No. III.

Extract from a work, entitled, "Some account of the Life and Writings of John Milton, by the Rev. John Henry Todd, M. A. F. A. S. Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty. Derived principally from Documents

in his Majesty's State Paper Office. Now first published, 1826.

The following is copied from Section III. of the above

work, p. 107.

THE book of Orders of Council of State, during the usurpation, found in his Majesty's State Paper Office, presents the poet addressed by a Committee, appointed for the purpose of inviting him into office about six weeks after the martyrdom of the king.

"1648-9. March 13. Ordered, That Mr. Whitelocke, Sir Henry Vane, Lord Lisle, Earl of Denbigh, Mr. Martyn, Mr. Lisle, or any two of them, be appointed a Committee to consider what alliances the crown hath formerly had with Forreigne States, and what those States are; and how farr they should be continued, and upon what grounds; and in what manner applications and addresses should be made for the said continuance.

"That it be referred to the same Committee to speake with Mr. Milton, to know if he will be employed as Secretary for the Forreigne Tongues, and to report to the Councill.

"1648-9.-March 15. Ordered, That Mr. JOHN MILTON he employed as Secretary for Forreigne Tongues to this Councill, and that he have the same salarie, which Mr.Wickerly formerly had for the same service.

"1648-9.-March 22. Ordered, That the letters now read, to be sent to Hamburgh, in behalf of the company of Merchant Adventurers, be approved, and that they be translated into Latin by Mr. MILTON.

"1649.-March 26. Ordered, That the letters now brought in by Mr. MILTON, to the Senate of Hamburgh, be approved; and that Mr. Isaac Lee, Deputy of the Company of Merchant Adventurers there, shall be appointed Agent for delivering them.

1649.-March 26. Ordered, That Mr. MILTON be appointed to make some observations upon a paper lately printed called " Old and New Chains."*

"1649.-March 28. Ordered, That Mr. MILTON be appointed to make some observations of interest, which is new amongst the several designers against the peace of the Commonwealth, and that it be

* John Lilburn was the author of this book, and was on account of it committed to prison on the suspicion of high treason. Judge Jenkins used to say of him in regard to his litigious disposition, that if the world was emptied of all but John Lil. burn, Lilburn would quarrel with John, and John would quarrel with Lilburn.

made ready to be printed, with the papers out of Ireland, which the House hath ordered to be printed.

“1649.—May 18. Ordered, That the French letters, given into the, House by the Dutch Ambassadors, be translated by Mr. MILTON; and the rest of the Letters now in the House, be sent for and translated.

“1549.—May 30. Ordered,'That Mr. MILTON take the papers forthwith to Mr. John Lee, and examine them to see what may be found in them.

"1649.-June 23. Ordered that Mr. MILTON doe examine the papers of Pragmaticus,* and report what he finds in them to the Councill "1649.-November 12. Ordered, That Sir John Hippesly be spoken to, that MR. JOHN MILTON may be accommodated with those lodgings that he hath at Whitehall.

"1649.-November 19. Ordered, That MR. MILTON shall have the lodgings that were in the hands of Sir John Hippesly, in Whitehall, for his accommodation as being Secretary to the Council for Forreigne Tongues.

"1649.-November 29. Ordered, That a letter be written to the Commissioners of the Customs, to desire them to give order, that a very strict search may be made of such ships as come from the Netherlands for certaine scandalous bookes; which are there printed,⚫ against the government of this Commonwealth, entitled Defencio Regia, and which are designed to be sent over hither; and to desire them that if any upon search shall be found, that they may be sent up to the Councill of State, without suffering any of them to be otherwise disposed of upon any pretence whatever.

"That a warrant be directed to the Masters and Wardens of the Company of Stationers, to the purpose aforesaid.

"That the like letter be directed to Mr. Thomas Bendish, an officer in the port of Yarmouth, to take care of searching for the aforesaid book, which is expected to come out of Holland.

"1649-50.-January 8. Ordered, That one hundred pounds be paid Mr. Thomas Waring, for his pains and charge in compiling a booke containing several examinations of the Bloody Massacre in Ireland.

"That MR. MILTON doe confer with some printers or stationers concerning the speedy printing of this book, and give an account of what he hath done therein to the Councill.

*The Mercurius Pragmaticus, a newspaper in support of Charles the Second April 24, 1649.

"That MR. MILTON doe prepare something in answer to the book of Salmasius, and when he hath done itt, bring itt to the Councill. "1651.-May 20. Ordered, That Mr. Durie doe proceed in translating MR. MILTON's book, written in answer to the late King's booke; and that it be left to Mr. Frost to give him such reward for his pains, as he shall think fitt.

"1650.-June 22. Ordered, That MR. MILTON doe goe to the Committee of the Armie, and desire them to send to this Councell the book of Examinations, taken about the risings in Kent and Essex.

"1650.-June 25. Ordered, That MR. MILTON doe peruse the Examinations taken by the Armie concerning the insurrections in Essex; and that he doe take heads of the same, to the end the Councill may judge what is to be taken into consideration.

"1650.-June 26. Ordered, That the declaration of the Parliament against the Dutch, be translated into Latine by MR. MILTON, into Dutch by Mr. Haak,* and into French by Monsieur Augier.

"1650.-August 14. Ordered, That Mr. Thomas Goodwin, Mr. Bifield, Mr. Bond, Mr. Nye, Mr. Durye, Mr. Frost, or MR. MILTON, or any three of them, of which Mr. Frost, or MR. MILTON to be one, be appointed to view and to inventorie all the words, writings, and papers whatsoever, belonging to the Assembly of the Synod, to the end they may not be embezzled, and may be forthcoming for the use of the Commonwealth.

"1650.-December 23. Ordered, That MR. MILTON doe print the Treatise which he hath written, in answer to a late book written by Salmasius against the proceedings of the Commonwealth."+

It has been said, but erroneously there is no doubt, that MILTON received from the Councill £1000 for writing this book. I have expressed a doubt, in a former part of this work, as to the accuracy of this statement, and it is confirmed by the following entry:

"1651.-June 18. Ordered, That thanks be given to MR. MILTON on behalf of the Commonwealth, for his good services done in writing an answer to the booke of Salmasius, written against the proceedings of the Commonwealth of England." "But,' says Mr. Todd, 'all this is crossed over, and nearly three lines following obliterated, in which the accurate Mr. Lemon says a grant of money was made to MILTON.' Admitting this to be the fact, is it not reasonable to conclude that MILTON refused to accept the grant, because after the cancelled passage, the regular entry thus follows: "The Councill, taking notice of the manie good services performed by MR. JOHN MILTON, the *This learned man translated the first six books of Paradise Lost into High Dutch.

† MILTON's book was burnt at Paris and Toulouse.

Secretarie for Forreigne Languages, to this State and Commonwealth, particularlie for his book in vindication of the Parliament and people of England, against the calumnies and invectives of Salmasius, have thought fitt to declare their resentment and good acceptance of the same; and that the thanks of the Councill be returned to MR. MILTON, and their sense expressed in that behalf."”

To return to the regular entries:

"1650-51.-February 10. Ordered, That the way of meeting with the Publique Minister of Portugall, be by a Committee of the Councill, consisting of such a number as the Councill shall think fitt in reference to the quality of such Minister.

"That MR. MILTON, the Secretarie for Forreigne Languages, bee appointed to attend the Committee at their meetings; and that Joseph Frost be employed for such writing as the Committee shall have occasion for in this business.

"1650.-Feb. 18. Ordered, That MR. MILTON be Secretary for Forreigne Languages, for the time of the Councill.

"1650-51.-March 5. Ordered, that it be referred to the Committee of Examinations, to viewe over MR. MILTON's booke,* and give order for re-printing it, if they thinke fitt.

"1652.-Nov. 15. Ordered, that it be referred to Mr. Thurloe, to consider of a fitt reward to be given to Mr. Durie, for his pains in translating into French the book written by MR. MILTON, in answer to that of the late king's, entitled 'His Meditations.'

"1653.-April 1. Ordered, that the Commissioners of the Customs doe permit certain books written by MR. MILTON, in answer to the booke called the late king's, being translated into French, to bee transported into France custom free."

We now return to the period immediately subsequent to the publication of MILTON's Iconoclastes.

"1649-50.-Feb. 2. Ordered, that orders be sent to Mr. Baker, Mr. Challenor, Mr. Wickerlyn, Mr. Willingham, or any others who have in their hands any public papers belonging to the Commonwealth, to deliver them to MR. MILTON, to be layd up in the paper-office for publique service; and that Mr. Baker be appointed to order those papers, that they may be ready for use,

"1649-50.-Feb. 18. Ordered, that MR. MILTON, Secretary for Forreigne Languages; Sergeant Dunde, Sergeant-at-Arms; Mr. Frost, the younger, assistant to Mr. Frost, the Secretary, and all the clerks formerly employed under Mr. Frost, as also the messengers, and all other officers employed by the Councill last yeare, and not

*The Iconoclastes. Second Edition.

dismissed, shall be again entertained with the same employments, and shall receive the same salary which was appointed them the yeare past. "1649-50.-Feb. 23. Memorandum, that MR. JOHN MILTON, Secretary for the Forreigne Languages; Mr. Edward Dendie, Sergeant-at-Arms, and Mr. Gwalter Frost, the younger, assistant to the Secretary, did this day take the engagement following: 'I being nominated by this Councill to bee, for the yeare to come, do promise in the sight of God, that through his grace I will be faithful in the performance of the trust committed unto mee; and not reveale or disclose any thing, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, that shall be debated or resolved upon in the Councill, without the command, direction, or allowance of the Councill."

"1650.-March 30. Ordered, that it be recommended to the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seale, to give order for the preparing of a commission to Mr. Richard Bradshaw, who is to be employed resident from this Commonwealth to the senate of Hamburgh, according to the order of Parliament, "That a credential letter be likewise prepared for him by MR. MILTON.'

"1650.-May 6. Ordered, that MR. MILTON doe attend the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seale, with the papers given in by Dr. Walsall, concerning the goods of felos de se: to whom it is referred, to take such course therein, for the advantage of the Commonwealth, as they shall think fitt.

"1650.-June 14. Ordered, that MR. MILTON shall have a warrant to the trustees and contractors, for the sale of the king's goods, for the furnishing of his lodging at Whitehall with some hangings.*.

"1651.-March 27. Ordered, That the letters that are to be sent to the ambassadour of Spain, shall be sent unto him by MR. MILTON. "1651.-March 28. Ordered, That MR. MILTON doe translate the Intercursus Magnus, which he is to have from Sir Henry Vane.

"1651.-April 4. Ordered, That such despatches as come to this Councill from foreigne parts, in any foreigne tongue, are to be translated for the use of the Councill.

"1651.-April 10. Ordered, that Mr. Vaux be sent unto, to let him know that he is to forbeare the removing MR. MILTON out of his lodgings in Whitehall, until Sir Henry Mildmay and Sir Gilbert Pickering shall have spoken to the committee concerning that businesse. "1651.—April 23. Ordered, that the paper, now read, to be sent *The copy of this warrant is inserted after this order, bearing date June 18, 1650. "These are to will and require you forthwith, upon sight hereof, to deliver unto MR. JOHN MILTON, or to whom he shall appoint, such hangings as shall be sufficient for furnishing his lodgings at Whitehall, of the late king's goods. "To the Trustees and Contracters."