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John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet, prose writer, polemicist and civil servant for the Commonwealth of England. Although this role was established in his later years, Milton's early life provides insight into his education and his poetic development, along with his start in politics. The year 1642, which saw him 34 years of age, married for the first time (disastrously), and a public figure as a controversial writer, marks the watershed of his life, as it did for British politics. Milton was educated under a strong Protestant influence and attended Christ's College, Cambridge with the intention of pursuing a career as a minister. During his college years, Milton produced his poems ''L'Allegro'' and ''Il Penseroso''. After leaving Cambridge, Milton changed his mind about his future, and hesitated during many years of study. Instead, he spent time composing poetry, which led to the production of the dramatic verse of ''Arcades'' and ''Comus''. After the death of his mother, Milton left England to tour Europe. Upon returning, Milton was brought into the realm of political writing and he began a career composing political tracts which put forth his views on state and religious matters. He first supported the presbyterian leaders who were lining up in England behind Stephen Marshall; a few years later he would promote more radical views. ==Parents== Milton's parents were John Milton, Sr. (1562–1647), a composer and scrivener, and his wife Sara Jeffrey (1572–1637).〔Hill 1979 p. 210.〕 John Milton, Sr.'s business owned many properties and was involved in making loans.〔Shawcross 1993 p. 17〕 He was from a yeoman family and was raised in Oxford where he trained as a chorister. However, when Richard Milton, his father and a staunch Roman Catholic, discovered that John Milton, Sr. had Protestant leanings, he disinherited his son.〔 John Milton, Sr. left for London and became a scrivener apprentice in 1583. Little is known about Sara Jeffrey besides that Paul Jeffrey, her father, was a tailor〔 and her mother was Ellen, who lived with the Miltons until her death in 1611. The two married around 1600 and buried an unnamed child on 12 May 1601.〔Lewalski 2003 pp. 2–4〕 John Milton, Sr. ran his business from his home on Bread Street. He was constantly at work, and only took a partial day off the day his son was born.〔 In 1633, John Milton, Sr. became warden for the Chapel of St Paul. He continued his job as a scrivener until 1636, when he left the Company of Scriveners's Court of Assistants and he moved his family from Hammersmith to Horton.〔Campbell 2003 p. 487〕 While not working as a scrivener, John Milton, Sr. composed music, which brought him into a close relationship with other musicians and composers including Henry Lawes, who proved influential in commissioning the young Milton's masques.〔Lewalski 2003 p. 3〕 At least twenty of his compositions survived, and most of them contain a religious theme. His works were published in many collections, including Thomas Morley's ''Triumphs of Oriana'' (1601), William Leighton's ''The Tears or Lamentations of a Sorrowful Soul'' (1612) and Thomas Ravenscroft's ''The Whole Book of Psalms'' (1621), amongst others. He also composed poetry, and two poems, never published, are known to have existed: a sonnet and a poem dedicated to John Lane.〔''ODNB''〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Early life of John Milton」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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