Career
Donne served as a captain and sergeant-major in the memorably unsuccessful British Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré (1627). He next served as military commander of the English colony planted on Saint Kitts. When Spain conquered the colony in 1629, Donne negotiated a surrender under which the English settlers would return to England in ships that the Spanish Admiral Fadrique de Toledo Osorio had captured and held as prizes of war, with Donne held as hostage against the return of the ships to Spain.
In the event, the ships were not returned to Spain and Donne was imprisoned at Cadiz for several years.
In 1633 he somehow escaped and returned to England. Donne was sent to in 1637 as Muster-Master General, Marshall of Harvey, who was opposed by "s increasingly powerful tobacco magnates, sent Donne to England in 1638 to argue in his defense at Court.
While in England Donne wrote Reviewed. Harvey was removed from office, but Donne retained his appointments.
He died aboard ship while returning to in 1639.
