Corrupted Nature sorrow'd when she stood Man to amend?--- More of this, and more witnesses, might be brought: but I forbear, and return. That summer, in the very same month in which he entered into sacred orders, and was made the King's chaplain, his Majesty then going his progress, was entreated to receive an entertainment in the university of Cambridge; and Mr. Donne attending his Majesty at that time, his Majesty was pleased to recommend him to the university, to be made Doctor in Divinity. Dr. Harsnet (after Archbishop of York) was then Vice-Chancellor, who knowing him to be the author of that learned book, the Pseudo-Martyr, required no other proof of his abilities, but proposed it to the university, who presently assented, and expressed a gladness that they had such an occasion to entitle him to be theirs. His abilities and industry in his profession were so eminent, and he so known and so beloved by persons of quality, that within the first year of his entering into sacred orders he had fourteen advowsons of seve ral benefices presented to him; but they were in the country, and he could not leave his beloved London, to which place he had a natural inclination, having received both his birth and education in it, and there contracted a friendship with many whose conversation multiplied the joys of his life; but an employment that might affix him to that place would be welcome, for he needed it. Immediately after his return from Cambridge his wife died, leaving him a man of an unsettled estate, and (having buried five) the careful father of seven children then liying, to whom he gave a voluntary assurance never to bring them under the subjection of a step-mother, which promise he kept most faithfully, burying with his tears all his earthly joys in his most dear and deserving wife's grave, betaking himself to a most retired and solitary life. In this retiredness, which was often from the sight of his dearest friends, he became crucified to the world, and all those vanities, those imaginary pleasures, that are daily acted on that restless stage, and they crucified to him. Nor is it hard to think (seeing passions may be both changed and heightened 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 divided so many pleasant sorrows and contented fears, as 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 H 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 á pelican in the wilderness, he might bemoan himself without witness or restraint, and pour forth his passions like Job in the days 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 dark." Thus, as the Israelites sat mourning by the rivers of Babylon, when they remembered Sion, so he gave some ease to his oppressed heart by thus venting his sorrows: 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 ergagements to God, and St. Paul's "Woe is unto me if I "preach not the gospel," dispersed those sad clouds that had now benighted his hopes, and forced him to behold the light. His first motion from his house was to preach where his beloved wife lay buried, in St. Clement's church, near Temple-Bar, London; and his text was a part of the prophet Jeremy's Lamentation, "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 tears, expressed in his sermon, did so work upon the affections of his hearers as melted and moulded them into a companionable sadness, and so they left the congregation: but then their houses presented them with objects of diversion, and his preşented him with no diversions, but with fresh objects of sorrow, in beholding many helpless children, a narrow fortune, and a consideration of the many cares and casualties that attend their education. In this time of sadness he was importuned by the grave benchers of Lincoln's-Inn, once the friends of his youth, to accept of their lecture, which, by reason of Dr. Gataker's removal 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, or to deride it, yet in his irregular youth to neglect the visible practice of it, there to become a Paul, and preach salvation to his beloved brethren. And now his life was as a shining light among his old friends now he gave an ocular testimony of the strictness and regularity of it: now be might say, as St. Paul adviseth 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 busy-body, but of a contemplative, a harmless, an humble, and an holy life and conversation. The love of that noble society was expressed to him many ways; for beside fair lodgings that were set apart and newly furnished for him with all necessaries, other courtesies were daily added; indeed 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 two years, he preaching faithfully and constantly to them, and they liberally requiting him. About which time the Emperor of Germany died, and the Palsgrave, who had lately married the Lady Elizabeth, the King's only daughter, was elected and crowned king of Bohemia, the unhappy beginning of many miseries in that nation. King James, whose molto, 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 ambassador to those unsettled princes; and, by a special 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 always put a great value on him, and taken a great pleasure in his conversation and discourse; and his friends of Lincoln's-Inn were as glad; for they feared that his immoderate study, and sadness |