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THis pleasant Poet, painful Preacher, and pi∣ous Person, was born in Do••••••n, of wealthy Parents, who took such care of his Education, that at nine years of Age he was sent to study at Hart-Hall in Oxford, having besides the Latine
and Greek, attained to a knowledge in the French Tongue. Here he fell into acquaintance with that great Master of Language and Art, Sir Hen∣ry Wootton; betwixt whom was such Friendship contracted, that nothing but Death could force the separation.
From Oxford he was transplanted to Cambridge, where he much improved his Study, and from thence placed at Lincolns Inn, when his Father dy∣ing, and leaving him three thousand pound in ready Money; he having a youthful desire to tra∣vel, went over with the Earl of Essex to Cales; where having seen the issue of this Expedition, he left them and went into Italy, and from thence into Spain, where by his Industry he attainted to a per∣fection in their Languages, and returned home with many useful Observations of those Coun∣tries, and their Laws and Government.
These his Abilities, upon his Return, preferred him to be Secretary to the Lord Elsmore, Keeper of the Great Seal; in whose Service he fell in Love with a young Gentlewoman who lived in that Fa∣mily, Neece to the Lady Elsmore, and Daughter to Sir George Moor, Chancellor of the Garter, and Lieutenant of the Tower, who greatly opposed this Match; yet notwithstanding they were private∣ly married: which so exesperated Sir George Moor, that he procured the Lord Elsmore to discharge him of his Secretariship, and never left prosecuting him till he had cast him into Prison, as also his two Friends who had married him, and gave him his Wife in Marriage.
But Mr. Donne had not been long there before he found means to get out, as also enlargement for his two Friends, and soon after through the mediation
of some able persons, a reconciliation was made, and he receiving a Portion with his Wife, and having help of divers friends, they lived very comfortably together; And now was he frequently visited by men of greatest learning and judgment in this King∣dom; his company desired by the Nobility, and ex∣treamly affected by the Gentry: His friendship was sought for of most foreign Embassadors, and his acquaintance entreated by many other strangers, whose learning or employment occasioned their stay in this Kingdom. In which state of life he composed his more brisk and youthful Poems; in which he was so happy, as if Nature with all her varieties had been made to exercise his great Wit and Fancy; Nor did he leave it off in his old age, as is witnessed by many of his divine Sonnets, and other high, holy and harmo∣nious Composures, as under his Effigies in these follow∣ing Verses to his Printed Poems, one most inge∣niously expresses.
This was for youth, strength, mirth, and wit, the time Most count their golden age, but times not thine: Thine was thy later years, so much refin'd, From youths dross, mirth, and wit, as thy pure mind, Thought, like the Angels, nothing but the praise Of thy Creator in those last best days. Witness this Book, thy Emblem, which begins With love, but ends with sighs and tears for sins.
At last, by King James's his command, or rather earnest persuasion, setting himself to the study of Theology, and into holy Orders, he was first made a Preacher of Lincoln's-Inn, afterwards advanc'd to be Dean of Pauls, and as of an eminent Poet he became a much more eminent Preacher, so he rather im∣proved then relinquisht his Poetical fancy, only con∣verting
it from humane and worldly to divine and hea∣venly Subjects; witness this Hymn made in the time of his sickness.
He died March 31. Anno 1631. and was buried in St. Paul's-Church, attended by many persons of No∣bility and Eminency. After his burial, some mournful friends repaired, and as Alexander the great did to the Grave of the most famous Achilles, so they strew∣ed his with curious and costly flowers. Nor was this (tho' not usual) all the honour done to his reverend ashes; for some person (unknown) to perpetuate his memory, sent to his Executors, Dr. King, and Dr. Momford, an 100 Marks towards the making of a Monument for him; which they faithfully perform∣ed, it being as lively a representation as in dead
Marble could be made of him, tho' since by that mer∣ciless Fire in 1666. it be quite ruined.
I shall conclude all with these Verses, made to the Memory of this reverend person.
He that would write an Epitaph for thee, And do it well, must first begin to be Such as thou wert; for none can truly know Thy worth, thy life, but he that lived so. He must have wit to spare, and to hurl down, Enough to keep the Gallants of the Town. He must have learning plenty, both the Laws Civil and Common, to judge any Cause; Divinity great store above the rest, None of the worst Edition, but the best: He must have Language, Travel, all the Arts; Judgment to use, or else he wants thy parts: He must have friends the highest, able to do, Such as Maecenas and Augustus too; He must have such a sickness, such a death, Or else his vain descriptions come beneath: He must unto all good men be a friend, And (like to thee) must make a pious end.