T was
The fird Edition of P Loft Was pub-
lifh'd in the year 1666, in ten Books j
but afterwards, amended and inlarg'd by
himfeff, it was difpos'd according to his
Direction into twelve Books, as it is read
at ptefent. I mud not forget that we had
I life$
ft
§1
I
13 o The Life of John Milton.
like to be eternally deprived of this Trea-
fure by the Ignorance or Malice of the
Licenfer; who, among other frivolous Ex¬
ceptions, would needs fupprefs the whole
Poem for imaginary Treafon in the follow¬
ing lines.
-As, when the Sun new rifen
Looks thro the Horizontal mifty Air
Shorn of his Beams, or from behind the Moon
In dim Eclipfe difaftrous Twilight fheds
On half the Nations, and with fear of change
Perplexes Monarchs.
Milton, taking an occafion from Sat&n7*
afcending out, of infernal Darknefs towards
the Light of this World then newly created,
perpetuats the Hiftory of his own Blindnefs.
in tins admirable Paffage.
Hail, holy Light; Ofspring of Heaven Firft-
born,
Or of th7 eternal coeternal Beam,
May I exprefs thee unblam7d ? Since God is
Light,
And never but in unapproached Light
Dwelt from Eternity, dwelt then in thee
w Bright Effluence of bright Effence increate.
Or
The Life of John Milton. ! 51
Or heard: thou rather pure ethereal Stream,
Whofe Fountain who fhall tell ? Before the
Sun,
Before the Heavens thou wert; and at the
Voice
Of God, as with a Mantle, did inved
The riling World of Waters dark and deep,
Won from the void and formlefs Infinite.
Thee 1 revifit now with bolder Wing,
Efcap'd the Stygian Pool, tho long detain'd
In that obfcure Sojourn; while in my flight
(Thro utter and thro middle Darknefs born)
I fung of Chaos and eternal Night,
Taught by the heavenly Mufe to venture
down
The dark Defcent, and up to reafcend
Tho hard and rare. Thee I revifit fafe,
And feel thy fovrain vital Lamp; but thou
Revifit'd not thefe Eys that roll in vain
To find thy piercing Ray, and find no dawn:
So thick a Drop ferene has quench'd their
Orbs
Or dim Suffufion veil'd ! Yet not the more
Ceafe I to wander where the Mufes haunt
Clear Spring, or fhady Grove, or funny Hilly
Smit
i x i 7be Life of John Milton^
Smit with the Love of facred Song; but chief,
Thee, Sion, and thy flowry Brooks beneath
That wafh thy hallow'd Feet, and warbling
flow,
Nightly I vifit. Nor fomtimes forget
Thofe other two equal'd with me in Fate
(So were I equal'd with them in Renown)
Blind Thamyrii and blind Mxonides,
And Tyrefas and Fhi»ettsy Prophets old.
Then feed on Thoughts that voluntary move
Harmonious Numbers; as the wakeful Bird
Sings darkling, and, in fhadyeft Coverts hid,
Tunes her nofturnal Note. Thus with the
Year
Seafons return, but not to me returns
Day, or the fweet approach of Ev'n, or
Morn,
Or fight of vernal Bloom, or Summers Rofe,
Or Flocks, or Herds, or human Face divine:
But Cloud inftead, and everduring Dark
Surrounds me, from the chearful ways of
Men
Cutoff; and, for the Book of Knowlege fair,
Prefented with an univerfal Blank
Of Nature's Works to meexpung'd and raz'd,
And
The Life of John Milton. 13 j
And Wifdom at one entrance quite fhut out.
So much the rather, thou Celeftial Light,
Shine inward, and the Mind thro all her
Powers
Irradiat: there plant Eys, all Mill franv
thence
Purge and difperfe, that I may fee and teH
Of things invifible to mortal fight.
AN Epic Poem is not a bare Hiftory de¬
lightfully related in harmonious Numbers,
and artfully difpos'd; but it always con¬
tains, befides a general Reprefentation of
Pa (lions and Affections, Virtues and Vices,
fom peculiar Allegory or Moral. Homir
therfore, according to Dionysius Ha-
licarnass®us, expreffes llrength of
Body in his Iliad, by the Wars of the Greecs
and Trojans, but particularly by the valiant
Deeds of Achilles; and in his Odj/jfet
he defcribes Generality of Mind by the Ad¬
ventures and Wandrings of Ulysses in
his return from Troy. Thus To r q_u a t 0
T a sso has prefixt an Explication to his
rufalemme Liber at a: Nor was Milton
behind any body in the choice or dignity of
his InftruCtion; for to difplay the different
EffeCts of Liberty and Tyranny, is the chief
defign of his Paradife Lojl. This in the
Conclufion of his fecond Book of
I 1 t
134 Life of John Milton.
ok, publifh'd in 41, he tells us was his Inten¬
tion at that time ; and he afterwards made
this Promife good. His own words, being
part of a Prayer to God, deferve ferious
Confideration. " Then, fays he, amid ft
44 the Hymns and Hallelujahs of Saints,
44 fom one may perhaps be heard offring at
44 high drains in new and lofty meafures,
44 to fing and celebrat thy divine Mercies,
" and marvellous Judgments in this Land
" throouc all Ages, wherby this great and
44 warlike Nation (inftruded and inur'd
44 to the fervent and continual practice of
44 Truth and Righteoufnefs, and calling far
" from it the Rags of its old Vices) may
44 prefs on hard to that high and happy E-
a mulatioti to be found the foberelt, wifelt,
44 and molt Chriltian People at that day,
44 when Thou, the eternal and fhortly ex-
44 peded King, fhalt open the Clouds to
5' judgthe feveral Kingdoms of the World;
" and, diftributing national Honors and
" Rewards to religious and jult -
" wealths, fhalt put an end to all earthly
" Tyrannies, proclaiming thy univerfal and
" mild Monarchy thro Heaven and Earth.
" Where they undoubtedly, that by their
" Labors, Counfels, and Prayers, have bin
" earned for the common Good of Religion
" and their Country, fhall receive (above
" the inferior Orders of the Bleffed) the
" regal
The Life of John Milton. 1^5
a regal addition of Principalities, Legions,
ic and Thrones into their glorious Titles;
16 and in fupereminence of beatific Vifion,
u progreffing the datelefs and irrevoluble
u Circle of Eternity, fhall clap infeparable
" hands with Joy and Blifs in overmeafure
« for ever. But they on the contrary, that
<c by the impairing and diminution of the
true Faith, by the Diftreifes and Servi-
" tude of their Country, afpire to high
iC Dignity, Rule, and Promotion here, af-
a ter a fhameful end in this Life (which
<c God grant them) fhall be thrown down
a eternally into the darkeft and deepeft
u Gulf of Hell: where, under the defpite-
" ful Control, the Trample, and Spurn of
" all the other Damn'd, that in the Anguifh
<c of their Torture fhall have no other eafe
than to exercife a raving and beftial Ty-
6C ranny over them as their Slaves and Ne-
u gros, they fhall remain in that plight for
w ever, the bafeft, the Iowermoft, the moft
u dejefted, moft underfoot, and down-
trodden Vaffals of Perdition. I fhall end
my account of this Divine Poem with a Co¬
py of Latin Verfes made upon it by Samuel
Borrow, a Doftor of Phyfic.
i $6 The Life of John Milton?
Qui Legis amiffam Paradifum, grandia magnt
Carmina Miltoni, quid mfii c unci a Legis ?
Res cuntfaSy & cunB arum primordia rerum,
Et fatay & fines, continet ifie Libere
Jntima panduntur magni penetralia mundi,
Scribitur & toto quicquid in or be latet.
%err toque traclufque maris\ coelumque pro-
fundumy ?
Sulphur eumque Erebi flammivomumque fpz~
CHS.
Quaque colunt terras9 pontumquey & tartar a
teed.
Qua que colunt fummi lucida regna poli.
Et quodcunque ullis conclufum efi finibus uf~
quamy
Et fine fine Chaos, & fine fine Deus:
E t fine fine magis (fiquid magis efi fine fine)
In Chrifio erga homines conciliates amor.
Hac qui fperarety quis crederet effefuturum ?
Et t amen hac hodie Terra Br it anna legit.
0 quantos in belia dulces ! qua: protulit arma I
Qua canit, & quanta pralia dira tuba /
Qctlefiesacies ! atque in cert amine caelum '
Et qua ccelefies pugna deceret agros I
1 S-; " ' •
i
The Life of John Milton. 137
Quantus in atheriis tollit fe Lucifer armis !
At que ipjo graditur vix Mich dele minor /
Quantis ac quam funefiis concurritur iris !
Dum ferns hie Jlellas protegit, ille rApit!
Dum vulfos montes} ceu tela reciproca, tor-
quent;
Et non mortAli defuper igne pluunt:
St At dubius cui fe pArti cone edAt Olympus,
Et metuit pugna non fupereffe fua.
At ftmul in ccelis Meffia infignia fulgent\
Et currus mimes, armaque digna Deo,
Horrendumque rota Jlrident, & fava rot Arum
Erumpunt torvis fulgura lumtnibus,
Et flamma vibrant, & vera tonitrua rauco
Admijlis flammis infonuere polo:
Excidit Attonitis mens omnis, & impetus om~
nis,
Et caJJis dextris irritA teU CAdunt.
Ad pcenas fugiunt, ceu foret Or ens A*
fylum,
Infer nis cert ant condere fe tenebris.
Cedite Romans fcriptores, Cedite Graii,
Et quot recens fama, vel celebrAvit anus.
Hac quicunque leget tAntum cecinijfe putabit
Maonidem rams, Virgilium Culices0
t,
m
138 The Life of John Milton.
IN the year 1670 he publifh'd his Para-
dife Regain* dy confifting of four Books ; but
generally efteem'd much inferior to Paradife
Loft, which he could not endure to hear,
being quite of another mind: yet this occa-
fioifd fom body to fay wittily enough that
Milton might be feen in Paradife Loft,
but not in Paradife Regained. With thit, laft
Book he publifbt his Sam/on Jgoniftes, an
admirable Tragedy, not a ridiculous mix¬
ture of Gravity and Farce according to moft
of the Modern, but after the Example of
the yet unequal'd Antients, as they are juftly
cal'd, JEs ch y lus, Sophocles, and
Eu ripides.
IN the year 70 alfo came abroad his Hifto-
ry of Britain, wherof we had occafion to
fpeak befoie. He deduced it only to the
Norman Conqueft, and yet we have it not
as it came out of his hands ; for the Licen-
fers, thofe fworn Officers to deftroy Learn¬
ing, Liberty, and good Senfe, expung'd
feveral paffages of it wherin he exposed the
Superftition, Pride, and Cunning of the
Popifh Monks in the Saxon Times, but
apply'd by the fagacious Licenfers to
Charles the Second's Bifhops. This
puts me in mind of a Reply to a certain Per-
fon by Sir Robert Howard lately
deceaft, a Gentleman of great Generofity,
a
The Life of John Milton 139
a Patron of Letters, and a hearty Friend to
the Liberty of his C ountry. Being told
that he was charged in a Book with whip¬
ping the Proteftant Clergy on the back of
the Heathen and Popifh Priefts, he prefently
ask'd what they had to do there ? He was a
great admirer of Milton to his dying
day; and. being his particular acquaintance,
would tell many pleafant Storie-; of him, as
that he himfell having demanded of him
once what made him fide with the Republi¬
cans ? Milton anfwer'd, among other
Reafons, becaufe theirs was the moft frugal
Government; for that the Trappings of a
Monarchy might fet up an ordinary Com¬
monwealth. But not to digrefs too far, our
Author beftow'd a Copy of the unlicensed
Papers of his Hiftory on the Earl of Anglefey,
who, as well as feveral of the Nobility and
Gentry, was his conftant Vifitor. Nor was
he lefs frequented by Foreners to the laft,
than in the time of his flourifhing condition
before the Reftoration. It is an irreparable
lofs to this moft potent Nation, that M i l-
t o n did not find leifure to bring down his
Hiftory to his own times: For (as the no-
bleft Ornament of all Politenefsand Literature
Sir William Temple juftly com¬
plains) " tho the Englifh are fo renown'd
u by the Fame of their Arms and Exploits
[[ abroad, fo applauded and envy'd for their
wife
540 The Life of John Miltotu
" wife and happy Inftitutions at home, fo
" flourifhing in Arts and Learning, and fo
" adorn'd by excellent Writers in other
" Kinds, yet none of 'em has produc'd one
" good or approv'd general Hiftory of
" land. But our Hiftories (continues he)
" have bin written by fuch mean and vul-
" gar Authors, fo tedious in their Relations,
" or rather Colleftions; fo injudicious in the
choice of what was fit to be told or to be
" let alone; with fo little order, and in fo
" wretched a Stile; that as it is a fhame to
<l be ignorant in the Affairs of our own
" Country, fo 'tis hardly worth the time or
" pains to beinform'd, fince for that end a
" Man muff read over a Library, rather
" than a Book : and after all, muft be con-
" tent to forget more than he remembers.
This Charge is too true, and yet it's very
ftrange it fhould be fo, feeing no Country
in the World has afforded a greater diver-
jfity or a better choice of Aftions, nor is fur-
nifht with more ample or authentic Mate¬
rials for framing a juft and full body of Hi¬
ftory. Would Sir W1 l l 1 a m be pleas'd
to continue fo ufeful a Work, according to
the inimitable Specimen he has publifbt for
incouraging fom other to purfue this Attemt,
England might boldly compare with ,
and himfelf be reckon'd equal with L1 v y.-
But tho he gos no further than the Norman
Cori'
t
7be Life of John Milton. 14 s
Conqueft, which is the period oFMilton,
yet we expeft a larger Account from James
Tyrrel, the worthy Grandfon of Arch-
bilhopT^w'. This learned Gentleman, to
fupply the Defefts wherof Sir W1 l l i a m
Temple complains, has undertaken to
write a General Hiftqry of England from
the remoteft traditional Beginnings to this
time. The firft Volume of it is already a-
broad, which reaches likewife to W1 l-
l 1 a m the Firft; the Second is now finifht j
and I hope he'l meet with fufficient incou-
ragement to make a fpeedy publication of
the reft. For tho his Work may not per-
feftly reach Sir William's Plan in the
niceft exaftnefs of Order, Stile, and Com-
pofition; yet it muft be confeft by all true
Judges to be the moft impartial and complete,
the laithfulleft, the moft methodical, and in
all refpefts the beft Colleftion that was ever
made in England. All our Manufcript hi-
ftorical Records, and the numerous com¬
pany of our particular Hiftorians, can ferve
for little more to pofterity than to verify the
Contents of this Book: nor will any body
be at the trouble to preferve 'em for this pur-
pofe, that is not a ftranger to Mr. Tyr-
rel's Diligence and Integrity.
MILTON wrote fom Mifcellaneous
Pieces much inferior to his other Works, as a
Grammar bor learning the Latin Tongue; a
Logic
141 The Life of John Milton^
Logic after the method of Pet rus Ra¬
mus; a brief Hiftory of and of
other lefs known Countries, lying eaftward
of it as far as Cathay, collected from the Re¬
lations of feverai Travellers: he tranflated
out of Latin into Engl the Declaration
of the Poles concerning the Ele&ion of their
King John the Third, containing an Ac¬
count of the Virtues and Merits of the faid
Prince; he publifht Sir Walter. Ra¬
leigh's Prince, or his Maxims and A-
fhorifms of State; and he alfo printed his
Cabinet Council.More pieces of this rare¬
ly accomplifht, tho unfortunat Gentleman,
were made public by other perfons; and I
daily expeQ: fom more from JamesTyr-
rel, who has the Manufcript Copies in his
hands, and, I dare affirm, will not envy fuch
a blerfing to the Nation.
OUR Author's Juvenil and Occafional Po¬
ems, both in Englijh and Latin, were print¬
ed in one fmall Volume. I took notice of the
beft of 'em in many places of this Difcourfe;
but the Monody wherin he bewails his
Learned Friend Mr. King drowri'd in the
Irtfb Seas, is one of the fineft he ever wrote.
THE Danijh Refident prevail'd with
Milton to get the Letters of State (for¬
merly mention'd) tranfcrib'd, and which
were publifht after his death: as were alfo
his familiar Letters in 74, wherin, to ufe
the
Tlje Life of John Milton." 14^
the words of Moehof, there are many
Characters of Antient and Modern, of Do-
meftic and Foren Authors, very fit to be
read and underftood. The laft thing he
wrote, and that was publifht a little before
his Death, is his Treatife true ,
Herefy, Scbifm, Toleration, and the
that may be us^d to prevent the growth of Popery.
He obferv'd (as all difcerning Men muft
have don at that time) the prodigious in-
creafe of the Romifh Superftition, occafion'd
partly by the Perfecution againft Diflenting
Protefants, but more by the incouragement
itreceiv'd from the Royal Brothers Charles
and the Duke of Pork. From the Prin¬
ciples which our Author lays in his Book
(and which, I think, are thofe of the firft
Reformers) he infers that no true Protefiant
can perfecute any perfonsfor fpeculative Points
of Confidence, much lefs not tolerat his fel¬
low Protefiant, tho in fom things diflenting
from his own Judgment. After Jhewing that
falfe Religion confifts in the corrupt Tradi¬
tions of Men, and their arbitrary Additions
to the divine Rule or Standard of all Truth,
he was at no great labor to prove the Mem¬
bers of the Roman Church to be the greateft
Heretics in the World. As for Schifm, or
the divifion of Congregations from their dif¬
ference in Opinions, he fhews it may hap¬
pen in the true Church as well as in the falfe;
but
m «
144 Tk I//e 0/ John Milton.1
but that in the firft it need not break Com¬
munion or brotherly Love, no more than a-
mong the Pharifes and Sadduces, who ami¬
cably met at their common Worfhip in Je-
rufalem. " It is human frailty to err, fays
" he, and no Man is infallible here on Earth.
u But fo long as the Lutherans, Calvimfts,
u Anabaptifts, Socinians, and Arminians,
€t profefs to fet the Word of God only be-
*c fore them as the Rule of their Faith and
a Obedience; and ufe all diligence and fin-
" cerity of heart by reading, by learning^
" by ftudy, by prayer for illumination of
" the Holy Spirit, to underftand this Rule
iC and obey it, they have don whatever
" Man can do. God will afluredly pardon
" them, as he did the Friends of J o b, good
and pious Men, tho much miftaken (as
there it appears) in fom points of Doc-
trin. But fom will fay, with Chrifiians
it is otherwife, whom God has promised
by his Spirit to teach all things. True,
all things abfolutely neceffary to Salvati¬
on : But the hotteft Difputes among Pro-
tefiants, calmly and charitably examin'd^
" will be found lefs than fuch. The Luthe-
a
ran
u
holds Confubftantiation ; an er¬
ror indeed, but not mortah The
" Calvinift is taxkl with Predeftination, and
" to make God the Author of Sin; not
with any difhonorable thoughts of God*
u but#
}The Life of John Milton? 147
" but, it rtay be, overzealoufly aiferting his
u abfolute Power, not without plea from
" Scripture. The Anabdptift is accus?d of
" denying Infants their right to Baptifm;
" they fay again, that they deny nothing
" but what the Scripture denys them. The
" Arian and Socinian are charg'd to difpute
" againfl the Trinity ; yet they affirm to
" believe the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft,
" according to Scripture and the Apoftolic
" Creed. As for the terms of Trinity,
" Trinunity, Coeffentiality, Triperfonality,
" and the like, they reject them as Scholaftic
il Notions, not to be found in Scripture,
" which, by a general Protejlant Maxim,
" is plain and perfpicuous abundantly to
" explain its own meaning in the propereffc
" words belonging to fo high a matter, and
'' fo necelTary to be known; a myftery in-
" deed in their Sophiftic Subtilties, but in
" Scripture a plain DoTrin. The Armmim
<£ laftly is condemn'd for fetting up Free
" Will againft Free Grace; but thatimpu-
" tation he difclaims in all his Writings, and
" grounds himlelf largely upon Scripture
" only. It cannot be deny'd that the Au*
" thors or late Revivers of all thefe Sefts or
" Opinions were learned, worthy, zealous,
"and religious Men, as appears by their
<£ Lives written, and the Fame of their ma-
£< ny eminent and learned Followers, per-
K " fed
146 The LijToJmJohn Milton.
u fe<3 and powerful in the Scriptures, holy
" and unblamable in their A&ions: And it
a cannot be imagined that God would defert
" fuch painful and zealous Laborers in his
" Church, and ofttimes great fufferers for
16 their Confcience, to damnable Errors and
lC a reprobat Senfe, who had fo often im-
(c plor'd the affiftance of his Spirit; but ra-
" ther, having made no Man infallible, that
" he has pardon'd their Errors, and accepts
" their pious Endeavors, fincerely fearching
ic all things according to the Rule of Scrip-
16 ture, with fuch guidance and dire&ion as
" they can obtain of God by Prayer. What
(c P rot eft ant then, who himfelf maintains
" the fame Principles, and dilavows all
" implicit Faith, would perfecute, and not
u rather charitably tolerat fuch men as thefe,
" unlefs he means to abjure the Principles of
u his own Religion? If it be ask'd how far
u they fhould be tolerated ? I anfwer, dout-
u lefs equally, as being all Protefimts; that
<c is, on all occafions to be permitted to give
" an account of their Faith, either by argu-
" ing, preaching in their feveral Affemblies,
" by public writing, and the freedom of
" printing. Nothing can be imagined more
reafonablc, honeft, or pious, than this paf-
fage ; and I don't remember ever to have
met with any perfon who fpoke with fuch
difintereftednefs and impartiality of our va¬
rious
The Life of John Milton." J 47
rious Se&s in Religion except Thomas
Firmin, whole Charity was as much ex¬
tended to men of different Opinions, as it
was-to the Poor of all forts in good Works ;
but in this laft refpefl he was never yet e-
qual'd, nor likely to be eafily exceded by any
hereafter: tho his excellent Example is ad-
mir'd by feveral, and deferves to be imitated
by all. In the laft place, Milton (hews
that Popery (not as it is a Religion, but as a
tyrannical Faction opprefling all others) is
intolerable, and that the beft method of keep¬
ing it from ever increafing in this Nation, is
by the toleration of all kinds of Proteftants,
or any others whofe Principles do not necef-
farily lead 'em to Sedition or Vice. But this
Subjeft is fince perfeflly exhaufted, and
treated with greater clearnefs and brevity
than ever before in a Letter concerning To¬
leration by J0hn Lock, who in his Book
of Human Under ftanding muft be confeft to
be the greateft Philofopher after Cicero
in the Univerfe; for he's throly acquainted
with human Nature, well vers'd in the ufe-
ful Affairs of the World, a great Mafter of
Eloquence (Qualities in which the Roman
Conful excel'd.) and like him alfo a hearty
lover of his Country, as appears by his Trea-
tifes of Government and Education, not in¬
ferior in their kind to the divineft Pieces of
Tully. Milt o n's Thefaurm Lingua
K % Latins^
348 The Life of John Milton.
Latin*, defignM as a Supplement to S t e~
ph a n us, was never publifht, and has bin
of great ufe to Dr. Littleton in com¬
piling his Dictionary. He wrote likewife a
Syjlem of Divinity, but whether intended
for public view, or collected merely for his
own ufe, I cannot determin. It was in the
hands of his Friend CyriacSkinner;
and where at prefent is uncertain.
THIS is a full and true account of his ge-
nuin Works and Sentiments, not putting
the Directions or Affiftance which he fre¬
quently gave ether Writers, to his account.
Towards the latter part of his time he con¬
tracted his Library, both becaufe the Heirs
he left could nothiake a right ufe of it, and
that he thought he might fell it more to
their advantage than they could be able to
do themfelves. His Enemies reported that
Poverty conftrain'd him thus to part with
his Books: and were this true, it would be
indeed a great difgrace, not to him (for Per-
fons of the higheft Merits have bin often re¬
duced to that condition) but to any Country
that fhould have no more regard to Probity
. or Learning: this Story however is fo falfe,
that he dy'd worth fifteen hundred Pounds,
befides all his Goods. The Houfe wherin
he was born, and which Strangers us'd to
vifit before the Fire, was part of his Eftate
as long as it flood. He put two thoufand
Pounds
The Life of John Milton. 149
Pounds into the Excife, which he loft when
that Bank fail'd ; not to mention another
great Sum which was gon for want of ma¬
nagement and good advice. He was never
very healthy, nor too fickly ; and the Di-
ltemper that troubled him moft of any o-
ther was the Gout, of which he dy'd with¬
out much pain in the year from the birth of
Christ 1674, and in the fix and fixtieth
of his Age., All his learned and great
Friends in London, not without a friendly
concourfe of the Vulgar, accompany'd his
Body to the Church of S. G'iles near
Cripplegare, where he lies buried in the Chan¬
cel ; and where the Piety of his Admirers
will fhortly erefl: a Monument becoming his
worth, and the incouragement of Letters in
King William's Reign.
THUS liv'd and dy'd John Mil¬
ton, aPerfonof thebeft Accomplifhments,
the happiefl: Genius, and the vafteft Learn¬
ing which this Nation, fo renown'd for pro¬
ducing excellent Writers, could ever yet
fhew : efteem'd indeed at home, but much
more honor'd abroad, where almoft in his
Childhood he made a confiderable figure,
and continues to be ftill reputed one of the
brighteif Luminaries of the Sciences. He
was middlefiz'd and well proportion'd, his
Deportment ere£t and manly, his Hair of a
light brown, his Features exa&ly regular,
K 1 his
I 50 The Life of John Milton.
his Complexion wonderfully fair when a
Youth, and ruddy to the very laft. He was
affable in Converfation, of an equal and
chearful Temper, and highly delighted with
all forts of Mufic, in which he was himfelf
not meanly skil'd. He was extraordinary
temperat in his Diet, which was any thing
moft in feafon or the eafieft procured, and
was no Friend to fharp or ftrong Liquors.
His Recreations, before his Sight was gon,
confided much in feats of Activity, parti¬
cularly in the exercifeof his Arms, which he
could handle with dexterity: but when
Blindnefs and Age confin'd him, he play'd
much upon an Organ he kept in the Houfe;
and had a Pully to fwing and keep him in
motion. But the love of Books exceded all
his other Paffions. In Summer he would be
flirring at four in the Morning, and in Win¬
ter at five ; but at Night he us'd to go to bed
by nine, partly attributing thelofs of his Eys
to his late watching when he was a Student,
and looking on this cuftom as very perni¬
cious to Health at any time: but when he
was not difpos'd to rife at his ufual hours, he
always had one to read to him by his bedfide.
As he look'd upon true and abfolute Free¬
dom to be the greateft Happinefs of this
Life, whether to Societies or fingle Perfons;
fo he thought Conftraint of any fort to be
the utmoft Mifery : for which Reafon he
The Life of John Milton. 15; 1
usM to tell thofe about him the intire Satif-
faCHon of his Mind, that he had conftantly
imploy'd his Strength and Faculties in the
defence of Liberty, and in a direCt oppofi-
tion to Slavery. He ever expreft the pro-
foundeft Reverence to the Deity as well in
Deeds as Words; and would fay to his
Friends, that the divine Properties of Good-
nefs, Juftice, and Mercy, were the adequat
Rule of human Aftions, nor lefs the Ob-
jeQ: of Imitation for privat Advantages, than
of Admiration or Refpeft for their own Ex¬
cellence and Perfection. In his early days
he was a Favorer of thofe Proteftants then
opprobrioufly cal'd by the name of Puritans :
In his middle years he was bed pleas'd with
the Independents and Jnabaptijls, as allowing
of more Liberty than others, and coming
neareft in his opinion to the primitive prac¬
tice : but in the latter part of his Life, he
was not a profeft Member of any particular
SeCt among Chriftians, lie frequented none
of their Affemblies , nor made ufe of
their peculiar Rites in his Family. Whe¬
ther this proceded from adifiike of their un¬
charitable and endlefs Difputes, and that
Love of Dominion, or Inclination to Per-
fecution, which, he faid, was a piece of Po¬
pery infeparable from all Churches; or
whether he thought one might be a good
Man, without fubfcribing to any Party ;
K 4 aacl
m - tai Mr
Mi Tl:e Life of John Milton.
and that they had all in fom things corrupted
theInftitutionsof Jesus Christ, I will
by no means adventure to determin: for
Conjechires on fuch occafions are very uncer¬
tain, and I never met with any of his Ac¬
quaintance who could be pofitive in affigning
the true Reafons of his Conduft.
I SHALL now conclude this Difcourfe
with a Character given of him by a Man of
unparallel'd Diligence and Induftry, who has
difobl g'd all fides merely for telling the
Truth either intirely, or without difguife ;
and who, fince moft Men have the frailty of
ingaging in Fa&ions, cannot be fufpefted of
Partiality in favor of Milton. He was
aPerfon, fays Anthony Wood in the
firft Volume of his Athene Oxonienfes, of
wonderful Parts, of a very fharp, biting,
and fatyrical Wit; he was a good Philofo-
pher and Hiftorian ; an excellent Poet,1 La-
tinift, Grecian, and Hebrician; a good Ma¬
thematician and Mufician ; and fo rarely en-
dow'd by Nature, that had he bin but ho-
neftly principled, he might have bin highly
ufeful to that Party, againft which he all a-
long appear'd with much Malice and Bit-
ternefs.
AND
The Life of John Milton. 153
AND now, Sir, I end with you,
with whom I begun, not doubting
but this fmall Prelent, both from the
dignity of the Subject and your Favor
to the Writer, will be kindly accepted.
It may indeed be,the more plain and
unpolilh'd, but not the lels ufeful or
fincere for coming out of a Country
Retirement. The moft knowing
Perfons acknowlege that Divine Phi-
lofophy her felf was begot in the
Woods, where agreably paffing her
Infancy, and growing up in the neigh¬
boring Fields, flie became gentle in
time, and fo ventur'd to com into
Towns and Cities; but being quick¬
ly weary'd there with the Tumult of
Bufinefs or Fadtion, and longing for
her former Tranquillity, {lie ftraight
retir'd into Gardens or Groves, to her
Fields and Woods again. 'Tis pro¬
bable that you (as well as I or any o-
ther) may difapprove of M1 l t o §
Sentiments in feveral cafes, but, I'm
fure.
154 Life of John Milton,
fare, you are far from being difpleas'd
to find 'em particulariz'd in the Hilto-
ry of his Life; for we fhould have
no true Account of things, if Authors
related nothing but what they lik'd
themfelves: one Party would never
fuffer the Lives of T a r q, u i n, or
Phalaris, or Sylla, or C
s a r, to appear } while another
would be as ready to fupprels thofe of
Cicero, of Cato, of Tr a-
J a n, or B R u t u s. But a Hiftori-
an ought to conceal or difguife no¬
thing, and the Reader is to be left
Judgof the Virtues he fhould imitat,
or the Vices he ought to deteft and a-
void, without ever loving his Book
the lefs: for (as the Lord Bacon
truly laid) a forbidden Writing is thought
to be a certain fpark of Truth that flies up
in the faces of them who feek to tread it
out. But your extraordinary Judg¬
ment and Candor, join'd to the bell
Learning, and an exaft Knowlege of
Men and Affairs, render my further
in-
L. .... L
1
Y&e Life of John Milton. 155
inculcating of thefe Maxims very
needlefs; and therfore I fliall only
put you in mind, S/V, that my defire
of gratifying your Curiofity conquer'd
myAverfion to write any thing du¬
ring this pleafanteft Sealon of the
Year.
Sept.3. 1598. J 'f
FINIS.
rl
Al
15<S
The Life of John Milton,
A1 Signor Gio. Miltoni No
bile Inglefe.
O D E.
v
1.1 Rgimi alP Etra o Clio
J Perche di jlelle intrecciero corona
Non piu del Biondo Dio
La Fronde eterna in Pindo, e in Elicona?
Dienji a merto maggior? maggiori ifregi\
JP celejle virtu celejli pregi.
Non puo del tempo edace
Rimaner pre da, eterno alto valor e
Non puo P oblio rap ace
Furar dalle memorie eccelfo onore,
Su P arco di mia cetra un dar do forte
Virtu n? addatti, eferiro la morte.
The Life of John Milton.' 157
Del Ocean profondo
Cinta dagli ampi gorghi Anglia refiede
Separata dal mondo?
Pero che il fuo 'valor Vumanoeccede:
Quefiafeconda fa produrre Eroi,
Cb5 hanno a ragion del fovruman tra not.
f
Alia virtu sbandita
Danno ne i petti lor f do ricetto,
Quell a gli e fol gradita9
Perche in lei fan trovar gioia, e diletto ;
Ridillotu, Giovanni, e moftrain tanto
Con tua vera virtu, vero il mio Canto.
Lungi dal Patrio lido
Spinfe Zjufi P indujlre ardente brama;
Of udio df Helena ilgrido
Con aurea tromba rimbombar la famax
E per poterla effigiare al paro
Dalle piu belle Idee trajfe il piu raro.
Cofi V Ape Ingegnoft
Trae con induftria ilfuo liquor pregiato
Dal giglio e dalla rofax
E quant i vaghi fiori or nana il prato >
FSmano
158 The Life of John Milton
Formano un dolce faon diverfe Chorde,
Fan varie voci melodia Concorde.
Di helU gloria amante
Milton dal del natio per varie parti
Le peregrini piante
Volgejli a ricercar fcienze, ed arti;
Del Gallo regnator vedejli i Regniy
E delP Italia ancor gP Eroi piu degni.
Fahro quafi divino
Sol virtu rintracciando il tuo penfiero
Vide in ogni conjjno
Chi di nobil valor calca il fentiero J
IP ottimo dal miglior dopo (cegliea
Per fabbricar d? ogni virtu P Idea.
Quanti nacquero in Flora
0 in lei del parlar Tofco apprefer P arte,
La cui mernoria onora
II mondofatta eterna in dotte carte,
Volefii ricercar per tuo teforo,
E parlafii con lor nelP opre loro.
NeP alter a Babelle
Per te il parlar confufe Glove in vanoy
Che per varie favelle
Dl fe fiejfa trofeo cadde ftp I piano:
CP Ode oltP alP Anglia il fuo piu degno Idioma
Spagnay prancia, Tofcanay e Grecia e Roma.
I piu profondi arcani
CP occulta la natura e in cielo e in terra
CP a Ingegni fovrumani
Troppo avara taP hor gli chiude, e ferra,
Chiaramente conofciy e giungi alfine
Delia moral virtude al gran confine.
Non hatta il Tempo P ale,
Fermifi immotto, e in unfermin ft gP anniy
Che di virtu immortale
Scorron di troppo ingiuriofi a i danni ;
Che s* opre dtgne di Poema e fioria
Pur on gia, P hai prefenti alia memoria.
Dammi tua dolce Cetra
Se vuoi clPio die a del tuo dolce cantoy
CP inalzandoti alP Etra
Di farti huomo celejle ottiene ilvanto9
II
I ' " '
i 60 The Life of John Milton.
II Tamigi il dira che gl1 e concejfo
Per te fuo cigno pareggiar Permeffo.
Io che in riva del Arm
Tento fpiegar tuo merto altoy e preclaro
So che fatico in day no,
E ad ammirary non a lodarlo imparo;
Freno dunque la lingua} e afcolto il core
Che ti prende a lodar con lo Jlupore.
Del fig. Antonio Francini gentilhuomo
Fiorentino,
He Life of John Milton. 16
An Exa& Catalogue of
all MILTON's Works
in their true Order, as they
are mention'd in the Hiftory
of his Life.
o
F Reformation in England, and the
Caufes that hitherto have hindered
it, In two Books : Written to a
Friend. Page 27.
2. Of Prelatical Epifcopacy, and whether it can
he deduced from the Apofiolical times, p. 30.
J. The Reafon of Church-Government urgd
againfi Prelacy. In two Books. p. 31.
4. Animadverfions upon the Remonfirants De¬
fence againfi Sme&ymnuus. p. 54,
An Apology for Sme&ymnuus. p. 57.
6» The Doctrine and Difcipline of Divorce re¬
fold for the Good of both Sexes. 1 p. 53,
L 7. Tc-
161 The Life of John Milton.
7. Tetrachordon; or Expofitions upon the
four chief places of Scripture which treat of
Marriage, or Nullities in Marriage, p. 58.
8. The Judgment of Martin Bucer concerning
Divorce. p. 59.
9. Colaflerion ; a Reply to a namelefs Anfwer
a? din (I the Doff r we and Difcipline of Di¬
vorce. p. 60.
10. Of Education? to Mr. Samuel Hartlib.
p. 62,
11. Areopagitica : a Speech for the Liberty of
unlicensed Printing, to the Parliament of
England. p. 62.
12. The Tenure of Kjngs and Magiflrats9
proving that it is lawful to call a Tyrant to
account, and to depofe or put him to death.
P- 7?-
if. Eikonoclaftes, in anfwer to a Book inti-
tuPd Eikon Bafilike. p. 81.
14. Obfervations on OrmondV Articles of
Peace with the Irifh, his Letter to Colonel
Jones, and on the Reprefentation of the
Presbytery of BelfafE p. 9 J.
15. Defen-
x
Tbe Life of John Milton. 16 3
15. Defenfio pro Populo Anglicano, or
Defence of the People of England
SalmafiusV Defence of the Kjng, p. 95,
id. Joannis Philippi Refponfio ad Apologi-
am Anonymi cujufdam. p. 102,
17. Defenfio fecunda pro Populo Anglica¬
no, &c, p. 107.
18. Defenfio pro fe adverfus Alexandrunl
Morum. p. in.
ip. A Treatife of Civil Power in Ecclefiaftic.il •
Caufes. p. 113.
20. Confderations touching the likeliejl means
to remove Hirelings out of the Church, p. 11 j.
21. A Letter to a Friend concerning the Rup¬
tures of the Commonwealth. p. 117.
22. The brief Delineation of a Common- •
wealth. p. 118,
2 J. Brief Notes on Dr. Griffith'/ Sermon, in- ••
tituled, The Fear of God and the King.-
p. 118.
L 2 24. The
16\ The Life of John Milton.
24. The ready and eajy way to eftahlijh a Tree
Commonwealth9 and the Excellence thereof
compared with the Dangers and Inconveni¬
ences of readmitting Kjngfhip in this Na¬
tion. p. 118.
25. Paradife Loft. p. 126.
26. Paradife regain1d, and Sampfon Ago-
niftes. p. 158.
27. Occaftonal and Juvenil Poems? Englifh
and Latin. p. 142.
28. The Hiftory of Britain to the Norman
Conqueft. p. 138.
2 9. Accedence commenced Grammar. p. 141.
30. A brief Hiftory of Mufcovy. p. 142.
31. A Declaration of the Eleliion of John III.
Kjng of Poland. p. 142.
32. ArtisLogicae plenior Inftitutio ad Petri
Rami methodum concinnata. p. 142.
33. A Treatife of true Religion, Her eft y
Schifm, Toleration, and the heft means to
prevent the growth of Popery. p. 14 J.
34. Lit-
/
:/
The Life of John Milton. 165
j 4. Litters; Senatus Anglican], &c. or Let¬
ters of State. p. 142.
55. Epiftolarum familiarium liber nnus;
accenerunt Prolufiones qusedam Orato-
riae. p. 142.
ADVERTISEMENT.
ALL thefe Books, except the Poetical Part,
are now publifli'd together in three Vo¬
lumes in Folio, with this Life prefix'd; the two
firft containing the Engliih, and the third the
Latin Pieces.
■