4.29 avg rating — 402 ratings

"Talk about poet-politicians: We in US may elect a Foreign Secretary president. My vote goes to Milton, Foreign (Latin) Secretary, Cromwell's Secretary and Andrew Marvell's boss as Undersecretary. His grave in St Mary Aldergate is negelcted, though he was in many ways the First Modern--writing on Divorce, Freedom of the Press, and other tracts on social issues, to say nothing of his influence on Parliament and English Literature.
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3.93 avg rating — 265 ratings

"Macaulay on the execution of Monmouth, the King's would-be (and invading) Protestant successor: "The first blow inflicted only a slight wound. The Duke struggled, rose from the block, and looked reproachfully at the executioner. The head sank down once more. The stroke was repeated again and again; but still the neck was not severed, and the body continued to move. Yells of rage and horror rose from the crowd. Ketch flung down the axe with a curse, "I cannot do it," he said, "My heart fails me." "Take up the axe, man, " cried the sheriff. "Fling him over the rails," roared the mob….wrought up to such an ecstasy of rage that the executioner was in danger of being torn to pieces, and was conveyed away under strong guard." KILL the UMP indeed.
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3.84 avg rating — 408 ratings

"The best account of the best and worst of men. His army, perhaps the first in history not to drink. Maybe alcohol would have meliorated their rigors.
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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,742 ratings

"Marvell's Horatian Ode on Cromwell's Return from Ireland: "Those same arts that did gain/ A Pow'r must it maintain." and his satires on the bishops and Roundheads are revelatory."

4.24 avg rating — 85 ratings

3.50 avg rating — 6 ratings

"Excellent focus on one incisive incident exposing the time that followed, by a teacher of mine.
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0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings

"According to contemporaries, "He had all the Laughers on his side.""

3.97 avg rating — 36 ratings

"Probably the best writer in the history of politicians. And of course, he was forced into exile because of the Dutch War of 1665 and his opposition to Restoration court manners--reflected in hilarious Restoration Drama. His daughter married the future King James II, so he was Queen Anne's grandfather--and Queen Mary's, prior
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4.24 avg rating — 1,109 ratings

"Wonderful, Williams exile from Massachusetts because of his objection to Court procedure, Swearing on the Bible primarily; wonderful the R.I. he created, with the the oldest synagog, Tuoro in Newport--and teh local Congrgational Minister counting the souls to be saved: Ezra Stiles, who went on to Yale where a College is named for him. And the roots of King Phillips war, the treaty signed where I leved in 1974-75, Treaty Rock Farm, Little Compton, RI.
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