Death's Duel
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Death's Duel is the final sermon delivered by John Donne as the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral. Donne preached the sermon on 25 February 1631, the first Friday in Lent.[1] The sermon was likely written out in full prior to Donne preaching it, as it was subsequently prepared for publication.[2] The act of preaching exhausted Donne. To those he had preached, it seemed as though he had delivered his own death sermon.[1] The sermon was entered in the Stationers' Register on 30 September 1631, although not with its title, which first appeared in print along with a 1632 date.[3] Donne died on 31 March 1631.