The Acrostic Paradise Lost by John Milton and Terrance Lindall

Summary: Dating of the paper support was performed as an aid for determining when this copy of
the death warrant of King Charles I might have been made. Radiocarbon analysis indicates that the
paper could date from the ranges 1666-1784, 1796-1895 or 1904-1949; however, the data shows the
greatest probability is within 1796-1895. This result excludes the document being from the time of
Charles I’s execution. Although it is possible that the paper support could have been in existence
before Horace Walpole died, the greater probability is that the document post-dates his life. However
The fact that it is a unique handwritten document remains a mystery. So, it is post 1666, which
makes for interesting possibilities.
B.3 Radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating was performed on the paper substrate, with the sample being taken from a paper
tacking margin that folds onto the outer edge of the bottom stretcher bar. The measured date was 138
± 21 years BP (before present = 1950), giving a calibrated result at the 99.7% probability level with
date ranges of 1666-1784 (43.0%), 1796-1895 (39.2%) and 1904-1949 (17.5%) (Figure 1).
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