in thofe very times when that Court did the rest of those her pious works, for which she is now fall'n from the Starres with Lucifer. Whereby ye may guesse what kinde of State prudence, what love of the people, what care of Religion, or good manners there was at the contriving, although with fingular hypocrifie it pretended to bind books to their good behaviour. And how it got the upper hand of your precedent Order fo well conftituted before, if we may beleeve those men whose profeffion gives them caufe to enquire moft, it may be doubted there was in it the fraud of fome old patentees and monopolizers in the trade of book-felling; who under pretence of the poor in their Company not to be defrauded, and the just retaining of each man his feverall copy, which God forbid fhould be gainsaid, brought divers glofing colours to the House, which were indeed but colours, and serving to no end except it be to exercife a fuperiority over their neighbours, men who doe not therefore labour in an honeft profeffion to which learning is indetted, that they should be made other mens vaffals. Another end is thought was aym'd at by fome of them in procuring by petition this Order, that having power in their hands, malignant books might the easier scape abroad, as the event shews. But of thefe Sophifms and Elenchs of marchandize I skill not: This I know, that errors in a good government and in a bad are equally almost incident; for what Magistrate may not be mif-inform'd, and much the fooner, if liberty of Printing be reduc't into the power of a few; but to redreffe willingly and speedily what hath bin err'd, and in highest autority to esteem a plain advertisement more then others have done a sumptuous bribe, is a vertue (honour'd Lords and Commons) answerable to Your highest actions, and whereof none can participat but greatest and wisest men."

The End

I. AREOPAGITICA-that which appertains to the Areopagus. There is at Athens a hill, formerly called o "Aptos máуog, the hill of Ares,' the 'Mar's Hill' of Acts xvii. 22, whereon used to affemble a Council, called 'The Council of the Areiopagus.' Befides fupreme judicial authority in cafes of wilful murder, this Council poffeffed very large focial influence; having the general undefined fuperintendence of religion, morals, education, and the like. It was held in veneration by the whole people. It appears to have been strongly conservative in tone, and seems to have occupied a fomewhat fimilar position in the Athenian republic to that of the House of Lords in the British constitution. 2. There were two Wardens in the Stationers' Company. 3. Reprinted at page 25.

4. BERNARDO DAVANZATI BOSTICHI [b. 30 August 1529-d. 20 March 1606]. A Florentine author of confiderable repute. He wrote feveral works. I have not, as yet, been able to identify the particular one referred to by Milton.

5. ROBERT GREvil, Lord BROOKE-The title of this book is, A difcourfe opening the nature of that Epifcopacie, which is exercifed in England. Wherein, with all Humility, are reprefented fome Confiderations tending to the much-defired Peace, and long expected Reformation, of This our Mother Church. By the Right Honourable ROBERT Lord BROOKE.-London, Printed by R. C. for Samuel Cartwright, and are to be fold at the figne of the Hand and Bible in Ducke-Lane 1641. This Lord Brooke was born in 1607, and was the son of the celebrated Fulk Grevil, Lord Brooke of Beauchamps-court, the friend of Sir Philip Sidney. He was killed on 2 March 1642, while commanding the parliamentary forces attacking the Church-close at Litchfield. 'It fell out, that he having planted his great guns against the SouthEaft-gate of the Close, he was, tho' harneffed with plate-armour cap-a-pe, fhot from the church in the eye by one Diot, a Clergy-man's fon, (who could neither hear or speak) as he stood in a door (whither he came to fee the occafion of a fudden 'fhout made by the foldiers) of which he instantly died.'—A. àWood. Athena Oxonienfes, II. 433, Ed: by Blifs, 1815. 6. Reprinted at page 24.

7. Reprinted at page 7.

8. GILBERT MABBOTT, gentleman, was licenser of pamphlets. He refigned on 22nd May, 1649, giving as his reasons arguments fimilar to those in the 'Areopagitica.'

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