envoy with the most Serene king of Sweden, Philip Medows, to attend your Majesty, in our name, in order to these matters, and to impart, propound, act and negotiate such things as we have given him in charge to communicate to your Majesty: and what credit you shall give to him in this his employment, we request your Majesty to believe it given to ourselves. God Almighty grant your Majesty a happy and joyful deliverance out of all your difficulties, and afflicting troubles under which you stand so undauntedly supported by your fortitude and magna. nimity.

"WILLIAM LENTHAL, Speaker of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of ENGLAND.

"Westminster, May, 15, 1659."

In the Advertisement "To the Reader," prefixed to these "Letters of State," printed in London, 1694, it is said, "To question the truth of those transactions to which these following Letters have relation, would be a solecism which ignorance itself would be ashamed to own. The dates, subscriptions, superscriptions, render every thing authentick. So that were it only for their character of truth which must be allow'd 'em, that alone is sufficient to recommend 'em to posterity; at least, to those who may be ambitious to be the English Thuanus's of succeeding ages, to whom the verity of these Letters will be a careful clue, so far as it reaches, to guide them through the labyrinth of forgotten history. Honi soit qui mal y pence."

CHAPTER VII.

1660-1674.

THE Parliament having concluded their negociations with Charles II. at Breda, MILTON was discharged from his office as Latin Secretary; and in order to secure himself from the probable vengeance of the restored king, he left his house in Petty France, where he had lived for more than eight years, and where he had been visited by all the foreigners of note who came to England, by several persons of rank, and by the intelligent of every persuasion and party. During that period, from 1652 to 1660, he had kept up a large correspondence with learned foreign. ers, especially with his admirer, LEONARDUS PHILARAS, who on one occasion, paid him a visit at his house in Westminster.

MILTON was now obliged to secrete himself at a friend's house in St. Bartholomew's Close for some time after the Restoration. In a proclamation at this time, it is said, as may be seen in Kennet's Chronicle, p. 189, "the said JOHN MILTON and John Goodwin, are so fled, or so obscure themselves, that no endeavours used for their apprehension can take effect, whereby they may be brought to legal trial, and deservedly receive condign punishment for their treasons and offences." It is re

ported, that for the purpose of saving his life, some of his friends gave out that he had died, and contrived for him a sham funeral! Thus, while some of his old companions were expiating their alleged offences by the most cruel executions as regicides, and others by assassina

tions, he was secured from the fury of the raging, pitiless storm; it being thought he had become a resident of that house," where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest.”*

Some idea of the danger to which, at this time, he was exposed, may be seen from the fate to which some of his books were condemned. His work, entitled Eiclonoclastis, and his Defensio Pro Populo Anglicano, were proscribed on the 27th of August, 1661, and several copies of them were publicly committed to the flames by the common hangman. Impotent malice! Would not the divine right of kings and bishops have preserved the nation, as by a charm, from the contagion of these pamphlets? But the doctrine of the sovereignty of the people has been thought epidemical ever since the times of Charles II.

The Act of Oblivion was passed on the 30th of August. In this, MILTON and JOHN GOODWIN, both of whom had written in justification of the nation, for having put Charles I. to death, were included, with the understanding they were no more to bear any government offices. There are differences of opinion as to what particular cause MILTON owed his escape from the fate to which even his noble friend, Sir Harry Vane, "religious freedom's eldest son," was subjected. Toland says, "MILTON had many good friends to intercede for him, both in the Privy Council and the House of Commons; nor was

* One of his historians says: "By this precaution he probably escaped the particular prosecution which was at first directed against him. Mr. Warton was told by Mr. Tyers, from good authority, that when MILTON was under prosecution with Goodwin, his friends, to gain time, made a mock funeral for him; and that when matters were settled in his favour, and the affair was known, the king laughed heartily at the trick." This circumstance is also related by Cunningham, in his history of Great Britain, who says, that MILTON "pretended to be dead, and had a public funeral procession, and that the king applauded his policy in escaping the punishment of death by a seasonable shew of dying."

Charles II. such an enemy to the Muses, as to have required his being destroyed; though some are of opinion. that he was more obliged to that prince's forgetfulness than to his clemency.*"

The king's pardon having been secured, MILTON again made his appearance, being resuscited, if not by a natural, yet by a political resurrection! Still he was not free from peril, as I find that, on some account or other, soon after this, he was in custody of the sergeant-at-arms; for on Saturday, the 15th of December, it was ordered by the House of Commons, that " MR. MILTON, now in custody of the sergeant-at-arms, be forthwith released, on paying his fees." And on Monday the 17th, "a complaint being made that the sergeant-at-arms had demanded excessive fees for the imprisonment of Mr. MILTON, “it be referred to the committee of privileges, &c. to examine what is fit to be given to the sergeant for his fees in this case."

It is most likely that he was so much disgusted by the versatility which he had witnessed in men of all ranks, (clergy and laity having, with but few exceptions, aban. doned all their avowed principles, and bowed to the rising sun,) that he now retired from public life, and never again interfered with politics. So far as appears, he strictly attended to the text of the court divine, Dr. Griffiths : "My son, fear thou GOD, and the KING, and meddle not with them that are given to change!" It must afford much pleasure to the admirers of MILTON's character, that he now exemplified, in his own conduct, the features which he has drawn of Abdiel, "the fervent angel :"

*It is stated by Richardson, p. 89, that MILTON Owed his life to Sir William D'Avenant, who had himself been pardoned in 1650 at the intercession of MILTON.

"Faithful found among the faithless;

Nor numbers, nor example, with him wrought
To swerve from truth-

For this was all thy care, to stand approv'd

In sight of God, though worlds judg'd thee perverse."

He soon after again entered into the marriage state, with ELIZABETH, daughter of Mr. Minshal, of Cheshire ; who was recommended to him by his distinguished friend, Dr. Paget. His family now consisted of his wife, and three daughters by his first wife: two of these he had taught to read and pronounce, with great exactness, the English, Italian, Spanish, French, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin languages. There was no book therefore in those languages, that he wished to use, but what either of them could read to him, though they did not understand any but their mother tongue. It is said, his daughters complained of this employment as drudgery, and that when he was made acquainted with it, he instantly dispensed with their assistance, and procured for them the knowledge of some useful trades suited to their sex and taste.

This is the proper place to introduce the account given by Thomas Ellwood, the Quaker, of his becoming acquainted with MILTON. This plain but learned man says: "JOHN MILTON, a gentleman of great note for learning, throughout the learned world, for the accurate pieces he had written on various subjects and occasions. This person having filled a public station in former times, lived now a private and retired life in London; and having wholly lost his sight, kept always a man to read to him, which usually was the son of some gentleman of his acquaintance, whom in kindness he took to improve in learn. ing. Thus, by the mediation of my friend Isaac Pennington with Dr. Paget, and of Dr. Paget with JOHN MILTON, was I admitted to come to him; not as a servant to him,