John Milton

1608     December 9.  Born.

1620     St. Paul's School.   Friend Charles Diodati.

1625     February 12.  Admitted to Christ's College, Cambridge, under the tutor William Chappell. 

1626     Rusticated.

1629     December 25.  "On the Morning of Christ's Nativity" composed before dawn. 

1630      Edward King, the subject of Milton's "Lycidas," is given a fellowship at Christ's College. 

1632        Takes M. A.  cum laude at Cambridge.  Retires to family home at Hammersmith.

1634       September 29.   Comus performed at Ludlow Castle.

1637     November.  "Lycidas" is written (Edward King drowned August 10). 

April 1638 - 1639  Tours Western Europe.

1639-1640  Settles in London, instituting a kind of private school.    Charles I invades Scotland (1639).  The Long Parliament is convened (1640). 

1641   May.  Of Reformation published.    June or July.  Of Prelatical Episcopacy published. 

1642   May.  Marries Mary Powell.   August.  The Civil War begins. 

1643   August 1.  Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce published. 

1644   June 5.  Of Education published.  July 2.  Battle of Marston Moor (turning point in the War).    November 23.  Areopagitica published. 

1645   Poems of Mr. John Milton registered for publication.  Mary Powell returns.  June 14.  Battle of Naseby.

1646    July 29.  Daughter Anne born. 

1648     October 25.  Daughter Mary born. 

1649     January 30.  Public execution of King Charles I.   March.  Invited to become Secretary for the Foreign Tongues.

1651    March 16.  Son John born. 

1652    February.  Becomes totally blind.   May 2.  Daughter Deborah born.     May 5.  Wife Mary dies.   June 16.  Son John dies.

1653   February 20.  Andrew Marvell becomes his assistant. 

1656   November 12.  Marries Katherine Woodcock. 

1657   October 19.  Daughter Katherine born. 

1658   February 3.  Katherine Woodcock dies.  March 17.  Daughter Katherine dies.  September 3.  Oliver Cromwell dies.

1659  Goes into hiding.   October.  Arrested and imprisoned.    December 15.  Released by order of Parliament.  

1660   May 30.  Restoration of King Charles II. 

1663   February 24.  Marries Elizabeth Minshull. 

1665  Moves to Chalfont St. Giles.

1666  Great Fire of London.

1667   Paradise Lost published, in ten books.  

1671   Paradise Regain'd and Samson Agonistes published together. 

1674  Second edition of Paradise Lost published, in twelve books.   November.  Dies.   November 12.  

Buried in St. Giles, Cripplegate. 

POLYPHEMUS GALATEA ACIS