The Ready and Easy Way to Establish a Free Commonwealth was a political tract by John Milton published in London at the end of February 1660.
The full title is "The readie & easie way to establish a Free Commonwealth, and the excellence therof compar'd with the inconveniences and dangers of readmitting kingship in this nation.
[2] This was not to happen, and when Milton published his pamphlet The Readie and Easie Way in late February, it was only one month before the Restoration would reestablish a monarchy.
[4] Milton begins his work with a message of hope and admits that he is "not a little rejoicing to hear declar'd, the resolutions of all those who are now in power, jointly tending to the establishment of a free Commonwealth".
[5] Early in the tract, Milton believed that the premise of his work would be accepted by his fellows:[6] "I doubt not but all ingenuous and knowing men will easily agree with me, that a free Commonwealth without single person or house of lords, is by far the best government".
[7] He continues by attacking "the fond conceit of something like a duke of Venice, put lately into many mens heads, by som one or other suttly driving on under that prettie notion his own ambitious ends to a crown" and declares that "our liberty shall not be hamperd or hoverd over by any ingag'ment to such a potent family as the house of Nassaw, of whom to stand in perpetual doubt and suspicion, but we shall live the cleerest and absolutest free nation in the world".
[9]With the monarchy about to be restored, Milton predicted that[3] if we return to kingship, and soon repent, (as undoubtedly we shall, when we begin to find the old encroachments coming on by little and little upon our consciences, which must necessarily proceed from king and bishop united inseparably in one interest,) we may be forced perhaps to fight over again all that we have fought, and spend over again all that we have spent[10]In particular, Milton feared that a future King "must be ador'd like a Demigod, with a dissolute and haughtie court about him, of vast expence and luxurie, masks and revels" and fill the court with debauchery.
In particular, Milton relied on predictions of the future combined with biblical analogies to ensure that people knew the dangers inherent in such a governmental system.