_Milton's Widow_ (Vol. vii., p. 596.; Vol. viii., pp. 12. 134.
200.).--Reading up my arrears of "N. & Q.," which a long absence from
England has caused to accumulate, I find frequent inquiries made for some
information which I once promised, relative to Milton's widow. I fear that
your correspondents on this subject have formed an exaggerated idea of the
importance of the expected note, and that they will see but a "ridiculus
mus" after all. As I have no means at hand at the present moment wherewith
to attempt to elucidate the Minshull genealogy, I shall content myself by
simply sending my original notes, namely, brief abstracts of the wills of
Thomas and Nathan Paget preserved at Doctors' Commons.
Thomas Paget, minister of the gospel at Stockport, in Cheshire, makes his
will May 23, 1660; mentions his three daughters Dorothy, Elizabeth, and
Mary; and leaves estates at different places in Shropshire to his two sons,
Dr. Nathan and Thomas, whom he appoints his executors. He entreats _his
cousin Minshull, apothecarie in Manchester_, to be overseer of his will,
which was proved October 16, 1660.
[I have before (Vol. v., p. 327.) shown the connexion between the Pagets
and Manchester.]
Nathan Paget, Doctor in Medicine, will dated January 7, 1678, was then
living in the parish of St. Stephen's, Coleman Street, London, leaves
certain estates, and his house in London where he resided, to his brother
Thomas Paget, clerk. Bequests to his cousin John Goldsmith of the Middle
Temple, gent., and _his cousin Elizabeth Milton_, to the Society of
Physicians, and the poor of the parish of St. Stephen's. Will proved
January 15, 1678.
I have omitted to note _what_ the bequests were. I will only add, that some
time ago I dropped my _alias_ of CRANMORE, and have occasionally appeared
in your sixth Volume as