OXFORD:

E. PICKARD HALL, M.A., AND J. H. STACY,

PRINTERS TO THE UNIVERSITY.

A. L. CROSS

2·6-41

PREFATORY NOTE TO VOLUMES IV. AND V.

THE two volumes now published together contain a History of the English Commonwealth, a History of Cromwell's Interim Dictatorship and of his First and Second Protectorates, and a History of the Protectorate of Richard Cromwell and of the subsequent Anarchy to the Restoration. They also contain the Biography of Milton through those eleven years, with an account of his Secretaryship and other relations to the successive Governments, and an elucidated inventory and abstract of his State-Letters.

Volume VI., which is in progress, will complete the work, and will be accompanied by a copious Index to the whole.

EDINBURGH November, 1877.

CONTENTS.

BOOK I.

JANUARY 1648-9-JULY 1649.

HISTORY:-FOUNDATION AND BEGINNINGS OF AN ENGLISH REPUBLIC.

BIOGRAPHY:-MILTON'S ADHESION TO THE REPUBLIC: HIS TENURE OF

KINGS AND MAGISTRATES: COMMENCEMENT OF HIS LATIN SECRETARY-

CHAP.

SHIP.

I. Foundation and Beginnings of an English Republic

Constitution of the New Republic: Preconceptions on the subject:

Ireton's Draft Agreement of the People.-Creation of a Council

of State: Composition of the First Council: Its first Meetings

and Difficulties: Cromwell's paramount Activity.-Forms and

Routine of the Council..

Circumstances of the Infant Commonwealth :-Danger from Scot-

land: Proclamation of Charles II. there by the Argyle-War-

riston Government: Hatred of the Scots to the Commonwealth.

-Danger from Ireland: Proclamation of Charles II. there by

Ormond Small hold of the Commonwealth upon Ireland.-

Court of Charles II. at the Hague: Scottish Negotiations and

Intrigues there: The Marquis of Montrose again.-Sentiments

of the various Foreign Powers.

Opposition to the Commonwealth within England: Strength and

Intensity of English Royalism: The Eikon Basilike and its

Effects: Royalist Pamphlets and Newspapers: Marchamont

Needham and the Mercurius Pragmaticus

The Government continued in the Rump Parliament and the

Council of State: Their first Acts: Resolution for the Recon-

quest of Ireland by Cromwell: Home Difficulties: Lilburne and

the London Conspiracy of Levellers: Army-Mutiny.-Relations

with Foreign Powers: Assassination of Dorislaus.-Suppression

of the Levellers

Triumphant Confirmation of the Republic: The Fairfaxian

Creation at Oxford, and the London City Banquet: Removal

of the Council of State to Whitehall: Removal of Charles II.

from the Hague: Departure of Cromwell for the Lord-Lieu-

tenancy of Ireland: State of England as he left it

Cessation of the Westminster Assembly: Its Bequests to England

and to Scotland: The Scottish Kirk in 1649.

CHAP.

II.

Milton's Adhesion to the Republic: His Tenure of Kings and

Magistrates: Analysis of that Pamphlet: His Acceptance of

the Secretaryship for Foreign Tongues to the Council of State :

Nature of the Office: His first Attendances at the Council and

first official Employments: Extracts relating to him from the

Council Order-Books: His Letter to the Hamburg Senate, &c. :

Literary tasks assigned him by the Council: Observations on

Ormond's Peace with the Irish and on the Scotch Presbytery of

Belfast: Account of the Pamphlet: Change of Residence to

Charing Cross Friends and Acquaintances of this date: His

Commission to answer the Eikon Basilike.

PAGE

64

BOOK II.

JULY 1649-APRIL 1653.

HISTORY:-ANNALS OF THE COMMONWEALTH :-

FIRST YEAR OF THE COMMONWEALTH CONTINUED: JULY 10, 1649-

FEB. 18, 1649-50.

SECOND YEAR OF THE COMMONWEALTH FEB. 18, 1649-50-FEB. 18,

1650-51.

THIRD YEAR OF THE COMMONWEALTH: FEB. 18, 1650-51-DEC. 1,

1651.

FOURTH YEAR OF THE COMMONWEALTH, AND FRAGMENT OF A FIFTH :

DEC. 1, 1651-APRIL 20, 1653.

BIOGRAPHY:-MILTON'S LIFE THROUGH THE PERIOD OF THE COMMON-

WEALTH, WITH HIS SECRETARYSHIP UNDER FIVE SUCCESSIVE COUNCILS OF

STATE.

CHAP.

I. Cromwell's Victories in Ireland: Activity of the Parliament and

Council of State at home: Royalist and Levelling Pamphlets:

Bradshaw's new Press Act: Trial of Lilburne and his Fellow-

Levellers: Their Acquittal: Case of Clement Walker: Con-

tinued Disaffection of the Presbyterians: Endeavours to humour

them: The Engagement: State of Foreign Relations: Missions

to Spain, Portugal, and Hamburg: Election of New Council of

State: Death of the Earl of Pembroke.

II. Milton's Life and Secretaryship from July 1649 to Feb. 1649-50.

-Enormous Popularity of the Eikon Basilike: Doubts as to

the Authorship: Milton's Eikonoklastes: Analysis of the same,

with Quotations: Particles of Milton's Biography from the

Council Order-Books, with Notices of Marchamont Needham,

Clement Walker, the Printer Newcome, the Printer Royston,

the Printer Dugard, and others: Milton's Removal from

Charing-Cross to an Official Residence in Whitehall: His

Miscellaneous Official Occupations: Five of his Latin State

Letters to Foreign Powers (Nos. I.-V.); Salmasius and his

Defensio Regia: Account of the Book, with Specimens: Milton's

Commission from the Council of State to answer the Book

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