o was
forcibly detained from him. At length our poet's extraordinary merit
and winning behaviour so far subdued Sir George's resentment, that he
used his interest with the Chancellor to have his son-in-law restored
to his place; But this request was refused; his lordship observing,
that he did not chuse to discharge and re-admit servants at the
request of his passionate petitioners. Sir George had been so far
reconciled to his daughter and son, as not to deny his paternal
blessing, but would contribute nothing towards their support, Mr.
Donne's fortune being greatly diminished by the expence of travels,
law-suits, and the generosity of his temper; however his wants were in
a great measure prevented by the seasonable bounty of their kinsman
Sir Francis Wooley, who entertained them several years at his house at
Pilford in Surry, where our author had several children born to
him. During his residence at Pilford he applied himself with great
diligence and success to the study of the civil and canon law, and was
about this time sollicited by Dr. Morton, (afterwards lord bishop of
Durham) to go into holy Orders, and accept of a Benefice the Doctor
would have resigned to him; but he thought proper to refuse this
obliging offer. He lived with Sir Francis till that gentleman's death,
by whose mediation a perfect reconciliation was effected between Mr.
Donne and his father-in-law; who obliged himself to pay our author
800L. at a certain day as his wife's portion, or 20L. quarterly for
their maintenance, till it was all paid.

He was incorporated master of arts in the university of Oxford, having
before taken the same degree at Cambridge 1610.

About two years after the reconciliation with his father, he was
prevailed upon with much difficulty to accompany Sir Robert Drury to
Paris[3] Mrs. Donne, being then big with child and in a languishing
state of health, strongly opposed his departure, telling him, that
her divining soul boaded some ill in his absence; bur Sir Robert's
importunity was not to be resisted, and he at last consented to go
with him. Mr. Walton gives an account of a vision Mr. Donne had seen
after their arrival there, which he says was told him by a person of
honour, who had a great intimacy with Mr. Donne; and as it has in it
something curious enough, I shall here present it to the reader in
that author's own words[4]

"Two days after their arrival there, Mr. Donne was left alone in that
room in which Sir Robe