phew; and Mr. Toland gave them to be printed in the edition of our author's profe-works in 1698. But Milton, ftill finding that affairs were every day tending more and more to the fubverfion of the commonwealth and the reftoration of the royal family, published his Ready and eafy way to eftablish a free commonwealth, and the excellence thereof, compared with the inconveniences and dangers of readmitting kingship in this nation. We are informed by Mr. Wood, that he published this piece in February 1659-60; and after this he published Brief notes upon a late fermon intled, the Fear of God and the King, preached by Dr. Matthew Griffifth at Mercers Chapel March 25, 1660: fo bold and refolute was he in declaring his fentiments to the laft, thinking that his voice was the voice of expiring liberty.

A little before the King's landing he was dif charged from his office of Latin Secretary, and was forced to leave his houfe in Petty France, where he had lived eight years with great reputation, and had been vifited by all foreigners of note, who could not go out of the country without fecing a man who did io much honor to it by his writings, and whofe name was as well known and as famous abroad as in his own nation; and by feveral perfons of quality of both fexes, particularly the pious and virtuous Lady Ranelagh, whofe fon for fome time he inftructed, the fame who was Paymafter of the forces in King William's time; and by many learned and ingenious friends and acquaintance, particularly Andrew Marvel, and young Laurence, fon to the Prefident of Oliver's Council, to whom he has inferibed

one of his fonnets, and Marchamont Needham the writer of Politicus, and above all Cyriac Skinner, whom he has honored with two fonnets. But now it was not safe for him to appear any longer in public, fo that by the advice of fome who wished him well and were concerned for his prefervation, he fled for fhelter to a friend's houfe in Bartholomew Clofe near Weft Smithfield, where he lay concealed till the worst of the ftorm was blown over. The first notice that we find taken of him was on Saturday the 16th of June 1660, when it was ordered by the houfe of Commons, that his Majesty should be humbly moved to iffue his proclamation for the calling in of Milton's two books, his Defense of the people and Iconoclaftes, and alfo Goodwyn's book intitled the Obstructors of justice, written in juftification of the murder of the late King, and to order them to be burnt by the hands of the common hangman. At the fame time it was ordered, that the Attorney General fhould proceed by way of indictment or information against Milton and Goodwyn in respect of their books, and that they themfelves fhould be fent for in cuftody of the Serjeant at arms attending the Houfe, On Wednesday June 27th an order of Council was made agreeable to the order of the Houfe of Commons for a proclamation against Milton's and Goodwyn's books; and the proclamation was iffued the 13th of Auguft following, wherein it was faid that the authors had fled or did abfcond and on Monday Auguft 27th Milton's and Goodwyn's books were burnt according to the proclamation at the Old Bailey by the hands of the common hangman. On Wednesday August 29th

the

the act of indemnity was paffed, which proved more favorable to Milton than could well have been expected; for tho' John Goodwyn Clerk was excepted among the twenty perfons, who were to have penalties infflicted upon them, not extending to life, yet Milton was not excepted at all, and confequently was included in the general pardon. We find indeed that afterwards he was in cuftody of the Serjeant at arms; but the time, when he was taken into custody, is not certain. He was not in cuftody on the 12th of September, for that day a lift of the prisoners in cuftody of the Serjeant at arms was read in the House, and Milton is not among them; and on the 13th of September the House adjourned to the 6th of November. It is moft probable therefore, that after the act of indemnity was paffed, and after the House was adjourned, he came out of his concealment, and was afterwards taken into custody of the Serjeant at arms by virtue of the former order of the Houfe of Commons: but we cannot find that he was profecuted by the Attorney General, nor was he continued in cuftody very long': for on Saturday the 15th of December 1660, it was ordered by the Houfe of Commons, that Mr.Milton now in cuftody of the Serjeant at arms fhould be forthwith released, paying his fees; and on Monday the 17th of December, a complaint being made that the Serjeant at arms had demanded exceffive fees for his imprisonment, it was referred to the committee of privileges and elections to examin this business, and to call Mr. Milton and the Serjeant before them, and to determin what was fit to be given to the Serjeant for his fees in this cafe; fo courageous was he

at all times in defenfe of liberty against all the encroachments of power, and tho' a prifoner, would yet be treated like a freeborn Englishman. This appears to be the matter of fact, as it may be collected partly from the Journals of the Houfe of Commons, and partly from Kennet's Hiftorical Regifter: and the clemency of the government was furely very great towards him, confidering the nature of his offenfes; for tho' he was not one of the King's judges and murderers, yet he contributed more to murder his character and reputation than any of them all; and to what therefore could it be owing, that he was treated with fuch lenity, and was fo cafily pardoned? It is certain, there was not wanting powerful interceffion for him, both in Council and in Parlament. It is faid, that Secretary Morrice and Sir Thomas Clargis greatly favored him, and exerted their interest in his behalf; and his old friend Andrew Marvel, member of parlament for Hull, formed a confiderable party for him in the Houfe of Commons; and neither was Charles the Second (as Toland fays) fuch an enemy to the Mufes, as to require his deftruction. But the principal instrument in obtaining Milton's pardon was Sir William Davenant, out of gratitude for Milton's having procured his releafe, when he was taken prifoner in 1650. It was life for life. Davenant had been faved by Milton's Intereft, and in return Milton was faved at Davenant's Interceffion. This ftory Mr. Richardfon relates upon the authority of Mr. Pope; and Mr. Pope had it from Betterton the famous actor, who was firft brought upon the ftage and patronized by Sir William Davenant, and might there

fore

fore derive the knowledge of this tranfaction from the fountain.

Milton having thus obtained his pardon, and being fet at liberty again, took a houfe in Holborn near Red Lion Fields; but he removed foon into Jewen Street near Alderfgate Street: and while he lived there, being in his 53d or 54th year, and blind and infirm, and wanting fome body better than fervants to tend and look after him, he employ'd his friend Dr. Paget to choose a proper confort for him; and at his recommendation married his third wife, Elizabeth Minshul, of a gentleman's family in Cheshire, and related to Dr. Paget. It is faid that an offer was made to Milton, as well as to Thurloe, of holding the fame place of Secretary under the King, which he had discharged with fo much integrity and ability under Cromwell; but he perfifted in refufing it, tho' the wife preffed his compliance: "Thou "art in the right, fays he; you, as other women, "would ride in your Coach; for me, my aim is to "live and die an honeft man." What is more certain is, that in 1661 he published his Accedence commenced Grammar, and a tract of Sir Walter Raleigh intitled Aphorifms of State; as in 1658 he had pulished another piece of Sir Walter Raleigh intitled the Cabinet Council difcabinated, which he printed from a manufcript, that had lain many years in his hands, and was given him for a true copy by a learned man at his death, who had collected feveral fuch pieces: an evident fign, that he thought it no mean employment, nor unworthy of a man of genius, to be an editor of the works of great authors. It was while he lived in Jewen Street, that Elwood