The life of Milton has been already written in so many forms, and with such minute
inquiry, that I might perhaps more properly have contented myself with the addition of a
few notes on Mr. Fenton's elegant abridgment, but that a new narrative was thought
necessary to the uniformity of this edition.
John Milton was by birth a gentleman, descended from the proprietors of Milton, near
Thame, in Oxfordshire, one of whom forfeited his estate in the times of York and
Lancaster. Which side he took I know not; his descendant inherited no veneration for the
White Rose.
His grandfather, John, was keeper of the forest of Shotover, a zealous Papist, who
disinherited his son because he had forsaken the religion of his ancestors.
His father, John, who was the son disinherited, had recourse for his support to the
profession of a scrivener. He was a man eminent for his skill in music, many of his
compositions being still to be found; and his reputation in his profession was such, that he
grew rich, and retired to an estate. He had probably more than common literature, as his
son addresses him in one of his most elaborate Latin poems. He married a gentlewoman
of the name of Caston, a Welsh family, by whom he had two sons, John, the poet, and
Christopher, who studied the law and adhered, as the law taught him, to the king's party,
for which he was a while persecuted; but having by his brother's interest obtained
permission to live in quiet, he supported himself so honourably by chamber-practice, that,
soon after the accession of King James, he was knighted and made a judge; but, his
constitution being too weak for business, he retired before any disreputable compliances
became necessary.
He had likewise a daughter Anne, whom he married with a considerable fortune to
Edward Philips, who came from Shrewsbury, and rose in the Crown-office to be
secondary: by him she had two sons, John and Edward, who were educated by the poet,
and from whom is derived the only authentic account of his domestic manners.
John the poet, was born in his father's house, at the Spread Eagle, in Bread Street, Dec. 9,
1608, between six and seven in the morning. His father appears to have been very
solicitous about his education; for he was instructed at first by private tuition under the
care of Thomas Young, who was afterwards chaplain to the English merchants at
Hamburgh, and of whom we have reason to think well, since his scholar considered him
as worthy of an epistolary elegy.
He was then sent to St. Paul's school, under the care of Mr. Gill; and removed, in the
beginning of his sixteenth year, to Christ's College, in Cambridge, where he entered a
sizar, Feb. 12, 1624.
