Izaak Walton 



he was glad to turn his back upon it, since, 

 according to a biographer, "his loyalty 

 had made him obnoxious to the ruling 

 powers." Whatever the circumstances 

 of the actual writing of The Complete 

 Angler, that occupation did not prevent 

 Walton's marrying for the second time. 

 That event took place about 1 646 ; the 

 lady he then wedded being Anne, the 

 daughter of Thomas Ken, Bishop of Bath 

 and Wells,* one of the seven bishops that 

 were sent to the Tower, and who at the 

 Revolution was deprived of his bishopric, 

 and subsequently died in retirement. 



In 1653 the work was published in 

 London, and, as shown on the title-page, 

 a fac-simile of which is here produced, 

 was printed by " T. Maxey for Rich. 

 Marriot." No doubt this was the event 

 of Walton's life, and, along with the 

 publication of Hobbes's Leviathan, was 

 probably the literary event of that year. 

 In what a quarrelling and fighting time 

 was this most peaceful book brought forth ! 

 What a noise and tumult then filled all 

 England ! Four years previously, King 

 Charles I. had been executed, a tragedy 

 which, in the words of John Richard 



* Two children only were the issue of this union, a son and 

 a daughter. 



279 



