porcon to her sd husband, wch was worth to him
30007, yet through the carelessnes of her freindes and
relying upon her husband's good will therein, hee
haveing had many losses in his estate, by reason
of the warrs, and otherwise, your petitioner had noe
joynture made unto her, nor hath any thing at all
left her, but her thirdes, wch is due by lawe, for the
maintenance of herself and "eight children; haveing
sustained 10007 in their personall estate's losse, by
the Committees in y county, contrary to the Articles
of Oxon. Shee most humbly prayes your Honors
will please, being the fine is now agreed to bee paid
by Mr. Milton for the said estate, that shee may
continue the enjoym*. of her thirdes, as formerly, wh
she humbly conceaves, had not the fine been paid,
as aforesaid, yet your Honors would not have
abridged your petitioner of her thirdes, in this case,
for the maintenance of herself and poore children,
"And she shall pray, &c.

"19° Apr. 1651. (Signed)
"The pet'. left to the law.”

"ANNE POWELL.”

Upon this petition observations or notes are then made, as follow.

66

By ye law shee (Mrs. Powell) might recover her thirdes, without doubt; but she is so extreame poore,

"Perhaps one of her nine children, before mentioned, p. 74, was now dead; there being an interval of more than a year and a half between the two statements. Or she might be now desired not to include the wife of Milton as maintained by her.

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she hath not wherewithall to prosecute; and besides, Mr. Milton is a harsh and cholericke man, and married Mrs. Powells daughter, who would be undone, if any such course were taken agt. him by Mrs. Powell: he having turned away his wife heretofore for a long space, upon some other

occasion.

X

"This note ensuing Mr. Milton writ, whereof this is a copy.

"Although I have compounded for my extent, and shal be so much the longer in receiving my debt, yet at the request of M". Powell, in regard of her present necessitys, I am contented, as farr as belongs to my consent to allow her the 3ds of what I receive from that estate, if the Com". shall so order it, that what I allow her, may not be reckoned upon my accompt."

(Indorsed.) "The estate is wholly extended,

and a saving as to the 3d. prayed, but not graunted; We cannot therefore allow the 3ds, to the petitioner."

"To the Honble, the Com. for Compounding &c. "The humble peticon of Anne Powell, Widow, &c. Sheweth,

66

That your petitioner brought 3000l. porcon to her late husband, and is now left in a most sadd condicon, the estate left being but 80%. p anñ, the

* Instead of some other occasion, there had been written a small occasion, which is crossed through with the pen.

thirds whereof is but 26. 13. 4, to maintaine her self and 8 children.

"The said estate being extended by Jo. Milton, on a Statute Staple, for a debt of 3007, for wh he hath compounded with yo' Hono", on y Act of ye first of August, and therein allowance given him for ye pet". thirds; yet the said M'. Milton expects your further order therein, before he will pay the same. She therefore humbly prayeth your Honors' order and direcĉon to ye said M'. Milton, for the paym'. of her said thirds, and the arreares thereof, to preserve her and her children from starving.

"And as in duty bound &c. (Signed) "ANNE POWELL.

"To be Recd. next petition day, S. M. "July the 14th. 1651. 16° July 1651."

"To y Honble. the Com". for reliefe upon Articles.

"The humble peticon of Anne Powell, Widow, &c. Sheweth,

66

"That your petitioner's late husband was comprised in y Articles of Oxford, as appeares by the Certificate of ye late L. Gen". Fairfax, already before this Court in yo' pet behalf. That within the time limited by the said Articles y' pet's s" husband preferred his peticon, at Goldsmiths' Hall, and was admitted to compound, according to ye sd Articles, for his estate reall and personal, as may appeare by ye Certificate of y' Com" for compounding, already likewise before this Honble Court. That her s" hus

band dyed seised of an Estate in Fee (lying in Wheatley, in y County of Oxoñ.) whereof yo' pet' claymeth her Dower; which, upon her sd husband's death, was assigned to her by y heire of her sa husband, and accordingly was enjoyed, for some tyme, by yo' peticon. That John Milton Esq. did extend the said lands in Fee, by virtue of a Statute to him acknowledged by yo' pet sd husband, before y late warres; but long after yo' pet" marriage to her s husband. The sd John Milton by virtue of an act of Parliam', im August, 1650. was required to bring in a Perticuler of ye lands, so extended by him, to ye Com" for compounding, and accordingly did pay the composicon due for ye sd lands: And yo' pet' offered also to compound for her Dower, but could neither be admitted to compound for her sd Dower, nor obtayne an Order from ye sd Com" to receive it, wthout a composicon: So y' for nigh these two yeares shee hath bin, and still is, debarred of her Dower, which is most justly due unto her. Yo' pet' humbly prayeth, That shee may bee forthwth restored to her Dower, most wrongfully detained from her: That your Honors will seriously consider this, and those other greate pressures (represented in a former peticon, now depending before you) under which yor pet being a mother of seven fatherlesse children, (since one of them, Capt. William Powell, Capt. Lieutent to Lieutent Gen" Monck, was some few dayes past slaine in Scotland in ye service of ye Pliamt.) hath, for a long time, groaned, by

ye most injurious violacon of her Articles: And that you will speedily proceed to give her such reliefe in this and her other grievances by her Articles, and otherwise in justice shee makes suite to have.

"And yo' Pet" shall ever pray, &c.

(Signed) "TRACEY PAUNCEFOTE, Reg."

In the preceding documents Milton is pronounced, with an evident desire to give him no further provocation," a harsh and cholerick man, he having turned away his wife upon some other occasion." And upon this temper and conduct a somewhat similar reflection is made in the answer of one of his

antagonists, so late as in 1660. "y Since you grew so wise, as to throw aside your wife because your waspish spirit could not agree with her qualities, and your crooked phantasy could not be brought to take delight in her, you then grew so free," &c. However this may have been, while his first wife and he were separated, and while he was immersed in elaborate discussions connected with the misfortune, he had not been without mental amusement. His leisure hours often passed smoothly away in visits to a lady of the most engaging talents and conversation, the daughter of the Earl of Marlborough; to whom, as to her husband, Captain Hobson, a very accomplished

The Dignity of Kingship asserted, in Answer to Mr. Milton's Ready and Easy Way to Establish a Free Commonwealth, &c. By G. S. A lover of loyalty, 1660. p. 111.