14 Colorado College Studies. 



Gardiner of Essex, ami other-s were under his Tuition i*^^ But 

 whether it were that the tempers of our Gentry would not 

 beare the strictness of his Discipline, or for what other reason, 

 hee continued that Course but a while. 



His next public work, and which seeiu'd to bee his par- 

 ticular Province, who was so jealous in promoting Knowledge, 

 was Areopagitka, Avritten in manner of an Oration, to vindi- 

 cate the freedom of the Press from the Tyranny of Licensers ; 

 Who either inslav'd to the Dictates of those that put them 

 into Office, or prejudic'd by thir own Ignorance,''* are wont to 

 hinder ye commiug out of any tiling"^ which is not consonant 

 to the common r.eceiv'd Opinions, and by that means deprive 

 the public of the benefit of many usefuU labours. 



Hitherto all his "Writings had for subject the propagation 

 of Keligion or''*' Learning, or the bettering some more private 

 concerns of Mankind: In Political matters hee had publish 'd 

 nothing.'*' And it was now the time of the King's coming 

 upou his Tryal, when some of the Presbiterian ^Ministers, 

 out of malignity to the Independent Party ,''^ Avho had sup- 

 planted them, more than from any principles of Loyalty, as- 

 serted clamorously in their Sermons & Writings the Privilege 

 of Kings from all accountableness. Or (to speak in the Lan- 



" Wood's rearrangement and ininctuation of the sentence that he 

 borrows from the manuscript here, as Professor Masson points out (Life 

 of Milton, iii. 658), obscures the meaning: 'And to this end that he 

 might put it in practice, he took a hirger house, where the Earle of 

 Banimore sent by his Aunt the Lady lianitclagh, Sir Thomas Gardiner 

 of Essex, to be there with otliers (besides his two Nephews) under his 

 Tuition.' Tlie manuscript makes it clear that Sir Thomas Gardiner 

 was one of Milton's pujjils, as Professor Masson believes. 



" Wood groups tnese suggestions under the jjhrase ' for several 

 reasons.' 



^ ' new or ' crossed out. M 



"'^ Substituted for ' and.' 



" Wood carelessly writes, ' Hitherto we find him only to have pub- 

 lished political things.' 



'* Wood varies this, ' which he took to be only their malignity 

 against the Independents,' &o. ■. 



