Mary Powell Deborahs Diary | Page 5

who he was, and he told me he was one Mr. John Milton,
the Party to whom Father owed five hundred Pounds. He was the
Sonne of a Buckinghamshire Gentleman, he added, well connected, and
very scholarlike, but affected towards the Parliament. His Grandsire, a
zealous Papiste, formerly lived in Oxon, and disinherited the Father of
this Gentleman for abjuring the Romish Faith.

When I found how faire a Gentleman was Father's Creditor, I became
the more interested in deare Mother's Successe.

May 13th, 1643.
Dick began to harpe on another Ride to Sheepscote this Morning, and
persuaded Father to let him have the bay Mare, soe he and I started at
aboute Ten o' the Clock. Arrived at Master Agnew's Doore, found it
open, no one in Parlour or Studdy; soe Dick tooke the Horses rounde,
and then we went straite thro' the House, into the Garden behind, which
is on a rising Ground, with pleached Alleys and turfen Walks, and a
Peep of the Church through the Trees. A Lad tolde us his Mistress was
with the Bees, soe we walked towards the Hives; and, from an Arbour
hard by, hearde a Murmur, though not of Bees, issuing. In this rusticall
Bowre, found Roger Agnew reading to Rose and to Mr. Milton.
Thereupon ensued manie cheerfulle Salutations, and Rose proposed
returning to the House, but Master Agnew sayd it was pleasanter in the
Bowre, where was Room for alle; soe then Rose offered to take me to
her Chamber to lay aside my Hoode, and promised to send a Junkett
into the Arbour; whereon Mr. Agnew smiled at Mr. Milton, and sayd
somewhat of "neat-handed Phillis."
As we went alonge, I tolde Rose I had seene her Guest once before, and
thought him a comely, pleasant Gentleman. She laught, and sayd,
"Pleasant? why, he is one of the greatest Scholars of our Time, and
knows more Languages than you or I ever hearde of." I made Answer,
"That may be, and yet might not ensure his being pleasant, but rather
the contrary, for I cannot reade Greeke and Latin, Rose, like you."
Quoth Rose, "But you can reade English, and he hath writ some of the
loveliest English Verses you ever hearde, and hath brought us a new
Composure this Morning, which Roger, being his olde College Friend,
was discussing with him, to my greate Pleasure, when you came. After
we have eaten the Junkett, he shall beginne it again." "By no Means,"
said I, "for I love Talking more than Reading." However, it was not soe
to be, for Rose woulde not be foyled; and as it woulde not have been
good Manners to decline the Hearinge in Presence of the Poet, I was

constrayned to suppresse a secret Yawne, and feign Attention, though,
Truth to say, it soone wandered; and, during the last halfe Hour, I sat in
a compleat Dreame, tho' not unpleasant one. Roger having made an
End, 'twas diverting to heare him commending the Piece unto the
Author, who as gravely accepted it; yet, with nothing fullesome about
the one, or misproud about the other. Indeed, there was a sedate
Sweetnesse in the Poet's Wordes as well as Lookes; and shortlie,
waiving the Discussion of his owne Composures, he beganne to talke
of those of other Men, as Shakspeare, Spenser, Cowley, Ben Jonson,
and of Tasso, and Tasso's Friend the Marquis of Villa, whome, it
appeared, Mr. Milton had Knowledge of in Italy. Then he askt me,
woulde I not willingly have seene the Country of Romeo and Juliet, and
prest to know whether I loved Poetry; but finding me loath to tell, sayd
he doubted not I preferred Romances, and that he had read manie, and
loved them dearly too. I sayd, I loved Shakspeare's Plays better than
Sidney's Arcadia; on which he cried "Righte," and drew nearer to me,
and woulde have talked at greater length; but, knowing from Rose how
learned he was, I feared to shew him I was a sillie Foole; soe, like a
sillie Foole, held my Tongue.
Dinner; Eggs, Bacon, roast Ribs of Lamb, Spinach, Potatoes, savoury
Pie, a Brentford Pudding, and Cheesecakes. What a pretty Housewife
Rose is! Roger's plain Hospitalitie and scholarlie Discourse appeared to
much Advantage. He askt of News from Paris; and Mr. Milton spoke
much of the Swedish Ambassadour, Dutch by Birth; a Man renowned
for his Learning, Magnanimity, and Misfortunes, of whome he had
seene much. He tolde Rose and me how this Mister Van der Groote had
beene unjustlie caste into Prison by his Countrymen; and how his good
Wife had shared his Captivitie, and had tried to get his Sentence
reversed; failing which, she contrived his Escape in a big Chest, which
she pretended to be full of heavie