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ftory of his escape is told by Richardfon in his Memoirs, which he received from Pope, as delivered by Betterton, who might have heard it from Davenant. In the war between the king and parliament, Davenant was made prifoner, and condemned to die; but was fpared at the request of Milton. When the turn of fuccefs brought Milton into the like danger, Davenant repaid the benefit by appearing in his favour. Here is a reciprocation of generofity and gratitude fo pleafing, that the tale makes its own way to credit. But if help were wanted, I know not where to find it. The danger of Davenant is certain from his own relation; but of his efcape there is no account. Betterton's narration can

be traced no higher; it is not known that he had it from Davenant. We are told that the benefit exchanged was life. for life; but it feems not certain that Milton's life ever was in danger, Godwin, who had committed the fame kind of crime, efcaped with incapacitation; and as exclufion from publick trust is a punishment which the power of government can commonly inflict without the help of a particular law, it required no great intereft to exempt Milton from a cenfure little more than verbal. Some thing may be reafonably afcribed to veneration and compaffion; to veneration of his abilities, and compaffion for his diftreffes, which made it fit to forgive his malice for his learning. He was

now

now poor and blind; and who would pursue with violence an illustrious (enot my, depreffed by fortune, and difarmed. by nature?

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The publication of the act of obli vioni put him in the fame condition with his fellow-fubjects.. He was, however, upon, fome pretence not now known, in the custody of the ferjeant in December; and, when he was releafed, upon his refufal, of the fees, demanded, he and the ferjeant were called before the Houfe. He was now fafe within the fhade of oblivion, and knew himself to be as much out of the power of a

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griping officer as any other man. How the question was determined is not

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known. Milton would hardly have, con

tended,

tended, but that he knew himself to

have right on his fide.

He then removed to Jewin-ftreet, near Alderfgate-street; and being blind, and by no means wealthy, wanted a domeftick companion and attendant; and therefore, by the recommendation of Dr. Paget, married Elizabeth Minfhul, of a gentleman's family in Chefhire, probably without a fortune. All his wives were virgins; for he has declared that he thought it grofs and indelicate to be a fecond hufband: upon what other principles his choice was made, cannot now be known; but marriage afforded not much of his happiness. The first wife left him in difguft, and was brought back only by terror: the fecond,

cond, indeed, feems to have been more a favourite; but her life was fhort. The third, as Philips relates, oppreffed his children in his life-time, and cheated them at his death.

Soon after his marriage, according to an obfcure story, he was offered the continuance of his cmployment; and being preffed by his wife to accept it, anfwered, "You, like other women, want "to ride in your coach; my wifh is to

live and die an honeft man." If he confidered the Latin fecretary as exercifing any of the powers of government, he that had shared authority either with the parliament or Cromwel, might have forborn to talk very loudly of his honefty; and if he thought the office

pure

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