Final answer:
John Donne's father-in-law did not provide a dowry after Donne's secret marriage to Anne More, resulting in financial difficulties and loss of employment for Donne.
Step-by-step explanation:
Donne, however, fell in love with his employer's niece, Anne More, and the couple married secretly in 1601. Anne's family was outraged when they discovered the deceit. Donne and his accomplices in the wedding spent some time in prison, and Donne's chances for advancement in government were dashed.
After John Donne scandalously married Anne More, his father-in-law did not give him a dowry, which resulted in financial hardship for the couple. Donne's marriage to Anne More was conducted without the consent of her father, George More, which led to Donne's dismissal from his position and a loss of the career prospects he had as the Secretary to Sir Thomas Egerton.
This lack of financial support and his subsequent loss of employment contributed significantly to the struggles he and his wife faced in the time following their marriage.