forth therfore the fruytes belonging to repentaunce. And so that ye ones think not to saye in your selues, we have Abraham to oure father, for I saye unto you that God is able of these stones to rayse up chyldren unto Abraham. Euen now is the axe putt unto the rote of the trees: so that euery tree which bringeth not forthe good fruyte, is hewen downe and cast into the fyre. I baptyse you in water in token of repentaunce: but he that commeth after me, is mightier then I, whose shoes I am not worthy to beare. He shal baptyse you with the holy goost and with fyre. From that tyme Jesus began to preach, and to saye: repent, for the kingdom of heauen is at hande.

5. THE GREAT BIBLE, 1539.

Then went out to hym Ierusalem and all Jewry, and all the regyon rounde aboute Jordan, and were baptysed of hym in Jordan, confessyng theyr synnes. But when he saw many of the Pharises and Saduces come to his baptyme, he sayd vnto them: O generacyon of vypers: who hath taught you to fle from the vengeaunce to come? Brynge forth therfore the frutes that belong to repentaunce. And be not of soch mynde that ye wolde saye with in youre selues: we haue Abraham to oure father. For I saye vnto you, that God is able to bring to passe, that of these stones ther shall ryse vp chyldren vnto Abraham. Euen now is the axe also put vnto the rote of the trees: so that euery tree which bryngeth not forth good frute, is hewen downe, and cast into the fyre. I baptise you in water vnto repentaunce, but he that shall come after me is mightier then I, whose shoes I am not worthy to beare. He shall baptyse you with the holy goost and with fyre. From that tyme, Jesus beganne to preache,

...

and to saye: repent, for the kyngdome of heauen his at hande.

6. THE GENEVA VERSION, 1560.

5. Then went out to him Ierusalem and all Iudea, and all the region rounde about Iordan.

6. And they were baptised of him in Iordan, confessing their sinnes.

7. Now when he sawe many of the Pharises and of the Sadduces come to his baptisme, he said vnto them, O generacions of vipers, who hathe forewarned you to flee from the angre to come?

8. Bring forthe therefore frutes worthie amendement of life,

9. And thinke not to say with your selues, We haue Abraham to our father: for I say vnto you, that God is able of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham.

10. And now also is the axe put to the roote of trees: therefore euerie tre, which bringeth not forthe good frute, is hewen downe, and cast into the fyre.

11. In dede, I baptise you with water to amendement of life, but he that cometh after me, is mightier then I, whose shoes I am not worthie to beare: he wil baptise you with the holie Gost, and with fyre.

......

17. From that time Iesus began to preache, and to say, Amend your liues: for the kingdome of heauen is at hand.

7. THE BISHOPS' BIBLE, 1568.

5. Then went out to him Hierusalem, and all Jurie, and all the region round about Jordane,

6. And were baptized of him in Jordane, confessing their sinnes.

7. But when hee sawe many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptisme, he sayd vnto them, O generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the anger to come?

8. Bring foorth therefore fruits meete for repentance,

9. And be not of such minde, that ye would say within your selues, We haue Abraham to [our] father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham.

10. Euen now is the axe also put vnto the roote of the trees: Therefore euery tree which bringeth not foorth good fruit, is hewen downe, and cast into the fire.

11. I baptize you in water vnto repentance: but hee that commeth after mee, is mightier then I, whose shoes I am not worthy to beare, he shall baptize you with the holy ghost and with fire.

17. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent; for the kingdome of heauen is at hand.

8. THE RHEIMS-DOUAY VERSION.

A. THE ORIGINAL, 1582.

5. Then vvent forth to him Hierusalem and al Jevvrie, and al the country about Iordan:

6. And vvere baptized of him in Iordan, confessing their sinnes.

7. And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptisme, he sayde to them, Ye vipers brood, vvho hath shevved you to flee from the vvrath to come? 8. Yeld therfore fruite vvorthie of penance.

9. And delite not to say vvithin your selues, vve haue Abraham to our father, for I tel you that God is able of these stones to raise vp children to Abraham.

10. For novy the axe is put to the roote of the trees Euery tree therefore that doth not yeld good fruite, shal be cut dovvne, and cast into the fyre.

11. I in deede baptize you in vvater vnto penance, but he that shal come after me, is stronger then I, vvhose shoes I am not vvorthie to beare, he shal baptise you in the Holy Ghost and fire.

17. From that tyme Iesus began to preache, and to saye: Doe penance, for the Kingdome of heven is at honde.

B. CHALLONER'S REVISION, 1750.

5. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the country about Jordan: 6. And they were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

7. And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them: Ye brood of vipers, who hath shewed you to flee from the wrath to come? 8. Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance.

9. And think not to say within yourselves: We have Abraham for our father: for I tell you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

10. For now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that yieldeth not good fruit, shall be cut down, and cast into the fire.

11. I indeed baptize you with water unto penance: but he who is to come after me, is stronger than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

17. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say: Do penance, of heaven is at hand.

9. KING JAMES'S VERSION, 1611.

for the kingdom

5. Then went out to him Hierusalem, and all Iudea, and all the region round about Iordane,

6. And were baptized of him in Iordane, confessing their sinnes.

7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his Baptisme, he said vnto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8. Bring forth therefore fruits meete for repentance.

9. And thinke not to say within your selues, Wee hane Abraham to our father: for I say vnto you, that God is able of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham.

10. And now also the axe is layd vnto the roote of the trees: Therefore euery tree which bringeth not foorth good fruite, is hewen downe, and cast into the fire.

11. I indeed baptize you with water vnto repentance: but he that commeth after is mightier then I, whose shooes I am not worthy to beare, hee shall baptize you with the holy Ghost, and with fire.

mee,

17. From that time Iesus began to preach, and to say, Repent, for the kingdome of heauen is at hand.

CHAPTER IX.

MILTON AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES.

THE next great name in English literature, in chronological order, after Chaucer, Spenser, and Shakespeare, is that of Milton.

A

The period to which Milton more especially belongs is that of the Commonwealth and the Protectorate, 16491660. He is connected, however, in many ways, with the preceding reign, that of Charles I., 1625–1649, and to some extent with the succeeding reign, that of Charles II., 1660-1685.

The great historical events of this period are the rise of the House of Commons to power, ending in a rupture between the Parliament and the King and the execution of the latter; the brief rule of the Commonwealth and of Cromwell; and the Restoration of the Stuarts.

NOTE. The writers of this period, being very numerous, are divided into four Sections: 1. The Poets, beginning with Milton; 2. Po*litical and Miscellaneous writers, beginning with Clarendon; 3. Writers belonging to the Established Church, beginning with Bishop Hall; 4. Non-Conformist writers, beginning with Baxter.

I. THE POETS.

Milton.

John Milton, 1608-1674, if not the greatest of English poets, is second to Shakespeare only. Milton's chief poem,

Paradise Lost, is unique in literary history, and is admitted by all to be one of the noblest achievements of human genius.

Milton's personal character also has a certain stateliness. and grandeur, hardly inferior to that of his chief poem, and is of itself enough to mark him as one of the great men of all time. There is no grander figure in English history than that of John Milton.

Birth and Education. Milton was a native of London, the son of a scrivener. His early education was begun by a private tutor, and was marked from the first by a zealous devotion to classical studies. The same trait followed him at Cambridge, where he acquired distinction as a Latin poet. He entered the University at the age of sixteen, and remained there seven years, taking his degree of Bachelor in 1628, and that of Master in 1632.

Subsequent Studies. - After leaving the University, Milton retired to the house of his father, then living in the country, at Horton, in Buckinghamshire, and remained there five years, during which time he continued with unabated zeal to read the Greek and Latin writers, During this period of studious retirement, also, he wrote the poems Arcades, Comus, Lycidas, L'Allegro, and Il Penseroso.

European Travel. — In 1638, being then at the age of thirty, attended by a servant, Milton spent fifteen months in travel on the continent, visiting Paris, Genoa, Leghorn, Pisa, Florence, Rome, Naples, and other cities of Italy, "the most accomplished Englishman that ever visited her classic shores."

Impression that he Made. The elegance of Milton's manner and of his person (he was remarkable for his beauty), and his extraordinary accomplishments and learning, made him everywhere the object of attention among men of letters. "I contracted," says he, "an intimacy with many persons of rank and learning, and was a constant attendant at their literary parties,- a practice which prevails there and tends so much to the diffusion of knowledge and the preservation of friendship." Among the men of note whose acquaintance he made were Grotius, Galileo, Carlo Dati, Francini, and Manso. Being thoroughly at home in the Italian language, he composed while in Italy several poems and complimentary Sonnets in Italian, which gained him great applause.

Cause of his Return. The news which Milton received from home of the unsettled state of affairs led him to return to England sooner than he had intended. "When I was preparing to pass over into Sicily and Greece, the melancholy intelligence which I received of the civil commotions in England made me alter my purpose; for I thought it base to be travelling for amusement abroad while my fellow-citizens were fighting for liberty at home."

Occupation in London.-On Milton's return, he settled in London: "I looked about to see if I could get any place that could hold myself and my books, and so I took a house of sufficient size in the city; and there, with no small delight, I resumed my intermitted studies,-chiefly leaving the event of public affairs, first to God, and then to those to whom the people had committed that task." While thus living, he undertook the instruction of his two nephews, John and Edward Phillips, and of a few other lads, sons of his intimate friends.

First Works as a Political Writer.-The affairs of the nation appear to have been uppermost in Milton's thoughts, and he began soon after that a series of remarkable treatises on matters of church and state, by which he became known throughout Europe as the foremost champion of the Commonwealth. He wrote, in 1641, Of Reformation touching Church Discipline in England, The Reason of Church Government against Prelaty, and some other works of a like character, and in 1642, An Apology for Smectymnuus.

Marriage and Divorce. In 1643, Milton was married to Mary Powell, the daughter of a loyalist Justice of the Peace, in Oxfordshire. Something of romance seems to have entered into this affair; and the lady, after living with him for a month, and not finding the Puritan atmosphere congenial, went on a visit to her father's house, and refused to return. Milton, thereupon, believing that the Scriptures gave to the husband, under such circumstances, the right of divorce, proceeded formally to repudiate his wife.

Treatises on Divorce. After thus repudiating his wife, Milton published in rapid succession his famous treatises on this subject: The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce; Tetrachordon, or Exposition of the Four Chief Places in Scripture which treat of the Nullities of Marriage; The Judgment of the Famous Martin Bucer touching Di vorce; Colasterion.

End of the Matter. The matter ended in the wife's becoming repentant, and in Milton's taking her back; they seem to have lived happily together afterwards.