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DR. DONNE,

DEAN OF ST. PAUL'S.

THIS learned Divine having married a lady of a rich and noble family without the consent of her parents, was treated by them with great afperity. Having been told by the father, that he was to expect no money from him, the Doctor went home, and wrote the following note to him: "John Donne, Anne Donne, undone." This quibble had the desired effect, and the distreffed couple were reftored to favour.

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It was faid of Donne as of Picus de Mirandola, that he was rather born wife than made fo by ftudy yet, as his Biographer tells us, "hę " left behind him the refultance of fourteen "hundred authors, moft of them abridged and analyfed with his own hand,"

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GROTIUS,

THIS great Civilian was in London in 1613, fent thither by the States General of Holland to fettle some disputes that had taken place between that country and England, respecting the right

of fishery in the North Sea. Cafaubon fays, that if he was not fatisfied with the decifion of the English Minister on the fubject of the difpute, he had great reafon to be flattered with the reception he met with from the Sovereign, James the First, who was much pleased with his converfation*, and fhewed him the greatest attention. Grotius's company and converfation were not, however, much relished by fome of the Courtiers, nor by his Majesty himself, as appears by the following Letter of Archbishop Abbot to Sir Ralph Winwood, Secretary of State, dated Lambeth, June 1, 1613:

At his

"You must take heed how you truft Dr. Gro"tius too far, for I perceive him fo addicted to "fome partialities in those parts, that he feareth not to lafh, fo it may ferve a turn. "first coming to the King, by reafon of his "good Latine tongue, he was fo tedious and "full of tittle-tattle, that the King's judgment

was of him, that he was fome pedant full of "words and of no great judgment. And I myself discovering that to be his habit, as if " he did imagine that every man was bound to "hear him fo long as he would talk, (which is a

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great burthen to men repleat with busyness,) "did privately give him notice thereof, that he

*Mirè Grotii, fermonibus delectatus.-Cafaubon. Epiftola.

"fhould

fhould plainly and directly deliver his mind, ❝or elfe he would make the King weary of him. "This did not fo take place, but that afterwards

" he fell to it again, as was especially observed "one night at fupper at the Lord Bishop of "Ely's, whither being brought by Monfieur "Cafaubon, (as I think,) my Lord intreated him "to stay to fupper, which he did. There was "present Dr. Steward and another Civilian, unto "whom he flings out fome question of that

profeffion; and was fo full of words, that Dr. Steward afterwards told my Lord, that " he did perceive by him, that like a fmatterer " he had studyed fome two or three questions, "whereof when he came in company he must "be talking to vindicate his skill; but if he "were put from thofe, he would fhew himself "but a fimple fellow. There was present also

Dr. Richardfon, the King's Profeffor of Divi"nity in Cambridge, and another Doctor in "that faculty, with whom he falleth in alfo "about fome of those questions which are now " controverted among the Ministers in Holland. "And being matters wherein he was studyed, " he uttered all his fkill concerning them; my "Lord of Ely fitting ftill at the fupper all the "while, and wondering what a man he had "there, who not being in the place or company "before, could overwhelm them fo with talk

" for

"for fo long a time. I write this unto you fo

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largely, that you may know the disposition of "the man, and how kindly he used my Lord of "Ely for his good entertainment. For when "he took his leave of the King, he fell into dif courfe what a famous Church was here in "England, what worthy men the Bishops were, "how he admired the ecclefiaftical government, "what great contentment he received by con"ference with many learned men. • But,' "faith he, I do perceive that your great men "do not all agree in those questions controverted "amongst us; for, in talking with my Lord of

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Ely, I perceive that he is of opinion, that a

man that is truly justified, fanctified, may ex"cidere à gratia, although not finaliter yet tota"liter.' The King's Majefty knowing that my "Lord of Ely had heartofore inclined to that opinion, but, being told the King's judgment "of it, had made fhew to defift from broaching 66 any fuch thing, (for then it was as well finaliter as totaliter,) did fecretly complain to me that 66 my Lord fhould revive any fuch thing, and "especially make it known unto a stranger. "Whereupon I moved my Lord in it, and told "him what the Doctor had faid, and to whom; "but thereunto he replied with earnest affever"ation, that he had not used any fuch speech -" unto him, and was much abused by that re"port.

port. Thereupon he offered by letters fent "into Holland to challenge Grotius for it, as

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having done him a fingular wrong to report "fo of him to the King. I replyed, that I held "it fitter to let it alone, not to draw contention 86 on himself with fo bufy a man. I would fa"tisfy the King, and fo might his Lordship "alfo; but he would do well to be wary how "he had to do with any of thofe parts ill affected, "for he had been once before fo ferved by Ber"tius, the Author of the book De Apoftafia "Sanctorum; who, upon fpeech with Mr. Bed"well Leyden, vauntingly gave it out, that his "Lordship and the Bishop of Lincoln were of "his opinion. You will afk me what is this to "you? I must tell you, therefore, that you shall "not be without your part. At the same time "that Sir Noel Caron was together with Gro"tius, being now to take his leave of the King, "it was defired of his Majefty that he would

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not hastily give his judgment concerning points "of religion now in difference in Holland, for "that his Majefty had information but of one "fide; and that his Ambaffador did deal par"tially, making the reports in favour of the one "fide, and faying nothing at all for the other; "for he might have let his Majesty know how factious a generation thefe Contradictors are; how they are like to our Puritans in England;

"how