May–June: marries Mary Powell, who left him a month or two later. 22 August: Civil War begins.

1643   The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce (first edition).

1644   (February) The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce (second edition). Thomas Young, M.’s old tutor, warns Parliament against advocates of ‘digamy’. June: Of Education. August: Judgement of Martin Bucer Concerning Divorce. Herbert Palmer denounces M. in sermon before Parliament. Further attacks from the Stationers’ Company, from Prynne and other Presbyterians. November: Areopagitica. December: M. summoned before the House of Lords, but soon dismissed.

1645   Tetrachordon and Colasterion published. June: Cromwell’s New Model Army victorious at Naseby. July or August: M.’s wife returns. September(?): moves to a larger house in the Barbican.

1646   (January) Poems of Mr. John Milton published (dated 1645). 29 July: daughter Anne born.

1647   (13 March) Father dies.

1648   (25 October) Daughter Mary born. 6 December: Colonel Pride’s Purge of Long Parliament.

1649   (30 January) Charles I executed. Eikon Basilike (then given out as by the King) published one week later. 13 February: The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates. March: M. appointed Secretary for Foreign Tongues by the Council of State. 11 May: Salmasius’s Defensio Regia appears in England. 16 May: Observations on the Articles of Peace. 6 October: Eikonoklastes (M.’s answer to Eikon Basilike).

1651   (24 February) Pro Populo Anglicano Defensio (M.’s answer to Salmasius). 16 March: son John born.

1652   Becomes totally blind. 2 May: daughter Deborah born. Wife dies three days later. June: son John dies.

1653   (20 April) Cromwell forcibly dissolves Rump Parliament. 3 September: Salmasius dies. 12 December: dissolution of Nominated Parliament.