In point of date of composition, this is probably the earliest of the
published letters of Donne, who in December, 1600, had been for more than
three years chief secretary to Sir Thomas Egerton, the Lord Keeper, from
whose friendly custody the Earl of Essex was set free in July, 1600.
The identity of "G. H." is unknown and conjecture is needless. Perhaps he
was one of those followers of Essex who had been imprisoned at the time of
the first trial of their unhappy leader, but who had not shared in his
release.
Within the three months following the date of this letter Essex had again
offended, this time beyond the possibility of pardon. He was beheaded on
February 25th, 1601.
In such times, one may suppose that the Lord Keeper's young secretary had
matters in hand more pressing than the payment of that debt of "a
continual tribute of letters" which he acknowledges with a gravity in
which one imagines a touch of irony. Yet Donne could hardly help feeling a
special interest in one whose attachment to Essex had brought him on evil
days. He himself had served under Essex in the Cadiz expedition of 1596
and in the Islands Voyage of 1597, "waiting upon his Lordship," says
Walton, "and being an eye-witnesse of those happy and unhappy
employments," a privilege which in the latter enterprise he shared with
young Thomas Egerton, the Lord Keeper's son.