danger. Goodwin, who had committed the same kind of crime, escaped
with incapacitation; and, as exclusion from public trust is a
punishment which the power of Government can commonly inflict
without the help of a particular law, it required no great interest
to exempt Milton from a censure little more than verbal. Something
may be reasonably ascribed to veneration and compassion; to
veneration of his abilities, and compassion for his distresses,
which made it fit to forgive his malice for his learning. He was
now poor and blind; and who would pursue with violence an
illustrious enemy, depressed by fortune and disarmed by nature?

The publication of the "Act of Oblivion" put him in the same
condition with his fellow-subjects. He was, however, upon some
pretence now not known, in the custody of the serjeant in December;
and when he was released, upon his refusal of the fees demanded, he
and the serjeant were called before the House. He was now safe
within the shade of oblivion, and knew himself to be as much out of
the power of a griping officer as any other man. How the question
was determined is not known. Milton would hardly have contended but
that he knew himself to have right on his side.

He then removed to Jewin Street, near Aldersgate Street, and, being
blind and by no means wealthy, wanted a domestic companion and
attendant; and therefore, by the recommendation of Dr. Paget,
married Elizabeth Minshul, of a gentleman's family in Cheshire,
probably without a fortune. All his wives were virgins; for he has
declared that he thought it gross and indelicate to be a second
husband: upon what other principles his choice was made cannot now
be known; but marriage afforded not much of his happiness. The
first wife left him in disgust, and was brought back only by terror;