Potted Chronology of Events, 1629-1660 (Background For Milton's English Prose Works) PDF

# Potted Chronology of Events, 1629-1660 (Background for Milton's English Prose Works) ## 1629-1640 ### Years of Personal Rule: Charles I rules without a Parliament - 1633 - William Laud made Archbishop of Canterbury. Laud's rule created a high church orientation, closer to Catholicism. The churc...

# Potted Chronology of Events, 1629-1660 (Background for Milton's English Prose Works) ## 1629-1640 ### Years of Personal Rule: Charles I rules without a Parliament - 1633 - William Laud made Archbishop of Canterbury. Laud's rule created a high church orientation, closer to Catholicism. The church became less tolerant of non-conformity, creating tension with Calvinist groups often labeled "Puritans." - 1637 - Attempts by Charles I and Laud to bring Scottish Presbyterians into conformity with the Church of England prelatical structure leads to the Two Bishops' Wars of 1639-40. - 1637 - Star Chamber Licensing Act: all books must pass censors (officials at Oxford and Cambridge Universities, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and one other bishop). - 1640 (April - May) – Short Parliament - 1640 - Second Bishops' War – Royalists defeated, and the Scots army remains on British soil. Charles is forced to call... - 1640 [to 1660] – the Long Parliament ## 1640-1642 ### Rising Tensions Between Charles I and Parliament ## 1641 - Abolition of the Star Chamber. - (Feb.) - Root and Branch Bill – Designed to eliminate archbishops. - Bishops' Exclusion Act – Excludes bishops from House of Lords, finally signed by Charles in February, 1642. ## 1641-1642 ### Milton's Five Anti-Prelatical Tracts 1. May, 1641 - Of Reformation Touching Church Discipline 2. June or July, 1641 – Of Prelatical Episcopacy 3. June or July, 1641 – Animadversions upon the Remonstrant's Defence Against Smectymnuus 4. February, 1642 - The Reason of Church Government – Milton openly and fully in favor of Presbyterian form of church government. 5. April, 1642 - Apology for Smectymnuus ## 1642 (August) – 1646 — FIRST CIVIL WAR - 1643 (to 1649) – Westminster Assembly: Seeking Presbyterian uniformity, this system of church government would be more bottom-up than top-down in orientation. - 1643 - Solemn League and Covenant – Scots join with English Presbyterians, intending to impose Presbyterianism on both kingdoms. The English New Model Army Leaders (e.g., Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell), however, are primarily Independents. - 1643-1645 Milton's Four Divorce Tracts arouse the Presbyterians' wrath. - 1643 (June) - Parliamentary Licensing Act: This act was designed to replace the Star Chamber. It decreed authors must name themselves in published texts. - 1644 (November) – Milton's Areopagitica – Reveals Milton's open hostility to Presbyterians. - 1645 – Laud executed. - 1645-1646 - Directory of Publish Worship replaces the Book of Common Prayer. Presbyterianism becomes the Established Church of England, with some allowances made for Independents. ## 1646 – 1648 — Tensions Between Parliament and the Army, Royalists Again Build Strength - 1646 – 1647 —Parliament tries to disband the New Model Army. The Army refuses, continuing to advocate for freedom of conscience. - 1647 - The Army marches on London and Presbyterians flee. - 1647 (December) – Charles I signs a secret treaty with the Scots, confirming Presbyterian church government in exchange for military support. ## 1648 – 1649 — the SECOND CIVIL WAR and the Downfall of Charles I - 1648 - Fairfax and Cromwell defeat the Scots, but the Presbyterians re-establish themselves in Parliament. - 1648 (December)– Pride's Purge – Colonel Pride arrests 143 Presbyterian members of Parliament. The Independents are now in control. ## 1648 (December) – 1649 (January) – Trial of Charles I. - 1648 (January 30th) – Charles I executed. ## 1649 – 1653 — The Commonwealth – Republican Form of Government - 1649 (February) - Milton publishes The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates. - 1649 (March) – Milton appointed Secretary for Foreign Tongues to the Council of State. - 1649 (Summer) – Cromwell defeats the Catholic and Royalist alliance in Ireland, at Drogheda, Wexford and at the siege of Clonmel. - 1649 (October) – Milton publishes Eikonoklastes, in response to the Eikon Basilike. - 1650 (12 June) - Fairfax refuses to attack the Scottish without provocation and resigns his commission. - 1650 (July) - 1651 – Cromwell invades Scotland and crushes the Scottish forces. ## 1653 – 1658 — Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell - 1653 - Cromwell assumes the title of Lord Protector. The Instrument of Government, Cromwell's written constitution, favors religious toleration of all sects except for Catholics, Episcopalians, Fifth Monarchists, Quakers, and antinomians. - 1658 (Sept. 8) - Cromwell dies. - 1658-1659- Richard Cromwell, Oliver's son, succeeds his father as Lord Protector. - 1659-1660- Political chaos. Many begin calling for the restoration of the monarchy by inviting Charles II. - 1659 (August) – Milton publishes Likeliest Means to Remove Hirelings. - 1660 (March) – The Ready and Easy Way to Establish a Free Commonwealth. - 1660 (late April) – Charles II declared King of England. - 1660 (May 8) – Charles II arrives in Dover. - 1660 (August) – Milton is excluded from the Act of Oblivion and Indemnity. - 1660 (September) – Milton is arrested , but released. ## Milton's Areopagitica Exordium (Paragraphs 1-5): To whom the treatise is delivered, for what purpose, with what right. - Narration and Division (s 6-7) - Confirmation: (s 8-77) ### Argument 1: Origin and history of licensing (s 8-19) ### Argument 2: Reading books-their good and harm 1. Authorities from church history, secular history (s 20-24) 2. Authority of the Bible (s 25-26) 3. Authority from human nature, human psychology (27-29) 4. Refutation of contrary arguments (30-35) ### Argument 3: The act will not achieve its avowed end (last half of ¶ 35 and in 36) 1. The example of Plato refuted (s 37-40) 2. Argument from human nature and the will of God (s 41-43) 3. Argument from the impractical nature of the act (s 44-47) ### Argument 4: Not only will the act not achieve its end, but also it will cause harm (48) 1. To authors (s 49-52) 2. To readers (Is 53-56) 3. To the nation in general ([s 57-59) 4. To ministers (60) 5. Refutation by arguing from the example of other states (s 61-62) 6. Danger of the act 1. For the religion of the state (Is 63-66) 2. For the religion of individuals ([s 67–70) 3. For the clergy (s 71-74) 4. For the pursuit of Truth in general (s 75-77) ### Refutation: Sects and schisms not dangerous (s 78-99) 1. Suspicion of sects-foolish and ill-considered (s 78-85) 2. Difference of opinion-an indication of confidence in Parliament (186) 3. -an indication of liberty (90) 4. -approved by Lord Brooke (91) 5. -the means to greater truth (s 92-99) ### Peroration: (s 100–102) ## *Lycidas: Lament* - 36 poems - 23 in Latin - 13 in English - Lycidas is the last poem in the collection. **Primacy Effect – first** **Recency Effect – last** *What comes first and last are most important* Milton often takes a personal turn and inserts himself into the poem. **Genre: A Literary Kind** “For Milton, there are conventions we need to know to determine if we accept them” **Elegy:** Was originally defined as lament *For Milton: elegy = lament, pastoral, erotic piece* ### Conventions of Pastoral Elegy 1. **Shepherd masquerade:** - The speaker of the poem is going to be a shepherd. 2. **Nature mourns the loss** 3. **Nymphs and Gods were absent:** - There should be some supernatural impact. 4. **Procession of flowers:** - The emphasis is on the primrose, early flowers that can get nipped by frost. - Associated with youth and beauty, doesn't last long. 5. **Procession of mourners:** - Different people give testimonials to those departed. 6. **“Riddle of the painful earth"** - What is the good of doing this/going on? 7. **Consolation:** - There's usually an effort at consolation. 8. **Satire:** - Tremendous religious wars in seventeenth century. - There's a lot of kinds of church satire that's mixed in ## Diagram ** Established Church** - Monarch (head of the church) - Archbishop of Canterbury - Bishop - Priest - Lay People - Session - Pastors - Elders - Presbytery - Synods - Session - Reps - Westminster Confession of Faith - Conformity - Independents - Non-Confe