Volume 2

Athenae Oxonienses. An exact history of all the writers and bishops who have had their education in the University of Oxford. To which are added the Fasti, or annals of the said university / By Anthony à Wood.

  • Anthony Wood
Date:
1813-1820
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Athenae Oxonienses. An exact history of all the writers and bishops who have had their education in the University of Oxford. To which are added the Fasti, or annals of the said university / By Anthony à Wood. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    711/732 page 244
    486 1654, and at Hag. Com. the same year, in oet. Upon the -writing of this book, the author Milton lost the other eye 3 and tho’ to his charge he used many means, yet he could never recover either of his eyes. This book, entit. Reg. Sang. Clam. &c. tho’ written by Dr. Peter du Moulin, pre¬ bendary of Canterbury, as it afterwards well appeared, yet Milton upon the reports before-mention’d could not be con¬ vinced to the contrary, but that it was written by the said Moore, 2 and therefore not only abused him in his answers, but by his friend Nedham in his Politicus whereby the re¬ putation of that learned person was severely touched. (18). Pro se Defensio contra Alex. Morvm Ecclesiasten, Libelli fa- most, cui tit. Regii Sanguinis Clamor, &c. Lond. 1655 oct. In this book he is exceeding bitter against Morus, and pre¬ tends to give a true history of his notorious impurities both at Geneva and Leyden, and an account of his own particu¬ lar life, to vindicate himself from what, as he thought, was scurrilously said of him by Morus. At the end of the said book, the author Milton added Ad Alex. Mori Supplementum Responsio. About the time that he had finished these things, he had more leisure, and time at command, and being dis¬ pensed with by having a substitute allowed him, and some¬ times instructions sent home to him from attending his office of secretary, he began that laborious work of amassing out of all the classic authors both in prose and verse a Latin Thesaurus, to the emendation of that done by Stephanus 3 also the composing of Paradise Lost, and of the framing a body of divinity out of the Bible. All which, notwithstanding the several troubles that befell him in his fortunes, he finished after his majesty’s restoration. But to go on with the catal. of his books according to time, take these as they follow: (19) Treatise of civil Power in ecclesiastical Causes, [266] &c. Lond. 1659. in tw. (20) Considerations touching the likeliest Means to remove Hirelings out of the Church. Lond. 1659. in tw. (21) Ready and easy Way to establish a free Commonwealth, and the Excellencies thereof compared with, &c. Lond. 1659. in two sheets and an half in qu. This being published in Feb. the same year, was answer’d by G. S. in his Dignity of Kingship. (22) Brief Notes upon a late Ser¬ mon titled. The Fear of God and the King, &c.Lond. 1660. qu. See more in Matthew Griffith among the writers, an. 1665. (23) Accedence commenced Grammar, &c. pr. 1661. in oet. (24) Paradise lost: a poem in 10 books, Lond. 1669. qu. pr. in fol. with cuts, an. 1688. (25) Paradise regain'd: a poem in four books. Lond. 1670. qu. pr. in fol. with cuts, an. 1688. (26) History of Britany from the first traditional Beginning, continued to the Norman Conquest. Lond. 1670. qu. This history, when it first came abroad, had only the reputation of the putting of our old authors neatly toge¬ ther in a connex'd story, not abstaining from some lashes at the ignorance, or I know not what, of those times. (27) Artis Logicce plenior Institutio ad Petri Rami Methodum con- cinnata. Lond. 1672, in tw. (28) Of true Religion, Heresy, Schism, Toleration, and what best Means may be used against the Growth and Increase of Popery, Lond. 1673. qu. (29) Poems, &c. on several occasions, both English and Latin, &c. composed at several times. Lond. 1673-4. oct. Among these are mixed some of his poems before-mention’d, made in his youthful years. (30) Epistolarum familiarium Lib. 1. Lond. 1674. oct. (31) Prolusiones queedam Oratorio: in Coll. Christi ha bit a:, printed with the familiar Epistles. (32) Li¬ ters Pseudo senatus Anglicani, Cromwellii, reliquorum Per- 2 [See Du Moulin’s words concerning the epistle dedicatory to the book, in the Gentleman’s Magazine, for 1773, p. 369, b.—Newton’s Life of Milton, p. xxvii,—and T. Warton’s notes on Milton’s Poems, p.497.J duellium Nomine ac Jussu conscripts. printed in 1676. in tw. (33) Character of the Long Parliament, and of the Assembly of Divines. Lond. 1681. in 2 sheets in qu. In which book is a notable account of their ignorance, treachery, and hy¬ pocrisy. (34) Brief History of Muscovia and of other less known countries, lying Eastward of Russia as far as Cathay, &c. Lond. 1682. oct.3 (35) The Right of the People over Tyrants, printed lately in qu. These, I think, are all the things that he hath yet extant: those that are not, are The Body of Divinity, which my friend calls Idea Theologian, now, or at least lately, in the hands of the author’s ac¬ quaintance called Cyr. Skinner, living in Mark-lane, Lon¬ don, and the Latin Thesaurus in those of Edw. Philipps his nephew. At length this great scholar and frequent writer dying in his house at Bunhill near London, in a fit of the gout, but with so little pain, that the time of his expiring was not perceived by those in the room, on the ninth or tenth day of Novemb. 1674,4 was buried in the gi’ave of his father, (who died very aged about 1647) in the chancel of the church of St. Giles near Cripplegate, London. See more of him in sir Walter Raleigh among the writers, [Col. 242.] He was of a moderate stature, and well pro¬ portion’d, and of a ruddy complexion, light brown hair, and had handsome features, yet his eyes were none of the quickest. When he was a student in Cambridge he was so fair and clear, that many called him the lady of Christ's coll. His deportment was affable, and his gait erect and manly, bespeaking courage and undauntedness. On which account he wore a sword while he had his sight, and was skill’d in using it. He had a delicate tuneable voice, an excellent ear, could play on the organ, and bear a part in vocal and instrumental music. The estate which his father left him was but indifferent, yet by his frugality he made it serve him and his. Out of his secretary’s salary he saved 2000/. which being lodg’d in the excise, and that bank failing upon his majesty’s restoration, he utterly lost that sum. By the great fire which hapned in London in the beginning of Sept. 1666, he had a house in Bread-street burnt, which was all the real estate that he had then left. To conclude, he was more admired abroad, and by foreigners, than at home 3 and was much visited by them when he liv’d in Petty France, some of whom have out of pure devotion gone to Breadstreet to see the house and chamber where he was born, &c.5. Creations. June 16. Henry Bridgman of Brasen-nose, lately of Oriel, coll, was actually created master of arts.-He was afterwards bishop of the isle of Man. Jul. 30. David Smart of Hart-hall was actually created master of arts, which is all 1 know of him. 3 [‘ This was writ by the author’s own hand, before he lost his sight; and sometime before his death he disposed of it to be printed. But it being small the bookseller hoped to have procured some other suitable piece of the same authors to have joined with it, or else it had been published ere now.’ Advert, to the book. Wanley.] 4 [Nov. 15, 1674, died Jo. Milton at Bunhill, Cripplegate parish. See The Obituary of Ric. Smith, publ. by Peck, Desid. curiosa, under 1674.] 5 [Mrs. Katharine Milton, wife to John Milton, Esq was buried in St. Margaret’s church in Wesminster, Feb. 10, 1657. Reg. Brook. Mr. Milton then lived in a new house in Petty France, where Mr. Harvey, son of Dr. Harvey of Petty France, Westm. told me Nov. 14, 1730, that old Mr. Lounds assured him that when Mr. Milton buried his wife he had the coffin shut down with 12 several locks that had 12 several keys, and that he gave the keys to 12 several friends, and desired the coffin might not be open’d till they all met together. Kenney.]
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