Introduction
Strongly opposed to the prelatical form of the English Church, especially its governmental structure of bishops and archbishops, Milton drafted and published five anti-prelatical tracts to make his positions clear. The fifth and final tract is titled An Apology against a Pamphlet Called a Modest Confutation of the Animadversions upon the Remonstrant against Smectymnuus, often shortened to The Apology or An Apology for a Pamphlet. Published in April 1642, The Apology is Milton’s response to and continuation of the so-called "pamphlet wars" between the anti-prelatical authors who called themselves (collectively) Smectymnuus and supporters of prelacy, including James Ussher, Archbishop of Armagh, and Joseph Hall, Bishop of Exeter. Hall initiated this train of pamphlets with A Defence of the Humble Remonstrance, against the Frivolous and False Exceptions of Smectymnuus (1641) responding to An Answer to a Book Entituled An Humble Remonstrance (1641), written by a group of anti-prelatical clergy who went by the pen-name Smectymnuus. Smectymnuus was made up of the first and last name initials of Stephen Marshall, Edmund Calamy, Thomas Young, Matthew Newcommen, and William (with a double-u) Spurstow. Hall’s Defence was followed by Milton’s Animadversions, which was in turn attacked by a pamphlet titled A Modest Confutation of a Slanderous and Scurrilous Libell, Entituled, Animadversions upon the remonstrants defense against Smectymnuus, published anonymously in 1642. In The Apology, Milton once again addresses the points made in the Modest Confutation, this time not only to rebut the pro-prelatical arguments, but also to defend himself against the very personal accusations made against him.
Three of Milton's five anti-prelatical tracts are formal treatises that challenge prelacy. The other two, however, take on a much more personal, and often caustically satirical tone. In Animadversions (July 1641) and The Apology (April 1642), Milton did not hesitate to engage in bitter personal attacks that could easily have led to charges of libel.
Throughout The Apology, Milton cleverly intimates that he knows Bishop Joseph Hall wrote A Modest Confutation, but even more cleverly, he pretends that he is uncertain of that. Hall was a pro-prelacy pamphleteer and the Bishop of Exeter who also authored Episcopacie by divine right. Asserted (1640), which argued that prelatical church government was divinely ordained much as many believed monarchy was. Hall had also urged James Ussher, Archbishop of Armagh, to draft The Judgment of Doctor Rainoldes touching the Original of Episcopacy More largely confirmed out of Antiquity (1641). Milton implies numerous times in The Apology that he knows Hall wrote A Modest Confutation, but does not make it explicit. By feigning ignorance, Milton allows himself the liberty of making fierce rhetorical attacks on the "anonymous" Confuter without risking charges of libel against a Bishop of the English Church; if he claims not to know whom he attacks, it could hardly be libelous. “I shall return him in short [by] … answering A Foole according to his folly,” says Milton, quoting Proverbs 26:5—"Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit"—ignoring verse 4 which says, “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.”
Milton’s efforts to steer clear of accusations of libel stem not only from his desire to avoid legal entanglements, but also from his personal values. In Areopagitica (1644), Milton responds to the Licensing Order of 1643, which authorized pre-publication censorship, and argues that books should not be suppressed prior to publication. The “scandalous, seditious, and libellous Books,” he states, should be tried according to the law after publication so that libelous authors may be punished accordingly. Milton took libel very seriously; he condemns it and declares that “libellers” deserve to be punished by the law. By preserving the fiction that he does not know Hall is the "Confuter," Milton also protects himself from such charges.
While Milton dedicates a large part of The Apology to defending his own integrity and character from assaults and insinuations made by Hall and others, he also addresses other minor accusations, such as the one calling out his harsh use of language and rhetoric. Milton states that his style follows “the famousest examples of the Greek and Roman Orations,” which may indicate that he is following Aristotle’s guidance on “employ[ing] the language of anger … [and] the language of disgust and discreet reluctance” as he expresses his opinions. He also cites the example of “Our Saviour,” Jesus Christ; Milton points out that even “Our Saviour” employed “bitter and irefull rebukes … [against] his wilful impugners,” the Pharisees. Milton claims to be expressing “sanctifi'd bitternesse against the enemies of truth,” in this case, Bishop Hall. Thus, Milton views Hall as a latter day Pharisee.
