beautifie the Chappel suffering as holy David once vowed his eyes and temples to take no rest till he had first beautified the house of God The next quarter following when his Father-in-law Sir Geo. Moor whom Time had made a lover and admirer of him came to pay to him the conditioned summe of twenty pounds he refused to receive it and said as good Iacob did when he heard his beloved son Ioseph was alive It is enough you have been kind to me and mine I know your present condition and I hope mine is or will be such as not to need it I will therefore receive no more from you upon that contract and in testimony of it freely gave him up his bond Immediately after his admission into his Deanry the Vicarage of St. Dunston in the West London fell to him by the death of Dr. White the Advewson of it having been formerly given to him by his honourable friend Richard Earl of Dorset then the Patron and confirmed by his brother the late deceased Edward both of them men of much honour By these and other Ecclesiasticall endowments which fell to him about the same time given to him formerly by the Earl of Kent he was enabled to become charitable to the poor and kind to his friends and to make such provision for his children that they were not left scandalous as relating to their or his profession and quality The next Parliament which was within that present year he was chosen Prolocutor to the Convocation and about that time was appointed by his Majesty his most gracious Master to preach very many occasionall Sermons All which employments he performed not onely to the allowance but admiration of the Representative Body of the whole Clergy of this Nation He was once and but once clowded with the Kings displeasure and it was about this time which was occasioned by some malicious whisperer who had told his Majesty that Dr. Donne had put on the generall humour of the Pulpits and was become busie in insinuating a fear of the Kings inclining to Popery and a dislike of his Government and particularly for his turning the evening Lectures into Catechising and expounding the Prayer of our Lord and of the Belief and Commandements His Majesty was more inclinable to believe this for that a person of Nobility and great note betwixt whom and Dr. Donne there had been a great friendship was about this time discarded the Court I shall forbear his name unlesse I had a fairer occasion and justly committed to prison which begot many rumours in the common people who in this Nation think they are not wise unlesse they be busie about what they understand not and especially about Religion The King received this news with so much discontent and restlesnesse that he would not suffer the Sun to set and leave him under this doubt but sent for Dr. Donne and required his answer to the Accusation which was so clear and satisfactory that the King said he was right glad he rested no longer under the suspicion When the King had said this Doctor Donne kneeled down and thanked his Majesty and protested his answer was faithful free from all collusion and therefore desired that he might not rise till as in like cases he always had from God so he might have from his Majesty some assurance that he stood clear and fair in his opinion Then the King raised him from his knees with his own hands and protested that he knew he was an honest man and doubted not but that he loved him truly And having thus dismissed him he called some Lords of his Council into his chamber and said with much earnestnesse My Doctor is an honest man and my Lords I was never better satisfied with an answer and I alwayes rejoice when I think that by my means he became a Divine He was made Dean the fiftieth year of his age and in his fifty fourth yeare a dangerous sicknesse seized him which inclined him to a Consumption But God as Job thankfully acknowledged preserved his spirit and kept his intellectuals as clear and perfect as when that sicknesse first seized his body In this distemper of body his dear friend Dr. Henry King chief Residenciary of that Church and now Bishop of Chicester a man then generally known by the Clergy of this Nation and as generally noted for his obliging nature visited him dayly and observing that his sicknesse rendred his recovery doubtfull he chose a seasonable time to speak to him to this purpose Mr. Dean I am by your favour no stranger to your temporal estate you are no stranger to the Offer lately made us for the renewing a Lease of the best Prebends Corps belonging to our Church and you know 't was denyed for that our Tenant being very rich offered to fine at so low a rate as held not proportion with his advantages but I will raise him to an higher summe or procure that the other Residenciaries shall joyn to accept of what was offered one of those I can and will doe without delay and without any trouble either to your body or mind I beseech you to accept of my offer for I know it will be a considerable addition to your present estate To this after a short pause and raising himself upon his bed he made this reply My most dear friend I most humbly thank you for your many favours and this in particular But in my present condition I shall not accept of your proposall for doubtlesse there is such a Sinne as Sacriledge if there were not it could not have a name in Scripture And the Primitive Clergy were watchfull against all appearances of it and indeed then all Christians lookt upon it with horror and detestation Judging it to be even an open defiance of the power and providence of Almighty God and a sad presage of a declining Religion But instead of such Christians who had selected times set a part to fast and pray to God for a pious Clergy which they did obey Our times abound with men that are busie and litigious about trifles and Church-Ceremonies and yet so far from scrupling Sacriledge that they make not so much as a quaere what it is But I thank God I have and dare not now upon my sick bed when Almighty God hath made me uselesse to the service of the Church make any advantages out of it But if he shall again restore me to such a degree of health as again to serve at his Altar I shall then gladly take the reward which the bountifull Benefactours of this Church have designed me for God knowes my Children and relations will need it In which number my mother whose Credulity and Charity has contracted a very plentifull to a very narrow estate must not be forgotten But Dr. King if I recover not that little that very little when divided into eight parts must if you deny me not so Charitable a favour fall into your hands as my mst
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
acted on that restlesse stage and they crucified to him Nor s it hard to thinke being passions may be both changed and heightned by accidents but that that abundant affection which once was betwixt him and her who had long been the delight of his eyes the Companion of his youth her with whom he had devided so many pleasant sorrows and contented feares as the Common-people are not capable of She being now removed by death a commeasurable grief took as full a possession of him as joy had done and so indeed it did for now his very soul was elemented of nothing but sadness now grief took so full a possession of his heart as to leave no place for joy If it did It was a joy to be alone where like a Pelican in the wilderness he might bemoane himself without witnesse or restraint and poure forth his passions like Iob in the dayes of his affliction Oh that I might have the desire of my heart Oh that God would grant the thing that I long for For then as the Grave is become her house so I would hasten to make it mine also that we two might there make our beds together in the darke Thus as the Israelites sate mourning by the rivers of Babylon when they remembred Sion so he gave some ease to his oppressed heart by thus venting his sorrowes Thus he began the day and ended the night ended the restless night and began the weary day in lamentations And thus he continued till a consideration of his new ingagements to God and St. Pauls Wo is me if I preach not the Gospel disper'st those sad clouds that had now benighted his hopes and forc'd him to behold the light His first motion from his house was to preach where his beloved wife lay buryed in St. Clements Church neer Temple-Barre London and his text was a part of the Prophet Ieremy's Lamentations Lo I am the man that have seen affliction And indeed his very words and looks testified him to be truly such a man and they with the addition of his sighs and teares did so work upon the affections of his hearers as melted and moulded them into a companionable sadnesse and so they left the Congregation but their houses presented them with objects of diversion and his presented him with no diversions but with fresh objects of sorrow in beholding many helplesse children and a consideration of the many cares and casualties that attended their education In this time of sadnesse he was importuned by the grave Benchers of Lincolns Inne once the friends of his youth to accept of their Lecture which by reason of Dr. Gatakers removall from thence was then void of which he accepted being most glad to renew his intermitted friendship with those whom he so much loved and where he had been a Saul though not to persecute Christianity yet in his irregular youth to neglect the visible practise of it there to become a Paul and preach salvation to his brethren And now his life was as a Shining light amongst his old friends now he gave an ocular testimony of the strictnesse and regularity of it now he might say as S. Paul advised his Corinthians Be ye followers of me as I follow Christ and walk as ye have me for an example not the example of a busie-body but of a contemplative an harmlesse and an holy life and conversation The love of that noble society was expressed to him many wayes for besides fair lodgings that were set apart and newly furnished for him with all necessaries other courtesies were daily added so many and so freely as if they meant their gratitude should exceed his merits and in this love-strife of desert and liberality they continued for the space of three years he preaching faithfully and constantly to them and they liberally requiting him About which time the Emperour of Germany died and the Palsgrave who had lately married the Lady Elizabeth the Kings onely daugther was elected and crowned King of Bohemia the unhappy beginning of many miseries in that Nation King Iames whose Motto Beati Pacifici did truly speak the very thoughts of his heart endeavoured first to prevent and after to compose the discords of that discomposed State and amongst other his endeavours did then send the Lord Hay Earl of Doncaster his Ambassadour to those unsetled Princes and by a speciall command from his Majesty Dr. Donne was appointed to assist and attend that employment to the Princes of the Union for which the Earl was most glad who had alwayes put a great value on him and taken a complacency in his coversation and those of Lincolnes Inne that were his most intire friends were glad also for they feared that his immoderate study and sadness for his wives death would as Iacob said make his days few and respecting his bodily health evil too and of this there were some visible signes At his going he left his friends of Lincolns Inne and they him with many reluctations for though he could not say as S. Paul to his Ephesians Behold you to whom I have peached the kingdom of God shall from henceforth see my face no more yet he believing himself to be in a Consumption questioned and they feared it knowing that his troubled mind with the help of his unintermitted studies hastened the decayes of his weak body But God turned it to the best for this employment to say nothing of the event of it did not onely divert him from those serious studies and sad thoughts but seemed to give him a new life by a true occasion of joy to be an eye-witnesse of the health of his most dear and most honoured Mistresse the Qu of Bohemia in a forraign Nation and to be a witness of that gladness which she expressed to see him Who having formerly known him a Courtier was much joyed to see him in a Canonicall habit and more glad to be an ear-witness of his excellent and powerfull preaching About fourteen moneths after his departure out of England he returned to his friends of Lincolns-Inne with his sorrows moderated and his health improved and there be took himself to his constant course of preaching About a year after his return out of Germany Dr. Cary was made Bishop of Exeter and by his removall the Deanry of St. Pauls being vacant the King sent to Dr. Donne and appointed him to attend him at dinner the next day When his Majesty was sate down before he had eat any meat he said after his pleasant manner Dr. Donne I have invited you to dinner and though you sit not down with me yet I will carve to you of a dish that I know you love well for I know you love London and I do therefore make you Dean of Pauls and when I have dined then doe you take your beloved dish home to your study say grace there to your self and much good may it do you Immediately after he came to his Deanry he employed workmen to repair and