John Milton

From THE RELIGIOUS OPINIONS OF MILTON, LOCKE, NEWTON, 1941 by Herbert McLachlan

One heretical book, and it was Socinian, which Milton must have known is the Racovian Catechism in a Latin edition.

According to a Minute of the Council of State, dated " Tuesday, Jan. 21, 1651/2 ", as we learn from Masson,² " It was resolved ' that a warrant be issued to the Sergeant of Arms to repair to the house of William Dugard, printer, and there to make seizure of a certain impression of books entitled Catechesis Ecclesiarum Poloniae, and to come forthwith to the Council.'." Masson continues : " Whether from sympathy with its views, or merely in the interests of literary curiosity and free discussion, Dugard, the Council of State's own printer, had passed an English edition of it through the press, and for this he was now in trouble." Later, he gives the proceedings of the House : " Mr. Millington reported ' that Mr. William Dugard is the printer of the book'," gives particulars of his examination, and finally " the Examination of Mr. John Milton, and a Note under the hand of Mr. John Milton of the 10th of August, 1650". "What may have been the nature of Milton's concern in the affair", says Masson, we do not know. Was the note under his hand of August 10th, 1650, anything to which Dugard could refer as a permission or recommendation to print the book received from the Council of State's own Latin Secretary . . . ? " Then, in a footnote, he corrects his former opinion of the book. "I infer that Dugard's edition had been in Latin, and that the notoriety it had obtained had led to the more daring act of a publication of the same in English. There are extant copies of an English translation of the Catechism, dated 1652 [by Bidle (WPT)] , but it purports to have been printed at Amsterdam."

. . . Milton . . .  was responsible for what was printed by Dugard at this time, and was not the man to pass for publication a theological pamphlet he had not read. (Etc).

      ² Life of Milton . . ., IV, p. 432.

Manchester University Press 1941, pp. 48-9.

Selected bibliographic,

Title A Declaration, or, Letters patents of the election of this present King of Poland, John the Third, elected on the 22d of May last past, Anno Dom. 1674 [microform] : containing the reasons of this election, the great vertues and merits of the said sere elect, his eminent services in war, especially in his last great victory against the Turks and Tartars, whereof many particulars are here related, not published before / now faithfully translated from the Latin copy by John Milton. Publisher London : Printed for Brabazon Aylmer, 1674. Description 12 p. Series Early English books, 1641-1700 ;1422:3.
Series Early English books, 1641-1700 ;1422:3. Note Imperfect: pages cropped with slight loss of print. Reproduction of original in the University of Illinois Library. Language English Subject John III Sobieski, King of Poland, 1629-1696. Poland -- History -- John III Sobieski, 1674-1696. Poland -- Politics and government -- 1572-1763. Added Entry Milton, John, 1608-1674.