John Milton [image] was born on December 9, 1608 in London. His father, John Milton, was a scrivener and his mother, Sarah Jeffery, was known for her virtue and charities. Milton had one older sister named Anne and a younger brother named Christopher who eventually became a lawyer.
John Milton spent his early educational years at St. Paul's School in London. He studied Latin, Greek, and Hebrew along with his regular schoolwork. In 1625, at the age of 16, Milton went to Christ's College, University of Cambridge. He was not fond of the scholastic logic at Cambridge, and he believed the curriculum was dull. He was well respected by the end of his scholastic career at Cambridge. Milton received his B. A. in March 1629, and he was awarded his M. A. in 1632. His plan was to become a clergyman in the Church of England to support the Puritans against the Anglicans, but he changed his mind. His passion for poetry led him to pursue his love of verse.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT JOHN MILTON'S NICKNAME WAS IN SCHOOL?
After leaving Cambridge, John Milton returned to his father's house in Horton, Buckinghamshire. He remained there for six years. A year after his mothers death (1638) he journeyed to Italy. He visited Rome, Naples, Florence, and Sicily. While in Italy he made a call to the famous astronomer Galileo. Milton remained in Italy for a longer time because of the political tension back in England.
DO YOU KNOW WHY MILTON REMAINED IN HORTON FOR SIX YEARS?
In 1642 Milton returned to England to settle in London. He began a school, and his nephews, Edward and John Phillips, became his first pupils. During this time the Puritan cause began to run deeply through John Milton's veins, and he became extremely involved in it. He wrote many pamphlets that endorsed religious and civil liberties for many years after his return to England. After the execution of Charles I [image] (1649) Milton was invited to become secretary for foreign languages to Cromwell's [image] Council of State. He was not involved in creating policy, but he used his knowledge of Latin for foreign correspondence. In 1651 Milton became the censor and supervisory editor of the chief Commonwealth newspaper. Milton's public career ended when Charles II landed back in England in 1660.
MARRIAGESJohn Milton married Mary Powell in 1642. She was the 17 year-old daughter of a Royalist squire of Oxfordshire who owed money to John's father. The marriage was not a happy one; Mary Powell was young, uneducated, and half Milton's age. After leaving him for a few years Mary returned and had bore three daughters, Anne, Mary, and Deborah. In 1652, Mary Powell died a few days after giving birth to Deborah.
Milton married a second time in1656; he wed Katherine Woodcock. This marriage was happy, though it was brief. Katherine Milton passed away a few months after giving birth to a little girl that died. Milton's third bride, a young 24 year old named Elizabeth Minshull, married him in 1663. She was a good wife, and cherished his memory years after his passing.
BLINDNESS and DEATHAfter suffering from failing eyesight for years Milton went completely blind in 1651 at the age of 43. Though the loss of his sight deeply depressed him, he continued writing works with the help of his family and Andrew Marvell. Milton had suffered from gout, and he passed away on November 8, 1674 at the age of 65.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT MILTON ATTRIBUTES TO THE INITIAL CAUSE OF HIS BLINDNESS?
Milton's Nickname in school was "the Lady" because of his good looking and delicate features. He was also innocent in thought and behavior when it came to the opposite sex; this was unlike most gentlemen his age.
Milton remained in Horton for so long because he wanted to continue with his studies. He loved to learn, and believed that he needed more knowledge to be better prepared for the rest of his life.
Milton attributed the initial cause of his blindness to staying up until midnight during his adolescence reading books.
A scrivener is a public clerk or writer that has an official status. John Milton, Sr. was a law writer.
The University of Cambridge is located in Cambridge, England. Cambridge is in central England along the Cam River. The University of Cambridge is considered to be one of the greatest educational institutions in England. In the 12th century numerous religious orders founded monasteries and schools in Cambridge; the university grew from these in the 13th century.
Buckinghamshire is a county in southern England.
Galileo [image] was an Italian physicist and astronomer. He was in practically in captivity when Milton visited him because of his views of the universe. The science that Galileo studied was against the teachings of the Roman Catholic church; he was very controversial.
Andrew Marvell was an English poet and satirist. He attended the University of Cambridge. He assisted John Milton while he was serving as Latin secretary for the Commonwealth from 1657 to 1659.