Transcription of John Milton's biography from the edition by Oliver Lawson Dick of Aubrey's Brief Lives; first published by Martin Secker & Warburg 1949; reprinted . . . in Penguin Classics, 1987.
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Mr JOHN MILTON was of an Oxfordshire familie. His Grandfather was a Roman Catholic of Holton, in Oxfordshire, near Shotover.
His father was brought-up in the University of Oxon, at Christ Church, and his grandfather disinherited him because he kept not to the Catholique Religion (he found a Bible in English, in his Chamber). So therupon he came to London, and became a Scrivener (brought up by a friend of his; was not an Apprentice) and gott a plentifull estate by it, and left it off many yeares before he dyed. He was an ingeniouse man; delighted in musique; composed many Songs now in print, especially that of Oriana. I have been told that the Father composed a Song of fourscore parts for the Lantgrave of Hess, for which his Highnesse sent a meddall of gold, or a noble present. He dyed about 1647; buried in Cripple-gate-church, from his house in the Barbican.
His son John was borne the 9th of December, 1608, die Veneris [Venus Day, i.e. Friday], half an hour after 6 in the morning, in Bread Street, in London, at the Spread Eagle, which was his house (he had also in that street another howse, the Rose; and other houses in other places). Anno Domini 1619, he was ten yeares old; and was then a Poet. His school-master then was a Puritan, in Essex, who cutt his haire short.
He went to Schoole to old Mr Gill, at Paule's Schoole. Went at his owne Chardge only, to Christ's College in Cambridge at fifteen, where he stayed eight yeares at least. Then he travelled into France and Italie (had Sir H. Wotton's commendatory letters). At Geneva he contracted a great friendship with the learned Dr Deodati of Geneva. He was acquainted with Sir Henry Wotton, Ambassador at Venice, who delighted in his company. He was severall yeares beyond Sea, and returned to England just upon the breaking-out of the Civill Warres.
From his brother, Christopher Milton:-- when he went to Schoole, when he was very young, he studied very hard, and sate-up very late, commonly till twelve or one a clock at night, and his father ordered the mayde to sitt-up for him, and in those yeares (10) composed many Copies of Verses which might well become a riper age. And was a very hard student in the University, and performed all his exercises there with very good Applause. His first Tutor there was Mr Chapell; from whom receiving some unkindnesse (whipt him) he was afterwards (though it seemed contrary to the Rules of the College) transferred to the Tuition of one Mr Tovell, who dyed Parson of Lutterworth. He went to travell about the year 1638 and was abroad about a year's space, chiefly in Italy.
Immediately after his return he took a lodging at Mr Russell's, a Taylour, in St Bride's Churchyard, and took into his tuition his [Milton's] sister's two sons, Edward and John Philips, the first 10, the other 9 years of age; and in a yeare's time made them capable of interpreting a Latin authour at sight. And within three years they went through the best of Latin and Greek Poetts - Lucretius and Manilius, of the Latins (and with him the use of the Globes, and some rudiments of Arithmetic and Geometry). Hesiod, Aratus, Dionysius Afer, Oppian, Apollonii Argonautica, and Quintus Calaber. Cato, Varro and Columella De re rustica were the very first Authors they learn't. As he was severe on the one hand, so he was most familiar and free in his conversation to those to whome most sowre in his way of education. N.B. he mad his Nephews Songsters, and sing, from the time they were with him.
His first wife (Mrs Powell, a Royalist) was brought up and lived where there was a great deale of company and merriment, dancing, etc. And when she came to live with her husband, at Mr Russell's in St Bride's Churchyard, she found it very solitary; no company came to her; oftimes heard his Nephews beaten and cry. This life was irksome to her, and so she went to her Parents at Fost-hill. He sent for her, after some time; and I thinke his servant was evilly entreated: but as for manner of wronging his bed, I never heard the least suspicions; nor had he, of that, any Jealousie.
Two opinions doe not well on the same Boulster; she was a Royalist, and went to her mother to the King's quarters, neer Oxford. I have perhaps so much charity to her that she might not wrong his bed: but what man, especially contemplative, would like to have a young wife environ'd and storm'd by the Sons of Mars, and those of the enemi partie? He parted from her, and wrote the Triplechord about divorce.
He had a middle wife, whose name was Katharin Woodcock. No child living by her.
He maried his third wife, Elizabeth Minshull, the year before the Sicknesse: a gent. person, a peacefull and agreable humour.
Hath two daughters living: Deborah was his amanuensis (he taught her Latin, and to read Greeke to him when he had lost his eie-sight.)
His sight began to faile him at first upon his writing against Salmasius, and before 'twas full compleated one eie absolutely faild. Upon the writing of other bookes, after that, his other eie decayed. His eie-sight was decaying about 20 yeares before his death. His father read without spectacles at 84. His mother had very weake eies, and used spectacles presently [very soon] after she was thirty yeares old.
His harmonicall and ingeniose Soul did lodge in a beautifull and well-proportioned body. He was a spare man. He was scarce so tall as I am (quaere, quot feet I am high: resp., of middle stature).
He had abroun hayre. His complexion exceeding faire -- he was so faire that they called him the Lady of Christ's College. Ovall face. His eie a darke gray.
He was very healthy and free from all diseases: seldome tooke any physique (only sometimes he tooke manna): only towards his latter end he was visited with the Gowte, Spring and Fall.
He had a delicate tuneable Voice, and had good skill. His father instructed him. He had an Organ in his howse; he played on that most. Of a very cheerfull humour. He would be chearfull even in his Gowte-fitts, and sing.
He had a very good Memorie; but I believe that his excellent Method of thinking and disposing did much to helpe his Memorie.
His widowe haz his picture, drawne very well and like, when a Cambridge-schollar, which ought to be engraven; for the Pictures before his bookes are not at all like him.
His exercise was chiefly walking. He was an early riser (scil. at 4 a clock manè) yea, after he lost his sight. He had a man to read to him. The first thing he read was the Hebrew bible, and that was at 4 h. manè, ½ h. plus. Then he contemplated.
At 7 his man came to him again, and then read to him again, and wrote till dinner; the writing was as much as the reading. His daughter, Deborah, could read to him in Latin, Italian and French, and Greeke. Maried in Dublin to one Mr Clarke (sells silke, etc.) very like her father. The other sister is Mary, more like her mother.
After dinner he used to walke 3 or four houres at a time (he always had a Garden where he lived) went to bed about 9.
Temperate man, rarely dranke between meales. Extreme pleasant in his conversation, and at dinner, supper, etc; but Satyricall. (He pronounced the letter R (littera canina) very hard - a certaine signe of a Satyricall Witt - from John Dreyden.)
All the time of writing his Paradise Lost, his veine began at the Autumnall Aequinoctiall, and ceased at the Vernall or thereabouts (I believe about May) and this was 4 or 5 yeares of his doeing it. He began about 2 yeares before the King came-in, and finished about three yeares after the King's restauracion.
In the 4th booke of Paradise List there are about six verses of Satan's Exclamation to the Sun, which Mr E.Philips remembers about 15 or 16 yeares before ever his Poem was thought of, which verses were intended for the Beginning of a Tragoedie which he had designed, but was diverted from it by other businesse.
He was visited much by the learned; more then he did desire. He was mightily importuned to goe into France and Italie. Foraigners came much to see him, and much admired [wondered at] him, and offer'd to him great preferments to come over to them; and the only inducement of severall foriegners that came over into England, was chiefly to see Oliver Protector, and Mr John Milton; and would see the hous and chamber wher he was borne. He was much more admired abrode then at home.
His familiar learned Acquaintance were Mr Andrew Marvell, Mr Skinner, Dr Pagett, M.D.
John Dreyden, Esq, Poet Laureate, who very much admires him, went to him to have leave to putt his Paradise Lost into a Drame in rythme. Mr Milton received him civilly, and told him he would give him leave to tagge his Verses.
His widowe assures me that Mr T. Hobbs was not one of his acquaintance, that her husband did not like him at all, but he would acknowledge him to be a man of great parts, and a learned man. Their Interests and Tenets did run counter to each other.
Whatever he wrote against Monarchie was out of no animosity to the King's person, or owt of any faction or interest, but out of a pure Zeale to the Liberty of Mankind, which he thought would be greater under a fre state than under a Monarchicall government. His being so conversant in Livy and the Roman authors, and the greatness he saw donne by the Roman commonwealth, and the vertue of their great Commanders induc't him to.
Mr John Milton made two admirable Panegyricks, as to Sublimitie of Witt, one on Oliver Cromwel, and the other on Thomas, Lord Fairfax, both which his nephew Mr Philip hath. But he hath hung back these two yeares, as to imparting copies to me for the Collection of mine. Were they made in commendation of the Devill, 'twere all one to me: 'tis the [gk] hupsos [ethos] that I looke after. I have been told that 'tis beyond Waller's or anything in that kind.
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(The Rejoice & Sing Enchiridion:edited by David Goodall; last amended 9/5/03)