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racter of this good man, from whom I received this following relation. He sent to Mr. Donne, and entreated to borrow an hour of his time for a conference the next day. After their meeting there was not many minutes passed before he spoke to Mr. Donne to this purpose: "Mr. Donne, the occasion of "sending for you, is to propose to you what I have "often revolved in my own thought since I last saw "you, which, nevertheless, will not do but upon "this condition, that you shall not return me a present answer, but forbear three days, and bestow some 'part of that time in fasting and prayer; and after

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a serious consideration of what I shall propose, then "return to me with your answer. Dény me not, Mr. "Donne, for it is the effect of a true love, which I "would gladly pay as a debt due for your's to me." This request being granted, the Doctor expressed himself thus:

Mr. Donne, I know your education and abilities, "I know your expectation of a state-employment, and "I know your fitness for it; and I know, too, the " many delays and contingencies that attend court "promises; and let me tell you, my love begot by our

long friendship, our familiarity, and your merits, ἐσ hath prompted me to such an inquisition of your <i present temporal estate, as makes me no stranger to 05 your necessities, which are such as your generous spirit could not bear, if it were not supported with a

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** pious patience. You know I have formerly per→ ❝ suaded you to wave your court hopes, and enter into holy orders, which I now again persuade you to embrace, with this reason added to my former request; ❝ the King hath yesterday made me Dean of Glouces❝ter, and I am possessed of a benefice, the profits of

which are equal to those of my deanery; I will think 66. my deanery enough for my maintenance, (who am ❝ and resolve to die a single man) and will quit my be**nefice, and estate you in it, (which the patron is

willing I shall do) if God shall incline your heart "to embrace this motion. Remember, Mr. Donne, “no man's education or parts make him too good for "this employment, which is to be an ambassador for *the God of glory, who by a vile death opened the

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gates of life to mankind. Make me no present an66 swer, but remember your promise, and return to me "the third day with your resolution."

At the hearing of this, Mr. Donne's faint breath and perplexed countenance gave a visible testimony of an inward conflict; but he performed his promise, and departed without returning an answer till the third day, and then it was to this effect:

"My most worthy and most dear friend, since I 66 I saw you I have been faithful to my promise, and "have also meditated much of your great kindness, "which hath been such as would exceed even my gratitude, but that it cannot do, and more I cannot re

"turn you, and I do that with an heart full of humility "and thanks, though I may not accept of your offer:"but, Sir, my refusal is not for that I think myself "too good for that calling, for which kings, if they "think so, are not good enough; nor for that my "education and learning, though not eminent, may

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not, being assisted with God's grace and humility; "render me in some measure fit for it; but I dare "make so dear a friend as you are my confessor. Some "irregularities of my life have been so visible to some

men, that though I have, I thank God, made my peace "with him by penitential resolutions against them; "" and, by the assistance of his grace, banished them

my affections, yet this, which God knows to be so, ❝ is not so visible to man as to free me from their cen 66 sures, and, it may be, that sacred calling from a dis"honour and, besides, whereas it is determined by "the best of castists, that God's glory should be the "first end, and a maintenance the second motive, to

embrace that calling; and though each man may pro→ દર pose to himself both together, yet the first may not "be put last without a violation of conscience, which "he that searches the heart will judge. And truly 86 my present condition is such, that if I ask my own "conscience whether it be reconcileable to that rule, it is at this time so perplexed about it, that I can "neither give myself nor you an answer. You know, "Sir, who says, Happy is that man whose con

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* science doth not accuse him for that thing which he "does." To these I might add other reasons that dis"suade me; but I crave your favour that I may for"bear to express them, and thankfully decline your "offer."dos

This was his present resolution: but the heart of man is not in his own keeping, and he was destined to this sacred service by an higher hand, a hand so powerful, as at last forced him to a compliance; of which I shall give the reader an account before I shall give a rest to my pen.

Mr. Donne and his wife continued with Sir Francis Wolly till his death, a little before which time Sir Francis was so happy as to make a perfect reconciliation betwixt Sir George and his forsaken son and daughter, Sir George conditioning, by bond, to pay to Mr. Donne 800l. at a certain day, as a portion with his wife, or zol. quarterly for their maintenance, as the interest of it, till the said portion was paid.

Most of those years that he lived with Sir Francis he studied the Civil and Canon laws, in which he acquired such a perfection as was judged to hold proportion with many who had made that study the employment of their whole life..

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Sir Francis being dead, and that happy family dissolved, Mr. Donne took for himself an house in Micham, near to Croydon in Surrey, a place noted for good air and choice company: there his wife and chil

dren remained; and for himself he took lodgings in London, near to Whitehall, whether his friends and eccasions drew him very often, and where he was as often visited by many of the nobility and others of this nation, who used him in their counsels of greatest consideration.

Nor did our own nobility only value and favour him, but his acquaintance and friendship was sought for by most ambassadors of foreign nations, and by many other strangers, whose learning or business occasioned their stay in this nation.

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He was much importuned by many friends to make his constant residence in London, but he still denied it, having settled his dear wife and children at Micham, and near some friends that were bountiful to them and him; for they, God knows, needed it: and that you may the better now judge of the then present condition of his mind and fortune, I shall present you with an extract, collected out of some few of his many letters.

--------" And the reason why I did not send an "answer to your last week's letter was, because it "found me under too great a sadness; and at present

'tis thus with me: there is not one person but my45: self well of my family. I have already lost half a "child, and with that mischance of her's, my, wife is "fallen into such a discomposure as would afflict her

too extremely, but that the sickness of all her chil

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