Thus, by the mediation of my friend Isaac Penington with Dr. Paget,
and of Dr. Paget with John Milton, was I admitted to come to him,
not as a servant to him (which at that time he needed not), nor to
be in the house with him, but only to have the liberty of coming to
his house at certain hours when I would, and to read to him what
books he should appoint me, which was all the favour I desired.

But this being a matter which would require some time to bring
about, I in the meanwhile returned to my father's house in
Oxfordshire.

I had before received direction by letters from my eldest sister
(written by my father's command) to put off what cattle he had left
about his house, and to discharge his servants; which I had done at
the time called Michaelmas before. So that all that winter, when I
was at home, I lived like a hermit, all alone, having a pretty large
house, and nobody in it but myself, at nights especially; but an
elderly woman, whose father had been an old servant to the family,
came every morning and made my bed, and did what else I had occasion
for her to do, till I fell ill of the small-pox, and then I had her
with me and the nurse. But now, understanding by letter from my
sister that my father did not intend to return to settle there, I
made off those provisions which were in the house, that they might
not be spoiled when I was gone; and because they were what I should
have spent if I had tarried there, I took the money made of them to
myself for my support at London, if the project succeeded for my
going thither.

This done, I committed the care of the house to a tenant of my