"In August, 1630," says Walton, "being with his eldest daughter, Mrs.
Harvy, at Abury Hatch in Essex, he there fell into a fever, which, with
the help of his constant infirmity (vapours from the spleen,) hastened him
into so visible a consumption, that his beholders might say, as St. Paul
said of himself, 'He dies daily.'" This letter was written from Abury (or
Aldeburgh) Hatch. "Mrs. Harvy" is Donne's daughter Constance, the widow of
Edward Alleyn, and now the wife of Samuel Harvey. Donne's son George, the
soldier, was taking part in the campaign in Spain. Lord Carlisle was the
old friend whom, as Lord Doncaster, Donne had attended in his German
embassy. Lord Percy was Algernon Percy, soon to become fourth Earl of
Northumberland.