viewing Ierusalem and the Sepulchre of our Saviour But at his being in the furthest parts of Italy the disappointment of company or of a safe Convoy or the uncertainty of returns for money into those remote parts denied him that happiness which he did often occasionally mention with a deploration Not long after his returne into England that exemplary pattern of gravity and wisdom the Lord Elsemore Keeper of the great Seal and Lord cellour of England taking notice of his Learning Languages and other abilities and much affecting his person and condition took him to be his chief Secretary supposing and intending it to be an Introduction to some more weighty employment in the State for which his Lordship did often protest he thought him very fit Nor did his Lordship in this time of Mr. Donne's attendance upon him account him to be so much his servant as to forget he was his friend and to testifie it did alwayes use him with much courtesie appointing him a place at his own table to which he esteemed his company and discourse a great ornament He continued that employment for the space of five years being daily usefull and not mercenary to his friends During which time he I dare not say unhappily fell into such a liking as with her approbation increased into a love with a young Gentlewoman that lived in that Family who was Niece to the Lady Elsemore and Daughter to Sir George Moor then Chancellour of the Garter and Lieutenant of the Tower Sir George had some intimation of it and knowing prevention to be a great part of wisdom did therefore remove her with much haste from that to his own house at Lothesley but too late by reason of some faithfull promises which were so interchangably passed as never to be violated These promises were onely known to themselves and the friends of both parties used much diligence and many arguments to kill or coole their affections to each other but in vain for love is a flattering mischief that hath denied aged and wise men a foresight of those evils that too often prove to be the children of that blind father a passion that carries us to commit errors with as much ease as whirlwinds remove feathers and beget in us an unwearied industry to the attainment of what we desire And such an industry did notwithstanding much watchfulness against it bring them together I forbear to tell how and to a marriage too without the allowance of those friends whose approbation always was ever will be necessary to make even a vertuous love become lawful And that the knowledge of their marriage might not fall like an unexpected tempest on those that were unwilling to have it so but that preapprehensions might make it the less enormous it was purposely whispered into the ears of many that it was so yet by none that could attest it But to put a period to the jealousies of Sir George Doubt often begetting more restless thoughts then the certain knowledge of what we fear the news was in favour to Mr. Donne and with his allowance made known to Sir George by his honourable friend and neighbour Henry Earl of Northumberland but it was to Sir George so immeasurably unwelcome and so transported him that as though his passion of anger and inconsideration might exceed theirs of love and errour he presently engaged his sister the Lady Elsemore to joyn with him to procure her Lord to discharge Mr. Donne of the place he held under his Lordship This request was followed with violence and though Sir George were remembred that errors might be over-punished and desired therefore to forbear till second considerations might clear some scruples yet he became restlesse untill his suit was granted and the punishment executed The Lord Chancellour then at Mr. Donnes dismission saying he parted with a Friend and protested he thought him a Secretary fitter for a King then a Subject But this Physick of M. Donne's dismission was not strong enough to purge out all Sir George his choler who was not satisfied till Mr. Donne and his Compupill in Cambridge that married him namely Samuel Brook who was after Doctor in Divinity and Master of Trinity Colledge and his brother Mr. Christopher Brook Mr. Donne's Chamber-fellow in Lincolns Inne who gave Mr. Donne his Wife and witnessed the marriage were all committed and to three severall prisons Mr. Donne was first enlarged who neither gave rest to his body or brain nor any friend in whom he might hope to have an interest untill he had procured an enlargement for his two imprisoned friends He was now at Liberty but his dayes were still cloudy and being past these troubles others did still multiply upon him for his wife was to her extreme sorrow detained fom him and though with Iacob he endured not an hard service for her yet he lost a good one and was forced to make good his title to her and to get possession of her by a long and a restlesse suit in Law which proved troublesome and chargeable to him whose youth and travell and bounty had brought his estate into a narrow compass It is observed and most truly that silence and submission are charming qualities and work most upon passionate men and it proved so with Sir George for these and a generall report of Mr. Donne's merits together with his winning behaviour which when it would intice had a strange kind of elegant irresistible art these and time had so dispassionated Sir George that as the world had approved his daughters choice so he also could not but see a more then ordinary merit in his new son and this melted him into so much remorse for Love and Anger are so like Agues as to have hot and cold fits And love in parents though it may be quenched yet is easily re-kindled and expires not till death denies mankind a naturall heat that he laboured his sons restoration to his place using to that end both his own and his sisters power to her Lord but with no successe for his answer was That though he was unfeignedly sorry for what he had done yet it was inconsistent with his place and credit to discharge and re-admit admit servants at the request of passionate petitioners Sir George's endeavour for Mr. Donne's re-admission was by all meanes to be kept secret for men do more naturally reluct for errours than submit to put on those blemishes that attend their visible acknowledgement However it was not long before Sir George appeared to be so far reconciled as to wish their happinesse and not to deny them his paternall blessing but refused to contribute any meanes that might conduce to their livelihood Mr. Donne's estate was the greatest part spent in many and chargable Travels Books and dear-bought Experience he out of all employment that might yield a support for himself and wife who had been curiously and plentifully educated both their natures generous and accustomed to confer but not to receive courtesies These and other considerations but chiefly that his wife was to bear a part in
faithfull friend and Executor of whose Care and Justice I make no more doubt then of Gods blessing on that which I have conscienciously collected for them and this I declare as my unalterable resolution The reply to this was onely a promise to observe his request Within a few dayes his distempers abated and as his strength increased so did his thankfulnesse to Almighty God testified in his book of Devotions which he published at his recovery In which the reader may see the most secret thoughts that then possest his soul Paraphrased and make publick a book that may not unfitly be called a Sacred picture of spirituall extasies occasioned and applyable to the emergencies of that sicknesse which being a composition of Meditations disquisitions and prayers he writ on his sick-bed herein imitating the holy Patriarchs who were wont to build their Altars in that place where they had received their blessings This sicknesse brought him so neer to the gates of death and he saw the grave so ready to devour him that he would often say his recovery was supernaturall But God that restor'd his health continued it to him till the fifty-ninth year of his life And then in August 1630. being with his eldest Daughter Mrs. Harvie at Abury hatch in Essex he there fell into a fever which with the help of his constant infirmity vapors from the spleene hastened him into so visible a Consumption that his beholders might say as St Paul of himself He dies daily and he might say with Iob my welfare passeth away as a cloud the dayes of my affliction have taken hold of me and weary nights are appointed for me Reader this sicknesse continued long not onely weakening but wearying him so much that my desire is he may now take some rest and that before I speake of his death thou wilt not think it an impertinent digression to look back with me upon some observations of his life which whilst a gentle slumber gives rest to his spirits may I hope not unfitly exercise thy consideration His marriage was the remarkable errour of his life an errour which though he had a wit able very apt to maintain Paradoxes yet he was very farre from justifying though his wives Competent yeares and other reasons might be justly urged to moderate severe Censures yet he would occasionally condemn himself for it and doubtlesse it had been attended with an heavy Repentance if God had not blest them with so mutuall and Cordiall affections as in the midst of their sufferings made their bread of sorrow taste more pleasantly then the banquets of dull and low-spirited people The recreations of his youth were Poetry in which he was so happy as if nature and all her varieties had been made onely to exercise his sharpe wit and high fancy and in those pieces which were facetiously Composed and carelesly scattered most of them being written before the twentieth year of his age it may appear by his choice Metaphors that both Nature and all the Arts joyn'd to assist him with their utmost skill It is a truth that in his penitentiall yeares viewing some of those pieces loosely scattered in his youth he wish't they had been abortive or so short liv'd that his own eyes had witnessed their funeralls But though he was no friend to them he was not so fallen out with heavenly Poetry as to forsake that no not in that in his declining age witnessed then by many Divine Sonnets and other high holy and harmonious Composures Yea even on his former sick-bed he wrote this heavenly Hymne expressing the great joy that then possest his soul in the Assurance of Gods favour to him An Hymne to God the Father Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun Which was my sin though it were done before Wilt thou forgive that sin through which I run And do run still though still I do deplore When thou hast done thou hast not done For I have more Wilt thou forgive that sin which I have wonne Others to sin and made my sin their doone Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun A year or two but wallowed in a score When thou hast done thou hast not done For I have more I have a sin of fear that when I 've spun My last thred I shall perish on the shore But swear by thy self that at my death thy Son Shall shine as he shines now and heretofore And having done that thou hast done I fear no more I have the rather mentioned this Hymne for that he caus'd it to be set to a most grave and solemn tune and to be often sung to the Organ by the Choristers of that Church in his own hearing especially at the Evening Service and at his return from his Customary Devotions in that place did occasionally say to a friend The words of this Hymne have restored to me the same thoughts of joy that possest my soul in my sicknesse when I composed it And Oh the power of Church-musick that Harmony added to it has raised the affections of my heart and quickned my graces of zeal and gratitude and I observe that I alwaies return from paying this publick duty of Prayer and Praise to God with an unexpressible tranquillity of mind and a willingnesse to leave the world After this manner did the Disciples of our Saviour and the best of Christians in those Ages of the Church nearest to his time offer their praises to Almighty God And the reader of St. Augustines life may there find that towards his dissolution he wept abundantly that the enemies of Christianity had broke in upon them and prophaned and ruin'd their Sanctuaries and because their Publick Hymns and Lauds were lost out of their Churches And after this manner have many devout soules lifted up their hands and offered acceptable Sacrifices unto Almighty God in that place where Dr. Donne offered his But now oh Lord Before I proceed further I think fit to informe the reader that not long before his death he caused to be drawn a figure of the body of Christ extended upon an Anchor like those which painters draw when they would present us with the picture of Christ Crucified on the Crosse his varying no otherwise then to affixe him to an Anchor the Embleme of hope this he caused to be drawn in little and then many of these figures thus drawn to be ingraven very small in Hâ—litropian Stones and set in gold and of these he sent to many of his dearest friends to be used as Seales or Rings and kept as memorialls of him and his affection His dear friends Sir Henry Goodier and Sir Robert Drewry could not be of that number for they had put off mortality and taken possession of the grave before him But Sir Henry Wootton and Dr. Hall the late deceased Bishop of Norwich were and so were Dr. Duppa Bishop of Salisbury and Dr. Henry King Bishop of Chicester both now living-men in whom there was and is such a Commixture
broke the Captain sought to be at Mrs. Jones house who in her husbands absence declining it he went in the night his boy carrying his cloak-bag on foot to the Lord of Sussex who going next day to hunt the Captain not then sick told him he would see him no more A Chaplain came up to him to whom he delivered an account of his understanding and I hope of his belief and soon after dyed and my Lord hath buried him with his own Ancestors Perchance his life needed a longer sickness but a man may go faster and safer when he enjoyes that day-light of a clear and sound understanding than in the night or twy-light of an Ague or other disease And the grace of Almighty God doth every thing suddenly and hastily but depart from us it enlightens us warmes us heates us ravishes us at once Such a medicine I fear his inconsideration needed and I hope as confidently that he had it As our soul is infused when it is created and created when it is infused so at her going out Gods mercy is had by asking and that is asked by having Lest your Polesworth c. To Sir H. Goodere SIR THis letter hath more merit then one of more diligence for I wrote it in my bed and with much pain I have occasion to sit late some nights in my study which your books make a pretty library and now I find that that room hath a wholesome emblematique use for having under it a vault I make that promise me that I shall die reading since my book and a grave are so near But it hath another unwholesomenesse that by raw vapours rising from thence for I can impute it to nothing else I have contracted a sicknesse which I cannot name nor describe For it hath so much of a continuall Cramp that it wrests the sinews so much of a Tetane that it withdraws and puls the mouth and so much of the Gout which they whose counsell I use say it is that it is not like to be cured though I am too hasty in three dayes to pronounce it If it be the Gout I am miserable for that affects dangerous parts as my neck and breast and I think fearfully my stomach but it will not kill me yet I shall be in this world like a porter in a great house ever nearest the door but seldomest abroad I shall have many things to make me weary and yet not get leave to be gone If I go I will provide by my best meanes that you suffer not for me in your bonds The estate which I should leave behind me of any estimation is my poor fame in the memory of my friends and therefore I would be curious of it and provide that they repent not to have loved me Since my imprisonment in my bed I have made a meditition in verse which I call a Litany the word you know imports no other then supplication but all Churches have one form of supplication by that name Amongst ancient annals I mean some 800 years I have met two Letanies in Latin verse which gave me not the reason of my meditations for in good faith I thought not upon them then but they give me a defence if any man to a Lay man and a private impute it as a fault to take such divine and publique names to his own little thoughts The first of these was made by Ratpertus a Monk of Suevia and the other by S. Notker of whom I will give you this note by the way that he is a private Saint for a few parishes they were both but Monks and the Letanies poor and barbarous enough yet Pope Nicolas the 5. valued their devotion so much that he canonized both their Poems and commanded them for publick service in their Churches mine is for lesser Chappels which are my friends and though a copy of it were due to you now yet I am so unable to serve my self with writing it for you at this time being some 30 staves of 9 lines that I must intreat you to take a promise that you shall have the first for a testimony of that duty which I owe to your love and to my self who am bound to cherish it by my best offices That by which it will deserve best acceptation is That neither the Roman Church need call it defective because it abhors not the particular mention of the blessed Triumphers in heaven nor the Reformed can discreetly accuse it of attributing more then a rectified devotion ought to do The day before I lay down I was at London where I delivered your Letter for Sir Edward Conway and received another for you with the copy of my Book of which it is impossible for me to give you a copy so soon for it is not of much lesse then 300 pages If I die it shall come to you in that fashion that your Letter desires it If I warm again as I have often seen such beg-gers as my indisposition is end themselves soon and the patient as soon you and I shall speak together of that before it be too late to serve you in that commandment At this time I onely assure you that I have not appointed it upon any person nor ever purposed to print it which later perchance you thought and grounded your request thereupon A Gent. that visited me yesterday told me that our Church hath lost Mr. Hugh Broughton who is gone to the Roman side I have known before that Serarius the Jesuit was an instrument from Cardinal Baronius to draw him to Rome to accept a stipend onely to serve the Christian Churches in controversies with the Jews without indangering himself to change of his perswasion in particular deductions between these Christian Churches or being inquired of or tempted thereunto And I hope he is no otherwise departed from us If he be we shall not escape scandall in it because though he be a man of many distempers yet when he shall come to eat assured bread and to be removed from partialities to which want drove him to make himself a reputation and raise up favourers you shall see in that course of opposing the Jews he will produce worthy things and our Church will perchance blush to have lost a Souldier fit for that great battell and to cherish onely those single Duellisms between Rome and England or that more single and almost self-homicide between the unconformed Ministers and Bishops I writ to you last week that the plague increased by which you may see that my Letters opinion of the song not that I make such trifles for praise but because as long as you speake comparatively of it with mine own and not absolutely so long I am of your opinion even at this time when I humbly thank God I ask and have his comfort of sadder meditations I do not condemn in my self that I have given my wit such evaporations as those if they be free from prophanenesse or obscene provocations Sir you would