First edition as an
ANN ARBOR PAPERBACK 1959
Published in the United States of America by
the University of Michigan and simultaneously
in Toronto, Canada, by Ambassador Books, Ltd.
Manufactured in the United States of America
| THE LIFE OF DR. JOHN DONNE | v |
| DEVOTIONS | 1 |
| DEATH'S DUEL | 161 |
(Taken from the life by Izaak Walton).
Master John Donne was born in London, in the year 1573, of good andvirtuous parents: and, though his own learning and other multipliedmerits may justly appear sufficient to dignify both himself and hisposterity, yet the reader may be pleased to know that his father wasmasculinely and lineally descended from a very ancient family in Wales,where many of his name now live, that deserve and have great reputationin that country.
By his mother he was descended of the family of the famous and learnedSir Thomas More, sometime Lord Chancellor of England: as also, from thatworthy and laborious Judge Rastall, who left posterity the vast Statutesof the Law of this nation most exactly abridged.
He had his first breeding in his father's house, where a private tutorhad the care of him, until the tenth year of his age; and, in hiseleventh year, was sent to the University of Oxford, having at that timea good command both of the French and Latin tongue. This, and some otherof his remarkable abilities, made one then give this censure of him:That this age had brought forth another Picus Mirandula; of whom[Pg vi] storysays, that he was rather born than made wise by study.
There he remained for some years in Hart Hall, having, for theadvancement of his studies, tutors of several sciences to attend andinstruct him, till time made him capable, and his learning expressed inpublic exercises, declared him worthy, to receive his first degree inthe schools, which he forbore by advice from his friends, who, being fortheir religion of the Romish persuasion, were conscionably averse tosome parts of the oath that is always tendered at those times, and notto be refused by those that expect the titulary honour of their studies.
About the fourteenth year of his age he was transplanted from Oxford toCambridge, where, that he might receive nourishment from both soils, hestaid till his seventeenth year; all which time he was a most laboriousstudent, often changing his studies, but endeavouring to take no degree,for the reasons formerly mentioned.
About the seventeenth year of his age he was removed to London, and thenadmitted into Lincoln's Inn, with an intent to study the law, where hegave great testimonies of his wit, his learning, and of his improvementin that profession; which never served him