But what it is, hard is to say, Which way soever men refer it."—V. 1003. Seeming at first all heavenly under virgin veil, Once joined the contrary she proves, a thorn A cleaving mischief, in his way to virtue With dotage, and his sense depraved To folly and shameful deeds, which ruin ends."-V. 1034. NOTE F. MILTON AND THE POWELLS. In the year 1826 the researches of the indefatigable Mr. Lemon brought to light from among the Royalist-Composition Papers in the State-Paper Office a number of documents relating to the affairs of Mr. Powell, Milton's father-in-law. The curious will find them in extenso in Todd's Life of Milton; here we will give those relating more especially to Milton's connection with the Powell family. Milton's Petition. To the Honourable the Commissioners for Sequestration at Haberdashers' Hall, the Petition of John Milton Sheweth, That he, being to compound by the late Act for certain lands of Whately, in Oxfordshire, belonging to Mr. Richard Powell, late of Forest Hill in the same county, by reason of an extent which he hath upon the same lands by a statute, did put in his petition about the middle of August last, which was referred accordingly; but having had important business ever since, by order of the Council of State, he hath had no time to proceed in the perfecting of his composition; and in the meantime finds that order hath been given out from hence to forbid his tenants to pay him rent. He therefore now desires he may have all convenient dispatch, and that the Order of Sequestring may be recalled, and that the composition may be moderated as much as may be in regard that Mrs. Powell, the widow of the said Mr. Richard Powell, hath her cause depending before the Commissioners in the Painted Chamber, for breach of Articles, who have adjudged her satisfaction to be made for the great damage done her by seizing and selling the personal estate divers days after the Articles were sealed. But by reason of the expiring of that Court she hath received as yet no satisfaction, and beside she hath her thirds out of that land, which was not considered when her husband followed his composition; and lastly, the taxes, free quartering, and finding of arms were not then considered, which have been since very great and are likely to be greater. And your petitioner shall be ready to pay what shall be thought reasonable at any day that shall be appointed. 25 Feb. 1650. (Signed) JOHN MILTON.* A Particular of the lands, late Richard Powell's, of Forest Hill, in the county of Oxford, now under extent, and for which JOHN MILTON, ESQ., desireth to compound : The said Richard Powell was seised in his de- The said Richard was seised also in his demesne And also craveth that his just debt of three 60 0 0 per annum. 20 0 0 per annum. 26 13 4 300 0 0 JOHN MILTON. In the margin of this document there is in Milton's own handwriting as follows (of which a fac-simile will be found in Todd): "I doe (am ready toe erased) swear that this debt for which I am to compound, according to my petition, is a true and real debt, as will appear upon record. "Jur. 25 Feb. 1650 [in another hand]." "JOHN MILTON. Whereas, Richard Powell, of Forest Hill, in the county of Oxford, Gent., and William Hearne, late citizen and goldsmith of London, deceased, by their writing or recognizance of the nature of a statute-staple, bearing date the eleventh day of June, which was in the third year of the reign of the late King Charles of England, etc., made and provided for the recovery of debts, and taken, acknowledged, and sealed, before Sir Nicholas Hide, Knight, then Lord Chief Justice of the Court, then called the King's Bench at Westminster, did acknowledge themselves to owe unto JOHN MILTON, then of the University of Cambridge, Gent., son of John Milton, citizen and scrivener of London, the sum of £500 of lawful money of England, which said statute or recognizance is, by a writing bearing even date therewith, defeasanced* for the payment of £312 of like money unto JOHN MILTON the Son, his executors, administrators, or assigns, on the 12th day of December then next ensuing, as by the said statute or recognizance and defeasance thereupon, whereunto relation being had more at large may appear. Now I, JOHN MILTON, the Son (being one and the said party before mentioned for Cognizee, in the said statute or recognizance) do make oath that, since the extending of the said statute, I have received at several times in part of satisfaction of my said just and principal debt, with damages for the same, and my costs of suit, the sum of one hundred and fourscore pounds, or thereabouts, and that there is yet remaining due and owing to me of my said principal money, interest, and costs of suit, £300 or thereabouts. And I do further make oath that neither I, the said JOHN MILTON, or any other for me, or by my direction, privity, or consent, have or hath released, or otherwise discharged the said statute or recognizance; neither do I know or conceive any reason or cause, either in law or equity, why I should not receive the said remainder of my said debt, damages, and cost of suit. (Signed) Jurit coram Comris, JOHN MILTON, (Signed) 28° Feb. 1650. Indorsed, "Milton, John, Esq., 4° Mar. 1650." Fine £130. E. WINSLOW. * The meaning of this is, that by a counter-deed, named a defeasance, they would, on payment of the smaller sum named in the latter, be exonerated from the payment of the larger one named in the deed called a statute-staple. Mrs. Powell's Petition. To the Honble Commissioners for Composition, etc., the humble Petition of Anne Powell, widow, etc., Sheweth, That your petitioner brought a considerable portion to her said. husband, which was worth to him £3000, yet through the carelessness of her friends, and relying upon her husband's goodwill therein, he having had many losses in his estate by reason of the wars and otherwise, your petitioner had no jointure made unto her, nor hath anything at all left her but her thirds, which is due by law, for the maintenance of herself and eight children, having sustained £1000 in their personal estate's loss by the Committees in the county, contrary to the Articles of Oxon. She most humbly prays your Honours will please, being the fine is now agreed to be paid by MR. MILTON for the said estate, that she may continue the enjoyment of her thirds as formerly, which she humbly conceives, had not the fine been paid as aforesaid, yet your Honours would not have abridged your petitioner of her thirds in this case, for the maintenance of herself and poor children. And she shall pray, etc., ANNE POWELL. 19° April, 1651. The pet' left to the law. On this petition the following notes are made: "By the law she might recover her thirds without doubt, but she is so extreme poor she hath not wherewithall to prosecute; and besides Mr. Milton is a harsh and choleric man, and married Mrs. Powell's daughter, who would be undone if any such course were taken against him by Mrs. Powell, he having turned away his wife heretofore for a long space upon some other occasion [a small occasion effaced]." This note ensuing Mr. Milton wrote, whereof this is a copy:Although I have compounded for my extent, and shall be so much the longer in receiving my debt, yet at the request of Mrs. Powell, in regard of her present necessities, I am contented, as far as belongs to my consent, to allow her the 3rds of what I receive K from that estate, if the Com's shall so order it that what I allow her may not be reckoned upon my account. (Indorsed)-The estate is wholly extended, and a saving as to the 3rd prayed, but not granted. We cannot therefore allow the 3rd to the petitioner. In another petition, in the following July, Mrs. Powell prays that as Mr. Milton will not pay her her third without the order of the Commissioners, that such order may be made "for the payment of her said third, and the arrears thereof, to preserve her and her children from starving." Petition of Mrs. Powell. To the Honble, etc. etc., Sheweth, That your petitioner's late husband was comprised in the Articles of Oxford, as appears by the certificate of the late Lord General Fairfax, already before this Court in your pet's behalf: that within the time limited by the said Articles, your petitioner's said husband preferred his petition at Goldsmiths' Hall, and was admitted to compound according to the said Articles, for his estate real and personal, as may appear by the certificate of the ComTMs for compounding, already likewise before this Honourable Court: that her said husband died seised of an estate in fee, lying in Wheatley, in the county of Oxoñ, whereof your pet' claimeth her dower, which upon her said husband's death was assigned to her by the heir of her said husband, and accordingly was enjoyed for some time by your pet': that JOHN MILTON, Esq., did extend the said lands in fee, by virtue of a statute to him acknowledged by your pet" said husband, before the late wars, but long after your pet" marriage to her said husband. The said JOHN MILTON, by virtue of an Act of Parliament, 1mo August, 1650, was required to bring in a Particular of the lands so extended by him to the Com for compounding, and accordingly did pay the composition due for the said lands; and your pet' offered also to compound for her dower, but could neither be admitted to compound for her said dower, nor obtain an order from the said Com" to receive it without a composition; so that for nigh these two years she hath been and still is debarred of her dower, which is most justly due unto her. Your pet' humbly prayeth, that she may be forthwith |