contented myself with the addition of a few notes on Mr. Fenton's
elegant abridgment, but that a new narrative was thought necessary
to the uniformity of this edition.

John Milton was by birth a gentleman, descended from the proprietors
of Milton, near Thame, in Oxfordshire, one of whom forfeited his
estate in the times of York and Lancaster. Which side he took I
know not; his descendant inherited no veneration for the White Rose.

His grandfather, John, was keeper of the forest of Shotover, a
zealous Papist, who disinherited his son because he had forsaken the
religion of his ancestors.

His father, John, who was the son disinherited, had recourse for his
support to the profession of a scrivener. He was a man eminent for
his skill in music, many of his compositions being still to be
found; and his reputation in his profession was such, that he grew
rich, and retired to an estate. He had probably more than common
literature, as his son addresses him in one of his most elaborate
Latin poems. He married a gentlewoman of the name of Caston, a
Welsh family, by whom he had two sons, John, the poet, and
Christopher, who studied the law and adhered, as the law taught him,
to the king's party, for which he was a while persecuted; but having
by his brother's interest obtained permission to live in quiet, he
supported himself so honourably by chamber-practice, that, soon
after the accession of King James, he was knighted and made a judge;
but, his constitution being too weak for business, he retired before
any disreputable compliances became necessary.

He had likewise a daughter Anne, whom he married with a considerable