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The Editions of Milton's History of Britain
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2020
Extract
Separate editions of Milton's History of Britain appeared in 1670, 1677, 1695, and 1818. It has been included in all the important collections of his prose works. In 1706, moreover, Dr. White Kennett, whose Complete History of England is a series of historical writings from the pens of various authors, chose Milton's work to do duty for the period preceding the Norman Conquest. Foot-notes were added, though of no remarkable value. The first of Kennett's three folio volumes was republished in 1719; in 1870 Milton's history, and along with it two of the other contributions to the first volume, were reprinted under one octavo cover; in 1878 appeared a stereotype reproduction of the volume of 1870.
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- Copyright © Modern Language Association of America, 1920
References
1 For helpful advice and suggestive material I acknowledge my indebtedness to Professor Albert S. Cook, of Yale University.
2 Some volumes of the second edition appeared in 1678, with a new title-page bearing that date. See Cat. Brit. Mus. See also Masson, vi, p. 647, note 1, where mention is made of a copy of the first edition having a title-page with the date 1671. In the edition of 1818, The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates, The Ready and Easy Way, A Letter to a Friend on the Ruptures, and Notes on Griffith's Sermon were appended to the History.
3 Kennett says in his Preface: “For the Times before William the First, tho' the Views of 'em have been left less distinct than the rest, and in some Places look like Scenes of Fairy-Land, yet so much as cou'd be trac'd and put into order, has been admirably done by Mr. John Milton, with whose Book this Collection begins. His great natural and acquir'd Parts, and his excelling in so many different kinds of Learning, besides his daring and uncommon Genius in Poetry, have made him generally look'd upon as one of the most extraordinary Persons that the last Age produc'd: And even the greatest Admirers of Antiquity have a particular Reason to rank him with most of the Ancients, whom he so nearly resembles.”
4 Many of the corrections change the meaning of the text, suggesting the author's own hand. For example, “fabling in the deeds of Arms” (ed. 1670, p. 126) becomes “fabling in the deeds of Artur ”; “maried the Daughter of Penda” (p. 157) becomes “maried the Sister of Penda”; “to Eadbert his Uncle” (p. 173) becomes “to Eadbert his Uncle's Son”; “Cuthred was dead two years before” (p. 176) becomes “Cuthred was dead two or three years before”; “sent Alfric Bishop of Yorke” (p. 276) becomes “sent Alfric Archbishop of Yorke”; and “death of Elfred his Brother” (p. 277) becomes “death of Elfred his half-Brother.” The presumption is fortified by the summary language at the close of the Errata: “Besides other literal faults and wrong stops through the Book, which the Reader of himself may amend.” Milton seems to be availing himself, that is to say, of an author's inherent right to leave all uncorrected matter to the reader's discrimination.
5 The single exception is found in the First Book. At the close of the passage, “insomuch that Aganippus a great King in Gaul (however he came by his Greek name)” (ed. 1670, p. 18), Toland adds “not found in any Register of French Kings.”
6 In the following passages, Toland's insertions are set off within double bars (
).
He returns to Rome, from whence he had bin absent only six moneths, and in Britain but 16 daies; sending the news before him of his Victories, though in a small part of the Iland (ed. 1670, p. 54). 
By which is manifestly refuted that which Eutropius and Orosius write of his conquering at that time also the Orcades Ilands lying to the North of Scotland; and not conquer'd by the Romans (for aught found in any good Author) till above forty Years after, as shall appear. 
The next we hear of Britain, is that when Trajan was Emperor, it revolted, and was subdued (ed. 1670, p. 78). || But Hadrian next entring on the Empire, they soon unsubdu'd themselves.||
He rais'd a Wall with great stakes driv'n in deep, and fastn'd together, in manner of a strong mound, fourscore mile in length, to divide what was Roman from Barbarian (ed. 1670, p. 78) : || as his manner was to do in other Frontiers of his Empire, where great Rivers divided not the Limits. ||
15 hundred of them went to Rome in name of the rest, and were so terrible to Commodus himself, as that to please them he put to death Perennis the Captain of his Guard (ed. 1670, p. 80). || for having in the British War remov'd thir Leaders, who were Senators, and in thir places put those of the Equestrian Order.||
And Helvius Pertinax who succeeded Governour, found it a work so difficult to appease them, that once in a mutiny he was left for dead among many slain; and || though afterwards he severely punish'd the Tumulters, || was fain at length to seek a dismission from his charge (ed. 1670, p. 81).
But more authentic Writers confirm us, that the Scots, whoever they be originally, came first into Ireland, and dwelt there, and nam'd it Scotia long before the North of Britain took that name (ed. 1670, p. 94). || Orosius who liv'd at this time writes, that Ireland was then inhabited by Scots. || [Toland then adds the following marginal reference: Oros. L. 1. cap. 2.]
Other variant readings in Toland's text appear below:
| Ed. 1670. | Ed. 1698. |
| P. 54. To whom the Senate. | To Claudius the Senat. |
| P. 78. Under Adrian, Julius Severus, saith Dion, govern'd the Iland. | Julius Severus, saith Dion, then govern'd the Iland. |
| P. 78. But he being call'd away. | He being call'd away. |
| P. 80. He put to death Perennis. | He deliver'd up to thir care Perennis. |
| P. 83. Had wip't out of her conscience. | Had whip't out of her Conscience. |
| P. 89. Certainly born of Helena, a mean Woman at Naisus in Dardania. | Certainly born of a mean Woman, Helena, the Concubine of Constantius, at Naisus in Dardania. |
| P. 172. Neither they then we had better Authors. | Neither they nor we had better Authors. |
| P. 234. An Enemy to all Monks. | An Enemy to all Monks and Fryers. |
| Ed. 1670. | Ed. 1617. | Ed. 1698. |
| P. 219. After this a greater Army. | After this a great Army. | After this a greater Army. |
7 See Masson, Life of Milton, vi, pp. 720, 791.
8 Referring to Milton's History of Britain, Wood says: “This history, when it first came abroad, had only the reputation of the putting of our old authors neatly together in a connex'd story, not abstaining from some lashes at the ignorance, or I know not what, of those times” (Fasti Oxonienses, pt. i, p. 485).
9 See Reason of Church Government, Bohn, ii, p. 477: “Lastly, I should not choose this manner of writing [i.e., in prose], wherein knowing myself inferior to myself, led by the genial power of nature to another task, I have the use, as I may account, but of my left hand.”
10 Though Milton had originally proposed to bring the History down to his own time, he concluded it at the Norman Conquest. The composition of the text progressed intermittently during a period commencing about 1645 (but no earlier than 1643, the date of the publication of Abraham Wheloc's parallel-text edition of Bede's Ecclesiastical History and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle), and ending about 1660 (see Firth, Milton as an Historian, Proc. Brit. Acad. for 1907-8, pp. 229-30). Cf. Masson, Life of Milton, vi, pp. 642-3. As to Wheloc's book, cf. Stern, Milton und seine Zeit, bk. iv, p. 134.
11 A direct transfer from Milton to Toland is not to be considered. Toland was four years old when Milton died.
12 The following appears on Mitford's title-page: “The Works of John Milton in Verse and Prose. Printed from the Original Editions.” In his Advertisement Mitford says: “The present Edition of the Poetical and Prose Works of Milton has been carefully printed from the Author's copies.”
13 This passage, manifestly an attack upon the Long Parliament and the Westminster Assembly (see Firth, pp. 252 ff.), did not appear among Milton's writings until 1738, when it was inserted near the beginning of the Third Book (see Bohn, v, pp. 236-41) in Birch's edition of the Prose Works. As a separate text it appeared for the first time in 1681, under the title Mr. John Milton's Character of the Long Parliament and Assembly of Divines, In MDCXLI. The rest of the title-page reads : “Omitted in his other Works, and never before Printed, And very seasonable for these times. London: Printed for Henry Brome, at the Gun at the West-end of St. Paul's. 1081.” The only other appearance of the Character apart from a Miltonic context was in Vol. v of The Harleian Miscellany (London, 1810).
St. John adds the following note to the digressive passage : “The following paragraphs, within brackets, have been omitted in all the former editions of our author's History of Britain, except that published in the collection of his works, 1738, 2 vols. folio, and the subsequent edition in quarto.”
St. John is in error. The passage appeared, for example, in Symmons's edition of 1806, and in Fletcher's edition of 1833. Strange to say, the note set forth above appears almost verbatim in Symmons and Fletcher. The situation indicates that Miltonic editors of the first half of the nineteenth century were prone to transcribe from one another without adequate regard to the meaning of their copy.