John Milton’s handwritten annotations have been discovered in a copy of Raphael Holinshed’s Chronicles, dating back to 1587. The findings, published in the Times Literary Supplement, reveal Milton censoring Holinshed by crossing out a lewd anecdote about William the Conqueror’s mother, Arlete. Milton’s notes express his disapproval of the inappropriate tale, calling it “an unbecoming tale for a history.” Despite being known as an enemy of press censorship, his annotations show he was not immune to prudishness.
The discovery was made by researchers from the Arizona Book History Group, who identified Milton’s handwriting in the Holinshed Chronicles. The team included scholars from various universities who were studying books in the library’s Alfred Knight Collection. Milton’s unique handwriting features in the annotations match those found in his Commonplace Book and the Trinity Manuscript, dating back to the 1630s and 1640s. The researchers found that over 90% of the references Milton made in his Commonplace Book corresponded with passages marked in the copy of Holinshed’s Chronicles.
The significance of this discovery lies in the new perspectives it offers on Milton’s engagement with a major source for his writings, such as Of Reformation and The History of Britain. Several of Milton’s notes cite other books known to have been in his library, indicating his wide-ranging interests. The annotations also reveal Milton’s interest in continental poetry and his voracious appetite for reading. This discovery is seen as confirmation that the Shakespeare First Folio belonged to Milton, as both books share similar annotative practices.
The fate of Milton’s books after his death in 1674 remains unclear, but it is believed that they were sold off in batches. The trail of the Holinshed Chronicles goes cold for well over a century until they were rebound and eventually found their way to Phoenix, Arizona. Public libraries like the one in Phoenix are not often frequented by academics working with early modern books and manuscripts, making the discovery of Milton’s annotations in the Holinshed Chronicles all the more significant.
Overall, this discovery sheds new light on Milton’s reading habits, interests, and annotations in Holinshed’s Chronicles. It provides insight into his engagement with historical sources and his meticulous approach to annotating texts. The researchers hope that this finding will lead to the identification of more of Milton’s books in other collections, further illuminating the life and work of this iconic poet.
