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

Summary

This document presents a potted chronology of events in England from 1629 to 1660. It provides background information relevant to Milton's English Prose Works, touching upon key events such as Charles I's personal rule, the English Civil Wars, and the rise of the commonwealth. Focuses on events during this period.

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# 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

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