Donne

Donne, John (1573-1631), an English poet said by Ben Jonson to be "the first poet in some things of his time." and by Dryden, "the greatest wit though not the greatest poet." Ben Jonson said also that his works would not live as they would not be understood, and this has proved true. Donne was born in Loudon, being related to Sir T. More, his mother being the daughter of John Heywood, and his father of Welsh descent. He was a Catholic in his early days, and after entering at Hart Hall, Oxford, where he became a friend of Sir Henry Wotton. he travelled, and in 1592 he entered at Lincoln's Inn and joined the Church of England. After taking part in Essex's Spanish expedition he became Secretary to the Lord Keeper, Sir T. Egerton. In 1600 he secretly married the daughter of Sir G. More and niece of Sir T. Egerton. For this he was dismissed from his post and imprisoned, but he managed to be released and to get into favour at Court. He entered Anglican orders in 1615, and was appointed Royal chaplain. In 1616 he received the livings of Keyston, Hunts, and of Sevenoaks, Kent. He was appointed reader at Lincoln's Inn, and as a preacher he is greatly extolled by Izaak Walton, who wrote a life of him. In 1621 he was made Dean of St. Paul's, and was buried in the cathedral. His first poem was printed in 1611, being an eulogy on Sir Robert Drury's daughter.