The Second Defence of the People of England
P. 7. one eminent above the rest: Salmasius.
P. 9, 10. columns of Hercules: the mountains on each side of the Straits of Gibraltar. It was fabled that they were formerly one mountain, which was rent asunder by Hercules. Triptolemus: the fabled inventor of the plough and the distributor of grain among men, under favor of Ceres.
P. 10. the most noble queen of Sweden: Christina, daughter of Gustavus Adolphus.
P. 12. Monstrum horrendum: a monster horrible, mis-shapen, huge, deprived of his eyesight; description of the Cyclops Polyphemus, whose one eye was put out by Ulysses.—Virgil’s Æneid, iii. 658.
P. 14. Tiresias: the blind prophet of Thebes. Apollonius Rhodius: poet and rhetorician (B.C. 280-203), author of the Argonautica, a heroic poem on the Argonautic expedition to Colchis in quest of the golden fleece.
P. 14, 15. Timoleon of Corinth: Greek statesman and general, who expelled the tyrants from the Greek cities of Sicily, and restored the democratic form of government; died blind, 337 B.C. Appius Claudius: surnamed Cæcus from his blindness. Roman consul, 307 and 296; induced the senate, in his old age, to reject the terms of peace which Cineas had proposed on behalf of Pyrrhus. Pyrrhus: king of Epirus (B.C. 318-272), who waged war against the Romans. Cæcilius Metellus: Roman consul, B.C. 251, 249; pontifex maximus for twenty-two years from 243; lost his sight in 241 while rescuing the Palladium when the temple of Vesta was on fire. Dandolo (Enrico): b. 1107(?); elected Doge in 1192; d. 1205. He was ninety-six years old when, though blind, he commanded the Venetians at the taking of Constantinople, June 17, 1203.
‘Oh, for one hour of blind old Dandolo!
The octogenarian chief, Byzantium’s conquering foe.’
—Byron’s Childe Harold, Canto iv. St. xii.
Ziska, or Zizka (John): military chief of the Hussites, b. 1360(?), d. 1424; his real name was Trocznow; he lost an eye in battle, and was thence called Ziska, i.e. one-eyed; lost his other eye from an arrow at the siege of Rubi, but his blindness did not prevent his continuing the war against ecclesiastical tyranny. Jerome Zanchius (Girolamo Zanchi), Italian Protestant theologian, b. 1516, d. 1590; was canon regular of the Lateran when he became a Protestant; professor of theology and philosophy, University of Strasburg, 1553-1563; professor of theology, University of Heidelberg, 1568-1576.
P. 16. Æsculapius: the god of medicine. Epidaurus (now Epidauro): chief seat of the worship of Æsculapius; the son of Thetis: Achilles, the hero of the Iliad. I have substituted the Earl of Derby’s translation of the lines which follow from the Iliad, for that given by Robert Fellowes.
P. 18. Prytaneum: ‘a public building in the towns of Greece, where the Prytanes (chief magistrates in the states) assembled and took their meals together, and where those who had deserved well of their country were maintained during life.’
P. 19, 20. born in London: 9th of December, 1608; grammar-school: St. Paul’s, notable among the classical seminaries then in London. The head-master was a Mr. Alexander Gill, Sr., and the sub-master, or usher, Mr. Alexander Gill, Jr.; with the latter Milton afterward maintained an intimate friendship.
P. 20. On my father’s estate: at Horton, in Buckinghamshire. Henry Wotton: at this time Provost of Eton. His letter to Milton is dated 13 April, 1638. In the concluding paragraph, Sir Henry writes: ‘At Sienna I was tabled in the house of one Alberto Scipioni, an old Roman courtier in dangerous times,... at my departure toward Rome (which had been the centre of his experience) I had won confidence enough to beg his advice, how I might carry myself securely there, without offence of others, or of mine own conscience. Signor Arrigo mio (says he), I pensieri stretti, & il viso sciolto: that is, your thoughts close and your countenance loose, will go safely over the whole world. Of which Delphian oracle (for so I have found it) your judgment doth need no commentary; and therefore, Sir, I will commit you with it to the best of all securities, God’s dear love, remaining your friend as much at command as any of longer date.’ Milton was certainly the last man in the world to make such a prudential, or rather crafty, maxim his rule of conduct, even in such a country as Italy then was. He has stated his own rule further on in this extract. Thomas Scudamore: miswritten for John (Masson).
P. 21. Jacopo Gaddi: a prominent and influential literary man of Florence, member of the Florentine Academy, author of poems, historical essays, etc., in Latin and in Italian. Carlo Dati: his full name was Carlo Ruberto Dati; only in his 19th year when Milton visited Florence; was afterwards one of the most distinguished of the Florentine men of letters and academicians; became strongly attached to Milton, and corresponded with him after his return to England; author of ‘Vite de’ Pittori Antichi’ (Lives of the Ancient Painters) and numerous other works.
P. 21. Frescobaldi (Pietro): a Florentine academician. Coltellini (Agostino): a Florentine advocate; founder of an academy under the name of the Apatisti (the Indifferents). ‘Such were the attractions of this academy, and so energetic was Coltellini in its behalf, that within ten or twenty years after its foundation it had a fame among the Italian academies equal, in some respects, to that of the first and oldest, and counted among its members not only all the eminent Florentines, but most of the distinguished literati of Italy, besides cardinals, Italian princes and dukes, many foreign nobles and scholars, and at least one pope.’—Masson. Bonmattei, or Buommattei (Benedetto): an eminent member of various Florentine and other academies; author of various works, among them a commentary on parts of Dante, and a standard treatise, Della Lingua Toscana; by profession a priest. Chimentelli (Valerio): a priest; professor of Greek, and then of Eloquence and Politics, in Pisa; author of an archæological work, entitled Marmor Pisanum. Francini (Antonio): Florentine academician and poet. Lucas Holstenius (in the vernacular, Lukas Holste, or Holsten), secretary to Cardinal Barberini, and one of the librarians of the Vatican. Manso: author of a Life of Tasso, 1619. Milton, just before leaving Naples, addressed to him his Latin poem, Mansus.
P. 22. so little reserve on matters of religion: here it appears that he did not make Sir Henry Wotton’s prudential maxim his rule of conduct.
P. 22, 23. the slandering More (Lat. Morus), Alexander: a Reformed minister, then resident in Holland, and at one time a friend of Salmasius. He had formerly been Professor of Greek in the University of Geneva. The real author of the Regii Sanguinis Clamor was the Rev. Dr. Peter Du Moulin, the younger, made, 1660, a prebendary of Canterbury. More was, indeed, the publisher of the book, the corrector of the press, and author of the dedicatory preface in the printer’s name, to Charles II. Milton fully believed when he wrote the Second Defence that More was the author of the R. S. C., having received convincing assurances that he was. Diodati (Dr. Jean, or Giovanni), uncle of Milton’s friend, Carolo Diodati. He made the Italian translation of the Scriptures, known as Diodati’s Bible, published in 1607. at the time when Charles, etc.: Milton’s return to England was not, as he himself (by a slip of memory, no doubt) states, ‘at the time when Charles, having broken the peace with the Scots, was renewing the second of those wars named Episcopal,’ but exactly a twelvemonth previous to that time, and about eight months before the meeting of the Short Parliament.—Keightley.
P. 24. two books to a friend: ‘Of Reformation in England, and the causes that hitherto have hindered it. 1641.’ two bishops: Dr. Joseph Hall (1574-1656), Bishop of Exeter, afterward Bishop of Norwich; and Dr. James Usher (1580-1656), Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland. Concerning Prelatical Episcopacy: the full title is, ‘Of prelatical episcopacy, and whether it may be deduced from the apostolical times, by virtue of those testimonies which are alleged to that purpose in some late treatises; one whereof goes under the name of James, Archbishop of Armagh. 1641.’ Concerning the mode of ecclesiastical government: ‘The reason of church government urged against prelaty. 1641.’
P. 24. Animadversions: ‘Animadversions upon the remonstrant’s defence against Smectymnuus. 1641.’
P. 24. Apology: ‘An apology for Smectymnuus.’ 1642. The pamphlet by Smectymnuus was published with the following title, which is sufficiently descriptive of its character: ‘An Answer to a Book entituled “An Humble Remonstrance” [by Bishop Hall], in which the originall of Liturgy [and] Episcopacy is discussed and quæres propounded concerning both, the parity of Bishops and Presbyters in Scripture demonstrated, the occasion of their unparity in Antiquity discovered, the disparity of the ancient and our modern Bishops manifested, the antiquity of Ruling Elders in the Church vindicated, the Prelaticall Church bounded: Written by Smectymnuus.’ 1641. The pamphlet was the joint production of five Presbyterian clergymen, Stephen Marshall, Edmund Calamy, Thomas Young, Matthew Newcomen, and William Spurstow, but written for the most part by Thomas Young, Milton’s former tutor. The name Smectymnuus was made up from the several authors’ initials: S. M., E. C., T. Y., M. N., U. U. (for W.) S.
P. 24. the domestic species: the titles of the pamphlets on marriage and divorce are: ‘The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce,’ 1643, 1644; ‘The Judgment of Martin Bucer concerning Divorce,’ 1644; ‘Tetrachordon: expositions upon the four chief places in Scripture which treat of marriage, or nullities in marriage,’ 1644; ‘Colasterion: a reply to a nameless answer against the Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce,’ 1645.
P. 25. Selden (John), 1584-1654, celebrated English lawyer, statesman, and political writer. His ‘Table Talk’ was long famous, ‘being his sense of various matters of weight and high consequence, relating especially to religion and state.’
P. 25. an inferior at home: many passages in Milton’s works, poetical and prose, indicate, on his part, an estimate of woman which may be attributed, in some measure, at least, to his unfortunate first marriage. His own opinions of what should be the relation of wife to husband he, no doubt, expressed in the following passages in the ‘Paradise Lost,’ Book iv. 635-638, x. 145-156, xi. 287-292, 629-636; and in the ‘Samson Agonistes,’ 1053-1060. But no one can read the several treatises on Divorce without being impressed with the loftiness of Milton’s ideal of marriage, and his sense of the sacred duties appertaining thereto. The only true marriage with him was the union of souls, as well as of bodies, souls whom God hath joined together (Matt. xix. 6, Mark x. 9), not the priest nor the magistrate.
P. 25. the principles of education: ‘Of Education. To Master Samuel Hartlib.’ 1644. Hartlib was nominally a merchant in London, a foreigner by birth, the son of a Polish merchant of German extraction, settled in Elbing, in Prussia, whose wife was the daughter of a wealthy English merchant of Dantzic. He was a reformer and philanthropist, and an advocate of the views of the educational reformer, Comenius.
P. 25. ‘Areopagitica: a speech for the liberty of unlicensed printing, to the Parliament of England.’ 1644.
P. 26. what might lawfully be done against tyrants: in his pamphlet entitled, ‘The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates: proving that it is lawful, and hath been held so through all ages, for any, who have the power, to call to account a tyrant or wicked king, and, after due conviction, to depose, and put him to death, if the ordinary magistrate have neglected, or denied to do it; and that they who of late so much blame deposing are the men that did it themselves. The author J. M. 1649,’
P. 27. history of my country: ‘The History of Britain; that part especially now called England. From the first traditional beginning continued to the Norman Conquest.’
P. 27. I had already finished four books: i.e. in 1648; the work was not published till 1670. It contained the fine portrait of Milton, by William Faithorne, for which he sat in his 62d year.
P. 27. A book... ascribed to the king: ten days after the king’s death, was published (9 Feb. 1649), ‘Ἑἰκὼν Βασιλική: The True Portraicture of His Sacred Majestie in his Solitudes and Sufferings.—Rom. viii. More than conquerour, &c.—Bona agere et mala pati Regium est.—MDCXLVIII.’ The book professed to be the king’s own production, and Milton answered it as such, tho’ it appears he had his suspicions as to its authorship. It was universally regarded, at the time, as the king’s; but it was before long well known (though the controversy as to the authorship was long after kept up) to have been written by Dr. John Gauden, Rector of Bocking, and, after the Restoration, Bishop of Exeter, and, a short time before his death, Bishop of Worcester. Milton’s reply, published 6th of Oct., 1649, is entitled ‘ἙΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ in Answer To a Book Intitl’d ἘΙΚῺΝ ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΉ, The Portrature of his Sacred Majesty in his Solitudes and Sufferings. The Author I. M.
Prov. xxviii. 15, 16, 17.
15. As a roaring Lyon, and a ranging Beare, so is a wicked Ruler over the poor people.
16. The Prince that wanteth understanding, is also a great oppressor; but he that hateth covetousnesse shall prolong his dayes.
17. A man that doth violence to the blood of any person, shall fly to the pit, let no man stay him.
Salust. Conjurat. Catilin.
Regium imperium, quod initio, conservandæ libertatis, atque augendæ reipub. causâ fuerat, in superbiam, dominationemque se convertit.
Regibus boni, quam mali, suspectiores sunt; semperque his aliena virtus formidolosa est.
Quidlibet impunè facere, hoc scilicet regium est.
Published by Authority.
London, Printed by Matthew Simmons, next dore to the gilded Lyon in Aldersgate street. 1649.’
P. 27. Salmasius then appeared: that is, with his Defensio Regia pro Carolo I.