The King had wisely left the business to Parliament, and, when the circumstances of the times, and the sincere horror in which good men held what they called regicide and sacrilege are duly considered, it must be owned that Parliament acted with humanity and moderation.

Still, in the nature of things, proscription on a small scale was inevitable.
Besides the regicides proper, twenty persons were to be named for imprisonment and permanent incapacitation for office then, and liable to prosecution and possibly capital punishment hereafter.

It seemed almost inevitable that Milton should be included.

On June 16th his writings against Charles I.were ordered to be burned by the hangman, which sentence was performed on August 27th.

A Government proclamation enjoining their destruction had been issued on August 13th, and may now be read in the King's Library at the British Museum.