IX. TO A VIRTUOUS YOUNG LADY. LADY, that in the prime of earliest youth To fill thy odorous lamp with deeds of light, Therefore be sure Thou, when the bridegroom with his feastful friends Hast gain'd thy entrance, Virgin wise and pure. X. TO THE LADY MARGARET LEY.1 DAUGHTER to that good Earl, once President Kill'd with report that old man eloquent.2 'Lady Margaret Ley:' the daughter of Sir James Ley, whose singular learning and abilities raised him through all the great posts of the law, till he came to be made Earl of Marlborough, and Lord High Treasurer, and Lord President of the Council to King James I. He died in an advanced age. Milton attributes his death to the breaking of the Parliament; and it is true that the Parliament was dissolved the 10th of March 1628-9, and he died on the 14th of the same month. Lady Margaret was married to Captain Hobson, Isle of Wight.2 Old man eloquent:' Isocrates, the orator. The victory was gained by Philip of Macedon over the Athenians. Though later born than to have known the days XI. ON THE DETRACTION WHICH FOLLOWED UPON MY A BOOK was writ of late call'd Tetrachordon,1 Stand spelling false, while one might walk to Mile- Those rugged names to our like mouths grow sleek,. That would have made Quintilian stare and gasp. Thy age, like ours, O Soul of Sir John Cheek, Hated not learning worse than toad or asp, When thou taught'st Cambridge and king Edward, Greek. 1 'Tetrachordon:' this was one of Milton's books, published in consequence of his divorce from his first wife. Tetrachordon signifies Expositions on the four chief places in Scripture which mention marriage, or nullities in marriage. 2 Milton is here collecting, from his hatred to the Scots, what he thinks Scottish names of an ill sound. Colkitto and Macdonnel are one and the same person; a brave officer on the royal side, an Irishman of the Antrim family, who served under Montrose. The Macdonalds of that family are styled, by way of distinction, Mac Collcittok, i. e., descendants of lame Colin. Galasp, or George Gillespie, was a Scottish writer against the Independents, and one of the members of the Assembly of Divines, and a right noble spirit. - Sir John Cheek:' the first professor of the Greek tongue in the University of Cambridge, and afterwards made one of the tutors to Edward VI. XII. ON THE SAME. I DID but prompt the age to quit their clogs When straight a barbarous noise environs me Which after held the sun and moon in fee. And still revolt when truth would set them free. XIII. TO MR H. LAWES, ON THE PUBLISHING HIS HARRY, whose tuneful and well-measured song That with smooth air could'st humour best our tongue. 'Hinds: see Ovid, Met. lib. vi.-2 Latona's:' Apollo and Diana.3 Lawes :' see 'Comus.'- 'Committing:' offending against rule and quan tity. Dante shall give Fame leave to set thee higher XIV. ON THE RELIGIOUS MEMORY OF MRS CATHERINE THOMSON,2 MY CHRISTIAN FRIEND, deceased DECEMBER 16, 1646. WHEN Faith and Love, which parted from thee never, Had ripen'd thy just soul to dwell with God, Meekly thou didst resign this earthly load Of death, call'd life; which us from life doth sever. Thy works, and alms, and all thy good endeavour, Staid not behind, nor in the grave were trod; But, as Faith pointed with her golden rod, Follow'd thee up to joy and bliss for ever. Love led them on, and Faith, who knew them best Thy hand-maids, clad them o'er with purple beams And azure wings, that up they flew so drest, And spake the truth of thee on glorious themes Before the Judge; who thenceforth bid thee rest, And drink thy fill of pure immortal streams. XV. TO THE LORD GENERAL FAIRFAX. FAIRFAX, whose name in arms through Europe rings, Thy firm unshaken virtue ever brings Victory home, though new rebellions raise Their Hydra heads, and the false North displays 1 Casella:' an eminent musician and friend of Dante; see an exquisite passage in Purg. c. ii. v. 111.—‘Mrs Thomson:' Milton, when made Latin Secretary, lodged in her house. She was a Quakeress. N Her broken league 1 to imp2 their serpent wings. (For what can war but endless war still breed?) XVI. TO THE LORD GENERAL CROMWELL. CROMWELL, Our chief of men, who through a cloud Guided by faith and matchless fortitude To peace and truth thy glorious way hast plough'd, And on the neck of crowned Fortune proud Hast rear'd God's trophies, and his work pursued, While Darwen3 stream, with blood of Scots imbrued, And Dunbar field resounds thy praises loud, And Worcester's laureat wreath. Yet much remains To conquer still; Peace hath her victories No less renown'd than War: New foes arise Threatening to bind our souls with secular chains : Help us to save free conscience from the paw Of hireling wolves, whose gospel is their maw. XVII. TO SIR HENRY VANE THE YOUNGER. VANE, young in years, but in sage counsel old, Than whom a better senator ne'er held The helm of Rome, when gowns, not arms, repell'd เ 1 'Broken league:' the English Parliament held that the Scotch had broken their Covenant by Hamilton's march to England.—2 Imp:' add a new piece to the old. Darwen:' a river near Preston, where Cromwell routed the Scotch in August 1648.- 'Hireling wolves:' he means the Presbyterian clergy, and the claims they made on the parochial revenues. |