Mr Edward Dawson writes: About 60% of all the visitors to Milton's Cottage come to pay their respects to the greatest poet of the 17th century and the muse and inspirer of the entire Romantic movement from Blake to Wordsworth without realising that he put his pen down on poetry for some 20 years and became a great supporter of the Commonwealth and Parliament, drawing his salary as an early form of Foreign Secretary. His hopes of seeing a democratic parliament in place as we know it today were dashed by the restoration of Charles II, and he became a hunted man, and was imprisoned for some three months in fear of his life.
On 13 August 1660 the Royal Proclamation relating to Milton appeared and was distributed, posted and read throughout England. It noted that ‘John Milton and John Goodwin are both fled, or so obscure themselves that no endeavours used for their apprehension can take effect, whereby they might be brought to legal trial and deservedly receive condign punishment for their treasons and offences.’ The Proclamation concerned itself with details of the suppression and calling in of their wicked and traitorous books, and all persons with copies in their possession were commanded to deliver them within ten days to some public official. Appropriate officials were authorised to seize copies after the expiration of the ten days and they were collected by the sheriffs of the various counties who would see them burnt publicly by the hangman at the time of the next assizes. Further publication, sale, or circulation of any of the books was sternly forbidden.
This must have been a traumatic experience for Milton, the great proponent of freedom of speech and non-censorship of the press. He is the most quoted person in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America on this subject.
The importance of this document to the Museum is paramount. It brings home to the visitors just how important Milton was. The evidence is before them: a turning point in an astonishing life.