There seems not to have been much written against him, nor anything
by any writer of eminence. The antagonist that appeared is styled
by him, "A Serving Man turned Solicitor." Howel, in his Letters,
mentions the new doctrine with contempt; and it was, I suppose,
thought more worthy of derision than of confutation. He complains
of this neglect in two sonnets, of which the first is contemptible,
and the second not excellent.

From this time it is observed that he became an enemy to the
Presbyterians, whom he had favoured before. He that changes his
party by his humour is not more virtuous than he that changes it by
his interest; he loves himself rather than truth.

His wife and her relations now found that Milton was not an
unresisting sufferer of injuries; and perceiving that he had begun
to put his doctrine in practice, by courting a young woman of great
accomplishments, the daughter of one Doctor Davis, who was, however,
not ready to comply, they resolved to endeavour a reunion. He went
sometimes to the house of one Blackborough, his relation, in the
lane of St. Martin's-le-Grand, and at one of his usual visits was
surprised to see his wife come from another room, and implore
forgiveness on her knees. He resisted her entreaties for a while;
"but partly," says Philips, "his own generous nature, more
inclinable to reconciliation than to perseverance in anger or
revenge, and partly the strong intercession of friends on both
sides, soon brought him to an act of oblivion and a fair league of
peace." It were injurious to omit that Milton afterwards received
her father and her brothers in his own house, when they were
distressed, with other Royalists.