THE FREE LANCE.
Published Monthly during the College Year by the Students of
The Pennsylvania Slate College.
Vol. XI
THE 17th century in England was a time of strife and revolu
tion. Popery and protestantism, royalism and republican-
ism strove for the ascendancy during all those long years
'of turmoil from the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 to the Bloodless
Revolution of x6BB. The incessant cry of the Stuarts, " Our
Divine Rights," and the struggle of the Commons for constitu
tional privileges fill countless pages of England's history, until
the Civil War of 1642 brings forth its Cromwell, who accom
plishes the downfall of the Monarchy and the execution of Charles
I. But the Commonwealth then established crumbled with the
death of the great leader. The unworthy rule of his incapable
son Richard caused in x 660 the Restoration of the haughty
Stuarts, who worried and debased the people until by common
consent they invited to their throne the noble William of Orange.
This very brief outline of the events of the time will facilitate
a better understanding of the circumstances surrounding the life
of the great poet, for his existence is closely wrapped up in the
politics of his day, and he was a powerful influence in the mold
ing of public opinion. In the year 1608, December 9, in the city
of London, John Milton was born. His grandfather was a stern
papist, and disowned the father of the poet for not adhering to
the doctrines of the Mother Church. Thus the elder Milton, also
named John, was obliged to shift for himself, becoming a scrivener
in London. However, he succeeded so well that he was able to
surround his children with the most refining influences. Early
appreciating the promise of John, who was the : third child, he
gave him the best of opportunities. The poet's early education
was accomplished tinder the direction of a tutor, and by attend-
FEBRUARY, 1898.
THE PURITAN POET
No. 8.